Shirley Spencer Duggan

A little tea with her cream, a little bread with her butter, and a few Hershey’s Kisses for breakfast, lunch or dinner, this New England Saint was loved by all. Shirley Mary Spencer, oldest daughter of Harold and Ida Spencer (both deceased and fondly remembered), was simply the definition of kind. Shirley (aka “Grammie”) was married to Michael Allan Duggan (Deceased 2011). Seven children survived Shirley: Michelle (Bill) Craig, Cheryl (Mark) Hartman, Michael Duggan, Christopher (Sharon) Duggan, Robert (Amy) Duggan, Siobhan (Michael) Smith and Mary Cathrine (Kenneth) Dorney; Shirley’s adoring grandchildren: Heather, Cynthia, Elizabeth, Clara, Kelsey, Ian, Declan, Sophia, Margaret Katherine, Cameron, McKenna, Kendall, Caleigh, Zachariah and Rachel; her sister Pinky (Jack) Staley and numerous Staley nieces and nephews, brother-in-law Laurence (Beatrice – Deceased 2012) Duggan, and sister-in-law Peggy (Ted) von Briesen, and numerous Duggan nieces and nephews. An insatiable learner and perpetual student, Shirley graduated from Newton College of the Sacred Heart, Boston in 1955, yet she never ceased attending school. Studying Japanese, immersing herself in foreign cultures, teaching languages and attending select courses at The Smithsonian Museums were but a few of her favorite pastimes. Her love of travel took her all over the world, from her year of studying in Madrid to her adventures while living in England. Touring Ireland, Austria, France, Germany, Italy, and Belgium were but a few of her stops. Shirley’s love of butter was only surpassed by her love of talking. There was no such thing as a stranger, and in the event she didn’t know you, you only had to give her a minute before she was praying for your kids or teaching you how to say the “Our Father” in Spanish. Or French. Or Latin. Or Japanese. In the event school was on break, Grammie would load up her seven children in the old Ford station wagon (fully-equipped with an intermittent A/C and faux wood panels) and trek from Austin to Boston. Armed with a good romance, her sister and a beach chair, the Cape was her summer haven. Shirley’s deep faith touched the lives of hundreds. She was a Eucharistic Minister, a member of Ladies of Charity (Ascension Catholic Church) and St. Vincent de Paul (St. Theresa Catholic Church, Austin), a religious education teacher, and a self-appointed member of the grandchildrens’ prayer police. Her family will fondly remember their amazing mother for working so hard to keep the roof over their heads, bread, butter and sugar on their plates, and learning the fine art of smuggling extra children into hotel rooms. A funeral mass will be held at Ascension Catholic Church in Bastrop, Texas on Tuesday, August 13, 2013 at 10.30am. A Rosary will be said the night before at 7pm.