Shirley Tew (Carpenter)
Shirley Carpenter Tew, devoted mother of four children, six grandchildren and twelve great grandchildren died peacefully on October 7, 2024 in the New Hope home of her daughter Susan. She was lovingly attended by family members and the care team of Amedisys Hospice Care.
Shirley was born March 28th, 1927 in Rhode Island. She was the eldest of the three children of Everett S. Carpenter and Ruth E. (Cooke) Carpenter. Her brother David and sister Lois predeceased her.
Shirley now joins her late husband of sixty-seven years, Arnold G. Tew, Jr. She met Arnold (a WWII graduate of the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy at Kings Point) while he was a post-war Merchant Marine officer, and she was a Registered Nurse, having graduated from the Rhode Island Hospital School of Nursing as a member of the U.S. Cadet Nurse Corps. After the birth of their first child, Arnold began a long career with Sears Roebuck and Shirley continued with her nursing career while eventually raising four children. They lived for some thirty years in Cinnaminson, NJ.
During their marriage, the family resided in Rhode Island, Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and New Jersey. Shirley held nursing licenses in all those states and in Ohio prior to her marriage. Following their retirement, they maintained a seasonal home in Florida and lived at the Pine Run community in Doylestown, PA for a few years. During her active nursing career Shirley rose to become the Director of Nursing at Zurbrugg Hospital in Riverside, NJ. Arnold completed his career serving on the Sears Eastern Territorial Office staff in Philadelphia.
Shirley is survived by her four children: John (Molly), Susan (Bernard), Peter (Teresa), and Robert. She is also survived by her six grandchildren: Molly (Chris), Jonathan (Pamela), Christopher (Stephanie), Shane (Kristen), Emily, and Conor (Samantha). Her twelve great grandchildren Grace, Nora, Rory, Reagan, Marigold, Rosie, Corine, Keira, Colin, Iris, Avery and Ophelia also survive her.
Future interment and a celebration of life will take place in a private ceremony at Swan Point Cemetery in Providence, Rhode Island.
In lieu of flowers, contributions in Shirley’s memory may be made to Amedisys Hospice Care, 3331 Street Rd., Two Greenwood Sq, Suite 410 Bensalem, PA 19020.
Services will be announced at a later date
Joseph A. Fluehr III Funeral Home, New Britain
241 East Butler Avenue
New Britain, PA 18901