Margaret "Pete" Shorter

Margaret "Pete" Shorter, 84, of New Britain, beloved wife for 28 years of Randall Patterson Shorter, Jr., passed away peacefully on Thursday, December 12, 2024, in East Windsor. Born in Creedmoor, NC on May 29, 1940, daughter of the late Silas Thomas Jones and Josephine (Winston) Taylor, she was raised in Creedmoor, NC and moved to Connecticut with her family as a young girl and they settled in Meriden in 1953.
Margaret was a graduate of Meriden High School, Class of 1958. Shortly after graduation she married, moved to Hartford and started a family. She worked at The Travelers Insurance Company for several years before taking a position in the cafeteria as a cook at Simpson Waverly Elementary School in Hartford. After moving to New Britain in 1984, Margaret continued to work in the school system and served for 18 years as a crossing guard until her retirement in 2021.
She was a member of Elks Lodge #1437, Improved, Benevolent, and Protective Order of Elks of the World (IBPOEW), where she served as an active part of the hospitality committee both for the lodge and for the New England and Eastern Canada Hospitality Department. She was a past Director of Anna Warmsley Temple #1073 at the Lodge and worked with her fellow Elks on numerous service projects in the Greater Hartford community. A longtime New Britain resident, Margaret also served as a volunteer at the polls during elections.
A faithful Christian throughout her life, Margaret was a member of Grace CME Church in New Britain where she would fill-in as an usher when needed.
In her spare time, Margaret enjoyed traveling with her husband and her fellow Elks throughout the country. Randall and Margaret took several trips to Elks conventions and loved vacationing together. Most of all, Margaret will be remembered as a devoted wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, great-great-grandmother, sister, aunt, and friend. She was fiercely loyal to her family and loved attending her children and later her grandchildren's sporting events and activities.
In addition to her husband, she leaves four children, Maureen D. Nickson of Bloomfield, Josephine Marie Nickson of Hartford, Michael Antoine Nickson of Torrington, and Corey L. Nickson and his wife Kimberly of Manchester; 17 grandchildren, Rayshonda Mitchell and her husband Tyrone of Stamford, Diane Oten and her husband Robert of Hartford, Travon Nickson and his wife Candia of Bloomfield, Yinickreea Desirea Branch and her husband Albert of Windsor, Cornelius "Trea" Roberts, III of East Hartford, Shaneall Flowers and her husband Antonio of Winter Garden, FL, Tariq Nickson-Kanhai of Hartford, Tajon Nickson of Hartford, Michael A. Nickson, Jr. of Vernon, Brandon Johnson-Nickson of Willimantic, Jeremy Nickson of Port Charlotte, FL, Arihanna Spadola of Waterbury, Corey Nickson of Manchester, Jayden Nickson of Manchester, Aubree Williams of Mebane, NC, and Christopher Soltau of Bloomfield; 16 great-grandchildren; four great-great-grandchildren; a nephew, Major Glen Farrish of Bronx, NY; and a host of other relatives and friends. She was predeceased by her parents, Silas Thomas Jones and Josephine (Winston) Taylor; her stepfather, Major Taylor; a son, Mohrmon David Nickson, Jr.; a sister, Janie Marie Taylor; and a grandson, Terrawne Nickson.
Her family will receive friends on Friday, December 20, 10-11 a.m., followed by a Homegoing Service at Saint James Missionary Baptist Church, 45 Daly Avenue, New Britain, CT. Burial will follow in Fairview Cemetery, 120 Smalley St., New Britain.
Memorial donations may be made to Elks Lodge #1437, IBPOEW, P.O. Box 424, New Britain, CT 06050. Carmon Windsor Funeral Home has care of the arrangements. For online condolences please visit, www.carmonfuneralhome.com.