Shirley Lee "Shirl" Ormsbee

GENEVA - With immense sadness we share that our favorite "Golden Girl", Shirley "Shirl" Lee Ormsbee, age 78, of Waterloo, N.Y., peacefully passed away on October 24, 2025 in the care of Pathway Home in Seneca Falls, N.Y.

Shirley was born in Geneva, N.Y. on December 23, 1946 to the late William Lee and Laura Bailey Flaherty as the youngest of six children. She moved to Watkins Glen, N.Y. at the age of eight and was a very proud Senecas graduate with the Class of 1964 from WGCS. Attending their class gatherings over the years was a highlight of her life and helped her maintain extremely close friendships.

On September 10, 1966 she married the love of her life, the late William Leonard Ormsbee. After starting their family, our parents moved to Shortsville, N.Y. and later to the Phelps/Newark, N.Y. area making lifelong friends along the way.

Shirley started her working career at Cornell University as a secretary and later as a Medical Assistant with Geneva Medical Associates and Geneva General Hospital. She worked for several physicians, Hospitalist Program, MRI and Lab Services. She always got a kick out of patients recognizing her "with her clothes on" outside of her scrub wearing duties.

Mom was the heart of our family and care giving was ingrained in her very soul. Having kicked cancer's butt twice (breast and uterine) she was forced to lose our father to yet another form of the "Big C". Despite all that alone she was still the one everyone could count on, be it family or friend. Her support was endless. Her infectious smile and laugh was memorable.

Her favorite pastimes included watching anything on the Hallmark Channel, trips to the beach or a casino and of course anything her children and grandchildren were involved in.

Shirley is survived by her children, Brenda (Ross) Jones of Waterloo, N.Y. and Brian (Dee) Ormsbee of Chattahoochee, FL; her grandchildren, Cameron & Darryl Jones, Dalton & Jenna Ormsbee; great grandson, Easton Ormsbee; sisters-in-law; Fran Ormsbee and Laura Lee; several cousins, nieces and nephews; and her closest friends, Kathy Szostak and Beth Henderson.

Shirley was preceded in death by her parents and husband of 36 years; her siblings and spouses, Virginia & Louis Rondinaro, Barbara & Theodore Specchio, Patricia & James Angelo, Richard & AnnMarie Lee and her "Irish Twin" Robert Lee; her brother-in-law, Robert Ormsbee; her in-laws, William & Estella Ormsbee; and nieces, Staci Ormsbee & Karen Walther.

Calling hours will be held at Devaney-Bennett Funeral Home, 181 N. Main St., Geneva, N.Y. on Friday, November 7, from 4:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. Funeral Mass will be held at St. Mary's of the Lake Church, 905 N. Decatur St., Watkins Glen, N.Y. on Saturday November 8 at 11:00 a.m. Burial will be in Holy Cross Cemetery in Watkins Glen.

We kindly ask that you consider a memorial contribution to either: Pathway Home of the FL, P.O. Box 516, Seneca Falls, N.Y. 13148 or to The ARC of Chemung-Schuyler at their website https://arcofcs.org/donate

The family would like to thank the staff of Pathway Home, Geneva General 2-West & 3-North and Living Center South for the care and compassion shown to our mother.

For online condolences please visit www.devaneybennettfh.com