Rosemary Rosie Shove Shiras

Rosemary Rosie Shove Shiras, 82 ORR'S ISLAND -- Rosemary Rosie Shove Shiras, of Orr's Island, who promoted the curriculum of Native studies for the State of Maine public schools, died suddenly on Friday. She was 82. Rosie was a passionate advocate for social justice. Since 1991, Rosie was an active volunteer with the Wabanaki Project of the American Friends Service Committee. In that capacity, she was instrumental in promoting the implementation of state law L.D. 291 which required all K-12 social study teachers in the State of Maine to include the study of Native peoples in their courses. Rosie Shiras was born in Syracuse, N.Y. in 1925 and grew up nearby in Cazenovia. Rosie's grandparents, with her father, John Shove, then a newborn in a basket, first came to Orr's Island in 1894 on the steamboat from Portland. Rosie spent virtually every summer of her life on the Island until 1990 when she became a permanent resident. Rosie taught children with learning differences from 1970 - 1990 at the Kingsbury Center, the elementary school systems of Hudson and Concord, Mass. and The Fenn School also in Concord. During this time, she earned a Master of Education degree from Godard College in Vermont and her text book, entitled Paragraph Writing Made Easy, for elementary school students was published by Scholastic Books in 2001. Rosie was a gifted teacher who was loved and long-remembered by her students. Rosie's motto for her students and herself was Take Courage, and she lived by that motto indefatigably. She is survived by her husband, Peter, of Orr's Island; her daughter Natalie of Lee, Mass., and her son Peter, Jr. of Lutherville, Md.; and four grandchildren, Alexander of Denver, Colo., Anne of Lee, Mass., and Tess and Chloe of Lutherville, Md. A celebration of Rosie's life followed by a potluck supper will be held at the Bailey Island Library from 4-8 p.m. on Saturday, June 28. Condolences can be expressed at www.brackettfuneralhome.com