Obituary of Shirley A. Robinson

CANTON- Shirley Anne Pryce Robinson , 88, of Canton, NY, and formerly of Parishville, NY died on November 2, 2024 at the Canton-Potsdam Hospital. Funeral services will be held on Thursday, November 14, 2024 at 11 a.m. at the Buck Funeral Home in Colton, with Rev. Lee Sweeney presiding. A calling hour will be held on Thursday from 10 a.m. until the time of the services. Interment will be held in the Fairview Cemetery, Parishville, NY following the services. Shirley was born in Madrid, NY to Raymond A. and Beatrice (Crump) Pryce on October 10, 1936. She attended Madrid Central School and graduated in 1954. Shirley grew up in a family that celebrated and performed music and she too played a variety of instruments. Her vocal performances of country and big band ballads were often requested by friends and family and she performed in the original production of Sunday Rock-The Musical, in Colton, NY. Shirley always found happiness in music and even in her final days she continued to play the piano for hours at a time. As a young woman Shirley began working as a bank teller at St. Lawrence National Bank, where she continued off and on for 20 years while raising her family. In the 1980's she accepted the role of bookkeeper at High Flats Sawmill in Parishville. After nearly a decade of working at the sawmill she purchased JEBS Market in Parishville with her son Jim, daughter-in-law Ellen and husband Billy. Shirley and her husband Billy operated JEBS Market until 1999. Shirley celebrated a career of more than 30 years in public office serving as the first Councilwoman elected in the Town of Parishville, and later as Town Clerk, Tax Collector and Court Clerk. She was also a member of the Parishville Historical Society. Shirley served as a member of the Board of Education at Parishville-Hopkinton Central School for nearly 20 years. She was a longtime resident of Parishville and always active in the community. On November 25, 1957 Shirley married Willard J. (Billy) Robinson of Potsdam, NY. They were married for nearly 62 years, until Billy's death on March 19, 2019. She is survived by two sons James (Ellen) Robinson of Germantown, MD and Lawrence (Chikako) Robinson of Potsdam, a daughter whom she'd been residing with in Canton, Jennifer (Charles) Henry, 8 grandchildren, 2 great-grandchildren and many nieces, nephews, cousins and friends. She is preceded in death by her husband Billy and three brothers, Raymond J. Pryce, Francis Pryce, and Edgar (Leroy) Pryce. Memorial donations in Shirley's memory may be made to the Parishville Volunteer Rescue Squad, PO Box 264 Parishville, NY and memories and condolences may be shared online at www.buckfuneralhome.com . The Buck Funeral Home in Colton is serving the family of Shirley Anne Pryce Robinson