Shirley A. Decker

Shirley A. (Palm) Decker, a resident of the Danville area since 1996, passed peacefully from life to life eternal on the morning of May 5, 2021 at the Emmanuel Center in Danville.

She was born on April 17, 1923 in Cleveland, Ohio, a daughter of the late John C. and Edyth (Weidel) Palm. While she was an infant, her parents returned to the Altoona area where her mother had family. Shirley had fond memories of growing up in the Lakemont Park neighborhood where she had many friends. She graduated from Altoona High School in 1940 and attended Penn State University.

On September 26, 1943 she married A. Monroe Decker Jr. of Red Bank, N. J. Two years later a son, John C. Decker, was born. In 1949 they moved to Clifton, N.J. where Shirley lived for close to fifty years. She was employed by Automatic Data Processing, Inc. for 27 years, retiring in 1994. Her husband preceded her in death on October 29, 1974.

In 1996 she moved to Danville where her son and daughter-in-law, John C. and Darcy Decker, and her much-loved granddaughter Kathryn (Katie) lived. She became a member of the Friends of the Thomas Beaver Free Library, a representative on the Friends on the Library Board and Bookworms, a book discussion group. She was also a member of the Danville League of Voters.

Shirley was a long-time member of the National Trust for Historic Preservation, the Canal Society of New Jersey, and the American Canal Society. She was proud to be a Founding Sponsor of the Flight 93 National Memorial.

Shirley and her friend, the late Gloria Leitch of Clifton, enjoyed travel. They made several trips to Europe, and went across Canada and back. Their greatest enjoyment was annual trips to Great Britain for over twenty years where they traveled by train from the south of England to the Highlands of Scotland, and also trips to Wales. Their last trip was made in 2001.

In addition to her parents and husband, she was preceded in death by her dear brother Delmar C. Palm of Cortland, N.Y. in 1996 and her sister-in-law Betty L. Palm of Cortland, to whom she remained close, in 2010.

She is survived by her dear son and daughter-in-law John C. and Darcy Decker, and her granddaughter Kathryn (Katie). She also had many nieces and nephews of whom she was fond. 

Funeral services will be held via ZOOM on Friday at 10 a.m. in the Roat-Kriner Funeral Home, 1133 Bloom Rd., Danville, with the Rev. Graham W. Rogers, pastor of Mahoning Presbyterian Church, Danville, officiating. Interment will follow in Grandview Cemetery, Altoona, at  2:00 p.m. 

The family will provide flowers. 

Memorial gifts may be made to the Thomas Beaver Free Library, 317 Ferry Street, Danville, PA 17821.