Shirley Cuddy

SHIRLEY  CUDDY

Shirley C. Cuddy, age 82, of Baldwin Borough, Pittsburgh Pennsylvania, died Friday, September 21, 2012 in Baldwin Health Center.  She was born March 30, 1930 in McKeesport, the only daughter of four children to Charles Wesley Cupp and Melissa Louise (Sample) Cupp.  Shirley worked for Westinghouse in Atomic Energy Systems at the Waltz Mills and Large Facilities for 36 years.

In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her three brothers, Bob, Rich and Bill Cupp.  She is survived by her husband of  60 years, John S. Cuddy (a retired Whitehall Police Officer) and many nieces and nephews

Friends will be received on Monday, September 24, 2012 from 2 – 4 and 7 – 8 PM in the Stephen D. Slater Funeral Home 1701 State Route 51 (Large) in Jefferson Hills.  Her funeral service will be on Monday at 8 PM at the conclusion of visitation in the funeral home.  Burial will be in Atwood Cemetery in Atwood, Pennsylvania.

Remembering Shirley

Shirley Cupp was born March 30, 1930 in McKeesport, PA.  She had three brothers, Bob, Rich, and Bill.  Her mother died when Shirley was four years old, and she was raised by her grandmother.  Later, she lived with her father and stepmother in Jefferson Borough.

She attended grade school in McKeesport and high school at Clairton, graduating in 1948.  Later, she had a rewarding career as a Laboratory Technician at Westinghouse for over 30 years, where she worked on nuclear submarine projects prior to retirement.  Westinghouse transferred her from Large to the Waltz Mill Division in New Stanton.  For several years, she drove 30 miles each way, rain or snow, and was never late or missed a day.

Shirley met john in Clairton during one of his motorcycle rides.  Although her parents objected, she occasionally rode with him and the relationship blossomed.

She married John September 26, 1952.  Their marriage was a spur-of-the-moment decision, without fanfare, performed at the Pilgrim Holiness Church in Elizabeth, PA.  Their wedding dinner was a Johnny’s Drive-In Restaurant in West Elizabeth.

They lived in Calamity Hollow for a few years, then built their current home in Baldwin.

She and John had a passion for traveling and have seen much of the world.  They have an archive of film and slides that would fill a bushel basket.  Many experiences were special, but her most frightening one was undoubtedly when John bungee jumped from a ten-story bridge over a canyon river in New Zealand.  At 65 years of age, he was probably the oldest person to have ever done it.

She and John loved to explore covered bridges.  They traveled over several states tracking them down, learning their history, and photographing them.  Sometimes, they had to walk to remote areas to view the bridges.  Their photographs won many awards in the Pennsylvania Magazine.

Shirley loved to read and was very well informed.  One could discuss almost anything with her, whether technical, political, or otherwise.  In recent years, she regularly visited the local library.  She learned the computer well and especially loved to save and print photographs.

She was a strong and special person.  She fought the battle with multiple myeloma cancer for the past ten years.  In spite of that, she was always cheerful and pleasant and never complained.  When anyone ever mentioned her, they invariably said, “She’s a really nice person.”

We al loved her and she will be missed.

Composed by Ron Cuddy