Shirley Anne Kinsella
Shirley Anne Kinsella née Brigham was born on April 6, 1926 in Rochester, New York, the youngest child to Robert Henry & Mary Rose (Clark) Brigham.
She grew up in Rochester during the Great Depression, and attended Catholic schools. At Our Lady of Mercy High School she was a bobby-soxer and enjoyed languages, baseball, tennis and cheerleading. She aspired to become a pilot, even taking navigation lessons at a local airport.
During World War 2 her family took up the cause of defending liberty as her brothers and father all served during the war. Her brother Richard was KIA in 1944. Her brother Tom was taken POW the same year.
After attending a year at Nazareth College she worked at a bank and then she and one of her friends drove to Florida where she became an airline reservation agent. Later she returned to Rochester and worked in advertising and public relations. About this time she met a “handsome young army officer” named Peter J. Kinsella at a friend’s wedding. He was so nervous meeting her that he accidentally spilled champagne on her dress.
She married Peter on October 4, 1952 at Ft. Davis, Panama, where he was stationed. After Panama they returned to Rochester and then lived in a quonset hut in Indiana while Peter earned his college degree. After that they lived in Apalachin, New York, and in the summer of 1968 relocated to Elk Grove Village, Illinois.
For a few years they lived in Hayward, California, before moving to Hoffman Estates. Shirley most recently lived in Schaumburg and Alden Care Poplar Creek in Hoffman Estates.
Above all else Shirley loved her family and loved spending time with them. She enjoyed summer camping trips at Cape Cod, jolly Christmas Eve parties, and playing gin rummy with her grandkids.
She had a gentle laugh and was always glad to chat.
She cherished her Roman Catholic faith and was active with her parish at each place she lived. She always felt it was important to help others.
Shirley went to Christ on February 19, 2022.
She is survived by her children: Sharon (Dale) Volkamer, Mike (Beth) Kinsella, Pete Kinsella, Mary (Phil) Greiner, and Kevin (Terri) Kinsella; 16 grandchildren: Jennifer, Chris, Stephen, Heather, Michael, Julie, Matthew, Elisabeth, Kaitlyn, Amanda, Peter, Adeline, Maggie, Molly, Luka, and Liam; and eight great-grandchildren: Lily, June, Sophia, Madelyn, Evie, Michael, Gwen, Maela, and another on the way; and many nieces and nephews.
She was predeceased by her husband of 43 years; their infant son Timothy; her parents; and 6 siblings John, Bob, Tom, James, Mary, and Richard.
Visitation at 10am followed by funeral Mass at 11am on Tuesday, March 1 at Holy Family Catholic Church at 2515 W. Palatine Rd., Inverness, IL 60067. Interment private at St. Michael the Archangel Cemetery, Palatine.
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