Obituary of Shirley J. McCollough

Shirley Jane (Kagan) McCollough, age 96, died on June 13, 2023 in Richmond, IN after a short illness.  Born in Morristown, NJ to Whitfield C. & Ella G. (Taylor) Kagan on November 26, 1926, she was the tenth of eleven children, and the youngest surviving child. She was raised in Mendham, Morristown, and Cedar Knolls, and spent her adult life in Morristown, New Jersey until moving to Indiana to live with her daughter only six weeks before her death.  

Always a hard worker, Shirley graduated from Essex County Vocational-Technical School in 1944 and worked as a hairdresser for several years. She later worked in credit at Sears & Roebuck in Morristown, NJ, credit investigations supervisor at American National Bank, with part-time jobs as a switchboard operator at B. Altman and All Souls Hospital. She worked as Branch Manager of Fireman’s Fund Credit Union from which she retired in 1990. She then worked part time in area nursing homes until she retired again in 2006 at the age of 80. Shirley had been a member of St. Margaret of Scotland Parish in Morristown, where her four children attended school and she participated in the Mother’s Guild, and other activities including prayer group and calling Bingo which she enjoyed.  She was an active parishioner from the late 1940s until the 1980s.

She is survived by one daughter Kathryn (Kevin Bastian) McCollough of Connersville, IN; five grandchildren: Martina Caldwell, Mark & Jermaine “Jay” McCollough, and Melvin & Meghan Alston; 17 great grandchildren; and seven 2nd great grandchildren.  

Shirley was predeceased by her ten siblings; her children, Joseph Jr., Stephen, and Jeanne Alston Roberto; and her grandson, Joseph III. 

She was blessed to enjoy a wonderfully long life and she will be missed by all who loved her.

A graveside service will be held on Wednesday, June 28, 2023 at 1 pm at Hilltop Cemetery in Mendham, NJ.