Barbara Casey Shields

1922 - 2017

Barbara Casey Shields
RIO RANCHO, NEW MEXICO - Barbara Casey Shields passed away peacefully at the age of 95 on November 30, 2017, in Rio Rancho, NM, where she lived since 1994.
Born in Mohawk, NY, Barbara and her husband, of 67 years, Francis M. Shields, who died in 2015, met while in Mohawk High School and went on to graduate from Albany Business College in 1940. Barbara volunteered in the USO and held several office positions during WWII. After they married in 1948, she was an executive secretary at Syracuse University College of Law and Mary Hitchcock Memorial Hospital in Hanover, NH, while Francis pursued his medical degree. They settled in Syracuse, NY, where he established his practice and after their first child was born, Barbara devoted herself to her family while volunteering at various organizations. She was very involved with Erwin Methodist Church where she taught Sunday School, led a youth group and helped organize and administrate activities. She played piano, loved music and dancing and enjoyed socializing with her many friends. Later in life she also played golf and bridge and even took up tap dancing. In 1994, they moved to New Mexico to be closer to their daughter and her family and to their son in California. They enjoyed being near them and took great joy in helping raise their grandson, but always missed their family and friends back East.
Barbara was fun-loving and quick to laugh and was known for being kind, giving and always having a positive outlook. She treasured her immediate and extended family and often expressed how grateful she was for her good fortune in life.
She is remembered, with love, by her daughter Kathleen Shields, of Corrales, NM; her son John Shields, of Palm Springs, CA; her grandson, Kieran McNertney, of Albuquerque, NM.; her former son-in-law, Patrick McNertney, of Rio Rancho, NM; her brothers and sisters-in-law, Donald and Margaret Casey, of Mohawk, NY and John (Jack) and Mary Casey, of Ilion, NY; her sister-in-law, Judy Shields, of Herkimer, NY; and many nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends.
There will not be a funeral or a memorial service.