Obituary of Shirley Mae Farrell

Rensselaer - Shirley Mae Huhn Farrell, age 94, passed away peacefully on Thursday, January 17, 2019 at St Peter’s Hospital.  Shirley was born and raised in Rensselaer and graduated from Rensselaer High School.  Shirley, her mother, Velva Mowers Huhn Debrocki and grandparents, Kathleen Southwell Mowers and Blanchard Mowers were all dedicated residents of the Rensselaer community. 

Shirley came from a long line of artists and many of her pieces depict buildings and landscapes across the Capital Region.  Various paintings are on permanent display at the Rensselaer Public Library, First Church in Albany and the Underground Railroad History Project of the Capital Region’s Headquarters.  Shirley was a devoted parishioner and former elder of First Church in Albany where she taught Sunday school and volunteered for numerous community activities. 

Funeral services will be held on Wednesday, January 23 at 10:00 a.m. at First Church in Albany, located at 110 North Pearl Street.  The family will greet friends from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. Tuesday, January 22 at the W.J. Lyons Funeral Home located at 1700 Washington Avenue in Rensselaer.  Shirley’s family would like to extend their gratitude to the fellow parishioners and clergy of First Church in Albany, fellow residents and staff of the Franciscan Heights Senior Community and the nurses and doctors at St Peter’s Hospital, all for their spiritual leadership, friendship and loving care of Shirley. 

Shirley is survived by 5 children (Rhonda Batchelder, Thomas Farrell, Cindy Cramer, Kimberly Hoffman and Joanne Farrell-Patterson), 11 grandchildren and 5 great-grandchildren.  We will miss you.