Ralph Shirley '44

Ralph Wellington Shirley of East Conway, N.H., passed away peacefully at home from cancer on Nov. 25, 2020, with the love and support of his many family members.
Ralph was the son of Ethel (Webster) Shirley and Earl Shirley of East Conway and was born at the Sherman Farm (formerly the Shirley Farm) in 1926.
Ralph was 94 and was predeceased by his wife, Marilyn (McKeen) Shirley on Sept. 30 of this year. They had been married 71 years.
He was also predeceased by his sister, Betty Gerry of East Conway, N.H.; his nephew Robert (Bobby) Gerry of Fryeburg, Maine; his brother-in-law Harry McKeen of Pelham, N.H.; and his nephew Harold McKeen of Jacksonville, Fla.
Ralph graduated from Fryeburg Academy before entering the Navy during World II. During the war, Ralph was a seaman first class assigned to the MV Bald Head in the Pacific Ocean and received the World War II Victory Medal, the American Theatre Medal, and the Asiatic-Pacific Theatre Medal.
At the end of the war, he came back to East Conway where he helped his dad run the Shirley Dairy Farm. After his dad passed away, Ralph sold the Farm and attended a two-year degree program at the University of New Hampshire in applied sciences and graduated in 1965. He was immediately hired by the Rocks Estate in Bethlehem, N.H., where he was the manager of the estate for 21 years until it was given over to the Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests.
Ralph retired a few years later and moved back to East Conway where he worked at a hobby he really enjoyed, which was logging his land the old-fashioned way with work horses. He always enjoyed working with animals and when the logging got to be too much, he then worked at breeding and raising donkeys, and continued to do so until two years ago.
Ralph was a lifelong member of the Pythagorean Lodge of Freemasons in Fryeburg, and also a member of the American Legion in North Conway. He also loved the Fryeburg fair and was a fair person through and through. He participated in the fair as a youngster through 4-H. Then in his adult years, he worked in the Pulling Ring each year and served as superintendent of the Exhibition and Pulling Horses Department in the early 1960s, as his father had done in the 1950s.
Ralph was well-known and well-liked by all who knew him. He will be missed so much by his friends and family including: Brenda Gerry and Alan Svenningsen of Fryeburg; Emily, Steve, Aiden and Aria McKinnon of Alfred, Maine; Bethany Gerry and Jeff Pratt of Standish, Maine; Bobbi-Jo Gerry and son Jarrett of Fryeburg; Brockie, Brooke, Bryleigh, and Jack Gerry of Fryeburg; Ken and Jackie Moulton of Concord, N.H.; Mike and Denise McKeen of Dunbarton, N.H.; Bonnie Broach of Bradenton, Fla.; Penny and Mike Morin of Farmington, N.H.; Linda Boyd McKeen of New Brunswick, Canada; John McKeen of New Brunswick, Canada; Jim McKeen of Alberta, Canada; Jennifer Moulton of Concord; Kristopher, Bethany and Caden Moulton of Tucson, Ariz.; Jay, Danielle, Cameron and Bryson McKeen of Derry, N.H.; Sarah, James, Hailey and Logan Gignac of Dunbarton, N.H.; Douglas Jones of Silver Springs, Fla.; Scott Jones of North Fryeburg; Julianne Dunloe of Duston, Maine; Linda Kisman of East Conway, N.H.; and Leslie Hicks and son, Corey, of Fryeburg.
Our family is so appreciative for the care and support that Ralph received from the Veterans Administration and especially his VA nurse, Dianna Bennington; and also from Helping Hands Home Care; the Visiting Nurses Hospice Program; and all of the volunteers with the Meals on Wheels Program of N. Conway. We would also like to thank his friends and neighbors David and Wendy Heald, the Sherman Family, and the Deschambeault Family for all their help and support for Ralph & Marilyn. Ralph’s remains will be cremated and the family will have a private celebration of his life.
Donations in Ralph’s honor can be made to your local 4-H program or to the Visiting Nurses Home Care & Hospice Program of Carroll County (P.O. Box 432 N. Conway NH 03860).
Back

Fryeburg Academy

FRYEBURG ACADEMY
745 Main Street
Fryeburg, ME 04037
p. (207) 935-2001      
f.  (207) 935-5013      
admissions@fryeburgacademy.org
Fryeburg Academy is an independent boarding and day school, serving grades 9-12 and postgraduate. We invite you to explore our site and learn how students from around the globe find their place in the world through our exceptional academic, art, and athletic programs.