Shirley S. Anderson of Mattituck died March 14, 2026. She was 95 years old.
Born June 30, 1930, in Mineola, she was the daughter of Hazel (Sweezey) and Henry Buel Smith and was one of three children. After high school, she attended Syracuse University and earned a bachelor’s degree. She spent her younger years raising five children and also served as a teaching member and educator of the Orton Society, now known as the International Dyslexia Association, for more than 60 years. She lived in the same home in Mattituck since 1932, which became her permanent year-round residence in 1989.
Her family said she was “a force of nature” and a second mother to many, always interested in others’ lives, health and education, and never refraining from lending a hand or giving advice. Raised on the Great Peconic Bay, she loved sailing and boating and, in later years, enjoyed walking in the water in front of her Camp Mineola home. She was involved with the Presbyterian Church, frequently hosted dinner parties and gatherings at her home, and remained active in clubs including the Lionesses. Her family said her favorite time of year was summer, when her children, grandchildren, friends and neighbors gathered, and that many along the beach called her “Aunt Shirley” and made a point to visit.
She was predeceased by her husband, Robert; her son, Wayne Anderson; and her siblings, Buel Smith and Thornton Smith.
She is survived by her children, Brian Anderson of Mattituck, Glenn Anderson of Mattituck, Dean Anderson of Huntington and Alene Harrington of Richmond, Virginia; six grandchildren; two great-grandchildren; and her sister-in-law, Sherry Smith.
A celebration of life will be held Saturday, June 27, 2026, at the family’s home in Mattituck, officiated by the Rev. Dr. Peter J. Kelley. DeFriest-Grattan Funeral Home in Mattituck is serving the family.
