Shirley Ruth Beresford

Shirley Ruth Beresford

Bradford, VT - Shirley Ruth Beresford passed away January 26, 2024 at the age of 92.

She was born March 4, 1931 in West Suffield, Connecticut, the daughter of Howard Beresford and Carlotta (Lindquist) Beresford. She grew up on her parents' farm in West Suffield and attended local schools. In 1958 she graduated from American International College and in 1959 received M.A. in history from Bucknell Univeristy.

She studied history at Columbia University while employed as a librarian in its Business School, and she was a contributor to the Columbia Encyclopedia. From 1961 to 1966 she was Reference Librarian at the New-York Historical Society in Manhattan.

In 1966 she moved to her farm (the old Gaffield farm) on Mink Hill in Bradford, Vermont, where she raised beef cattle. During 1966 to 1971 she taught history and English and was librarian at Bradford Academy.

She was librarian and teacher of research techniques at Oxbow High School from 1971 to 1996. She attended virtually every meeting of the Oxbow School Board as an interested observer providing an unofficial link between faculty and board.

She was chair of the Bradford Zoning Board of Adjustment from 1974 to 2016. She served on the Board of Civil Authority and as a Justice of the Peace for many years. She was a director of the Bradford Academy/Woods School Building Preservation Fund since its inception in 1997.

In younger days she like riding horses, sailing her Friendship sloop and sketching; in later years she enjoyed playing golf, keeping up with current events and opera. An old saying sums her up: there was no pie but Shirley had a finger in it.

She was predeceased by her brothers John and Winfield Beresford and by her nephews Thomas, Gary and Howard John Beresford.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Bradford Academy/Wood School Building Preservation Fund; the Beresford Library, Oxbow High School, Bradford, VT 05033; or the Upper Valley Humane Society, P.O. Box 789, Lebanon, N.H. 03766.

At her request there will be no public services. Hale Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.