Shirley J. Fatone

Shirley J. Fatone July 18, 1935 - July 11, 2010 Preston - Shirley Jane (Beetham/Taggart) Fatone, 74, of 71 Middle Rd, Preston, wife of Gaetano George Fatone, died Sunday morning at home surrounded by her family after a long struggle with Corticobasal Degeneration, a rare progressive degenerative neurological disorder. Born in Norwich on July 18, 1935 she was the daughter of the late Howard Russell and Mary (West) Beetham, Sr. She attended the Uncasville School in Montville where she excelled academically. She graduated 3rd in her class from Norwich Free Academy Class of 1953. While attending NFA, she worked at the Lincoln Department Store in Norwich and after graduation she accepted a job at the American Thermos Company as a secretary stenographer for the comptroller where she worked for many years. On September 19, 1964 in St. Patrick Cathedral she was united in marriage to Gaetano George Fatone. Shirley was a past member of the Norwich Italian Women's Social Club. Surviving is her husband of 45 years, Gaetano George Fatone of Preston; three sons Thomas Taggart and his wife Linda of Kansas, Randall Taggart of Norwich, and George Fatone and his wife Michele of North Stonington, and a daughter Melanie Fatone and her husband David Vane of Salem; a brother Howard Russell Beetham, Jr. of Montville and a sister Minnie Manuzzi of Preston; six grandchildren Michael, Joel, Kyle, Dylan, Morgan, and Samuel, four great grandchildren, and several nieces, nephews, and cousins. Visitation Tuesday 5 to 7 p.m. at the Labenski Funeral Home, 107 Boswell Ave., Norwich, where the funeral will gather on Wednesday at 10 a.m. followed by a funeral home service at 11 a.m. Burial to follow in Maplewood Cemetery. In lieu of flowers memorial contributions may be made to the Foundation for PSP/CBD and Related Brain Diseases either online at www.give.psp.org or by mail to CurePSP, Executive Plaza III, 11350 McCormick Rd., Suite 906, Hunt Valley, MD 21031, please make checks payable to CurePSP.