Shirley (Joseph) Brown, 87, passed away peacefully on June 29, 2025 with her family by her side.

Born May 16, 1938 in Mount Carmel, PA to Irving and Rose Joseph and raised in Brooklyn, NY, Shirley was the youngest of three siblings, the only daughter. Her parents made sure she had the finest of clothes and the greatest of opportunities, despite financial struggles. As a child, she loved playing with the neighborhood kids, biking around Brooklyn, and hanging out with her best friend. She worked in her father’s deli as a teen and graduated from Madison High School, receiving the designation as best athlete.

Shirley attended Hunter College where she studied education, and began her teaching career in Chinatown. Soon after college, she met Herbert, whom she married at age 22 and went on to share a life with for nearly 64 years, until Herb’s death in 2024. Strong-willed Herb and gentle Shirley may have had different personalities and temperaments, but they shared a love of family, friends, golf, tennis, the beach, and enjoying life.

Shirley and Herbert began raising their family in Manhattan Beach, and then settled in Melville, NY for nearly 30 years. Shirley stayed at home with her girls while they were young. She then went on to receive her Master’s degree in reading and resumed her teaching career. She re-entered her teaching career supporting young children with reading challenges and teaching English to international students at Farmingdale University. She then proudly and joyfully served as a reading specialist and English Language Arts teacher at South Side Middle School in Rockville Centre, NY for close to 20 years. Shirley particularly enjoyed building relationships with students who faced economic or family hardships, as well as those who struggled academically. Her support changed lives, and students often stayed in touch with her for years after she retired.

Shirley and Herb moved to Long Beach, NY, and eventually Somers, NY, while enjoying winters in Naples, FL. Even two struggles with lymphoma and their subsequent recoveries couldn’t stop Shirley. Her strong will, determination and positive attitude gave her the strength to move forward.

Shirley was a caring and devoted mother, grandmother, sister, daughter, aunt, and friend. She took tremendous pride in her daughters’, sons-in-law’s and grandchildren's accomplishments, and always looked for opportunities to talk about them with her friends. She was a lover of reading, learning, and art. She was a great listener and was always eager to share in meaningful conversations.

Shirley is survived by her three daughters, Jacqueline Mastrokyriakos, Elisa Zuckerberg, and Lauren Scher, and their respective spouses, Paul, David, and Daniel. She leaves behind five grandchildren who loved their grandma, including Efthimios (Mike), Alexander, Jules, Gabriel, and Alison. She is also survived by her brother-in-law and sister-in-law, Richard and Barbara Brown, as well as her nephews and their respective families.

Funeral services will be held on Tuesday, July 1, 2025, at 11:00 am at King David Memorial Gardens (101 Mill Street, Putnam Valley, NY). All attendees are welcome to join the family immediately after the funeral at 5 Long Pond Rd., Waccabuc, NY. A shiva minyan service will take place later that afternoon at 4:30pm at the Waccabuc address. Shiva will also take place at the home of Lauren and Dan on Thursday, July 3 (6:00 - 8:00pm), 6 Trowbridge Lane, Mansfield MA. Please reach out to Jacqueline at jpmastro@comcast.net for opportunities to share condolences in New Jersey.

Donations can be made to the Alzheimer’s Association or the League of Women Voters.

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