York, ME - Shirley G. (Morgridge) Dodge (95) passed away on January 25, 2022, at Sentry Hill at York Harbor, Maine.  Shirley was born in Eliot, Maine, on July 30, 1926.  It was there she met her soul mate John H. Dodge of Epping, New Hampshire.  Married on December 1, 1945, while John was in the Navy, they shared a life together for 47 years.

At Eliot High School Shirley was an avid basketball player and graduated in June of 1943.  Her school spirit continued as she attended class reunions every year.

While raising their three children, Shirley had a newspaper route delivering the "Portsmouth Herald" and was a meat cutter at Dan's Supermarket.  Stage Neck Inn saw her in housekeeping, and at Liberty Mutual she was a rater until her retirement in 1982.  Her primary focus, however, was raising her children for which they are eternally grateful.

Red was her favorite color and the Red Sox was her favorite sports team. Not one to be idle, Shirley was a member of the Gadabouts Bowling League, Eastern Star, John F. Hill Grange serving for a time as Chaplin and was awarded the Degree of Ceres, DAV Commander's Club Bronze Leader, Eliot United Methodist Church Faith Circle (serving turkey dinners and making crafts for the church fairs), and counted ballots in Eliot on voting days.  She is remembered for crocheting hundreds of afghans, for her special macaroni and cheese recipe, and for including a one-dollar bill in each birthday card mailed to members of her entire extended family. Until the day she passed she maintained contact with many long-time friends and relatives.  As expressed by one niece, "we were the lucky ones" to have known her for so many years.

Shirley is survived by her three children:  David (and Mia) Dodge of Buxton, Maine; Gregory (and Christy) Dodge of Newnan, Georgia: Cynthia (and David Botelho) of Murrells Inlet, South Carolina; five grandchildren:  Scott (and Renee) Dodge of Berwick, Maine, Sara (and Thomas) Ramey of Newnan, Georgia; John Ricker (and Diana) of Wilmington, North Carolina, Dana Dodge (and Jeanette) of Buxton, Maine, Caitlin Dodge of Portland, Maine, and fourteen great grandchildren.

She was predeceased by her husband John H. Dodge and five siblings.

Services – A Graveside Service for Shirley will be held at 11am on April 22 ^nd , 2022 at the Brooks Memorial Cemetery in Eliot, ME.  Following the burial a luncheon will be held at the Eliot United Methodist Church, 238 Dow Hwy, Eliot, ME 03903.

In lieu of flowers please consider a contribution to:  Footprints Food Pantry, 37 Old Post Rd, Kittery, ME 03904 or Eliot United Methodist Church. Care of the Dodge Family has been entrusted to the J S Pelkey and Son Funeral Home.