Shirley Boardman

Shirley Boardman of Pompton Plains, a deeply-loved mother, sister, grandmother and incredible friend, passed away on Sunday, April 19th— a beautiful spring day.

Shirley was born on December 12th in the small town of Summerhill, Pennsylvania. We’re leaving her age a mystery- she made her family promise! We don’t want anyone to fret, though- Shirley lived an incredible, trail-blazingly long life that cannot be captured in a few paragraphs, or summed up by a number. Although she spent her first 20 years in rural Pennsylvania, Shirley had aspirations that lead her to The Big Apple. After graduating from college at Indiana University of Pennsylvania as a young woman in her 20s, she briefly taught elementary school before leaving her life in PA and hopping on a bus to New York City.  As an avid writer with sharp intellect, she was hired at Time Life Magazine, where she quickly made friends and moved into an apartment just off 5th Avenue. For those who know Shirley best, her first address in Manhattan is quite apropos considering her deep love for Broadway. It was the swanky part of Midtown (close to Tiffany’s, she would interject!) where her adult life began.

As readers will note, Shirley had an incredible professional work life unmatched by most women of her time. After working at Time Life, Shirley went on to enjoy a 60+ year career as an editor, medical researcher and copywriter in the pharmaceutical advertising industry. No one knew more about grammar, words, and editorial work than Shirley. She’s been published in the New York Times and New York Magazine more times than her family can count, and was more well-read than most (home delivery of the Times, of course.) We’re hoping she approves of our homage to her through written word, but her family wishes she was present to proofread our work! We’re sure she’d make more than a few edits! Shirley worked full-time while raising her two daughters, and did not stop until two days before her passing. A feminist at heart, Shirley believed women were the future. The women (and men) in her family were taught by Shirley to fight for what they believe in, no matter what other people think. We hope it’s clear that Shirley led by example.

Shirley loved life and enjoyed a myriad of pastimes. A devoted parishioner of St. Mary’s parish in Pompton Lakes, her faith was with her every step she took. Shirley was a member of Socrates Café and St. Mary’s Social Justice Committee, where she wrote and advocated for equal rights and climate justice. Shirley was always up for a good debate, but never one to tell you you were wrong… unless, of course, you were wrong—  that was the educator in her. She loved to advocate for those without voices… this includes the birds and deer in her backyard in Pompton Plains. She religiously fed all animals that showed up at her back porch, even if they ate her flowers!

Shirley found joy in almost everything and everyone in her life: blueberry bran muffins, matzah ball soup at diners, spider plants, peachy lipstick, idioms, and New York City to name a few. Shirley loved seeing musicals with her friends and having her family over for dinner. Shirley had an abundance of love to give, and loved each member of her family the way they needed to be loved. She was always there to call her grandchildren “Darlin’” and host them for sleepovers— as long as they’d play piano with ‘Mimi’ and eat her pancakes in the morning. Trust us, it was our pleasure. She also had an incredible sense of humor, and wasn’t afraid to use a few swear words when it came to her frustrations with technology. In all seriousness, her children, grandchildren and friends already miss her Tony Bennet-singing, intellectual-bantering self. Most of all, they will miss Mimi’s hugs and seeing her wave goodbye from her driveway after a Sunday family dinner. Mimi never missed a ‘wave goodbye’.

Shirley was the loving mother of Rebecca Santaniello and her husband Gerard of Wayne, and Penny Tarpey and her husband Brian of Wayne. Shirley was the most incredible grandmother to Christopher and his girlfriend Andrea, and to Delaney, Tommy and Connor. Shirley is survived by her brother Tom and his wife Eileen of Tamarac, Florida, but her family is confident that she was greeted by her late sister Rita Snyder with a beer and the Sunday paper in the afterlife. She is also survived by many lifelong friends who have been changed for the better because of Shirley.

In lieu of flowers, please send memorial donations in Shirley’s memory to St. Mary’s Food Pantry.