Shirley Baillargeon

Our beloved wife, daughter and Sister, Shirley Lane (Jones) Baillargeon went to sleep in death on July 26, 2015 to await the resurrection by her loving God, Jehovah. She was only 56. She was dearly loved by so many people, and will be so greatly missed.

Shirley was born in Baltimore, MD in 1959 on a Monday ("Monday's child is fair of face" and she was, right from the start), the second daughter of Anthony R. and Alice (LeMerle) Jones of MD. She attended schools in MD and PA and graduated 6th in her class from Au Sable Valley Central High School in Clintonville, NY in 1977, was a member of the National Honor Society, as well as attending Plattsburgh State University for a semester. But, her heart was with the ministry of the good news, and she served as one of Jehovah's Witnesses, starting with her baptism in 1977, and continuing all through her life. She served full-time as a preacher and Bible Study teacher for 20 years in both Ellsworth, Maine, and Saranac Lake, NY.

She married the love of her life, Paul G. Baillargeon, in May 1984, in Saranac Lake. When she died, they had been married for 31 wonderful years, and Paul took care of her right to the end. They were inseparable. She and Paul worked together secularly and in the ministry, they traveled together, and they also volunteered at "Quick Build" projects, building Kingdom Halls for worship in NY, as well as helping out on bigger projects in both Colombia and Venezuela, South America. She loved her life!

Shirley was very artistic; her beautiful apartment attested to this, with it's French flavor of blues and yellows. She made gorgeous brightly colored scrapbooks and photo books of trips and of family, and during the last year of her life, she was taking watercolor lessons. She knitted, she stenciled, she made wreaths, she fashioned sea glass jewelry, and she took pictures. She made cards of the Adirondacks and sold them in local stores. She loved wearing turquoise and teal which came to be known as "Shirley colors" by her friends. She loved traveling and ferreting out the best rate for the best room in the cutest B & B or Inn; she was never happier than when she had a trip to look forward to. This spring she and Paul made a return trip to the Turks and Caicos, her favorite place to get away from the never ending winter in the Adirondacks. She delighted in her gardens at home, though, and made a lovely place of beauty and relaxation from nearly bare ground. Birds made her happy, too, and she fed them and watched babies hatch from nests in the yard. She also loved watching figure skating or dancing, and was always at the Ice Show in Lake Placid every year.

Shirley was pre-deceased by her father in 2013, and is survived by her husband, Paul, her mother, Alice Jones, of Cherryfield, Maine, her sister, Susan Paradis of Machias, Maine, her sister Sandra Baroody of Sedgwick, Maine, her brother, Robert of Sonyea, NY, and her brother Patrick of Fruita, CO.

Shirley cared very much about her family, but she was especially close to her nearest-in-age sister Susan.

They were best friends and kept in touch daily.

Shirley will be remembered for her efficient competence, her energy, talent, beauty, loyalty and faithfulness to both her husband and her God, but especially in the last two years, her uncomplaining cheerfulness and positive spirit about her cancer and chemo treatments. She will be so terribly missed!!!

Funeral Arrangements are in care of the Fortune-Keough Funeral Home in Saranac Lake. A memorial for her will be held on Sunday August 2 at 3:00 PM at the Kingdom Hall of Jehovah's Witnesses, 5043 State Route 3, Saranac Lake, NY. All are welcome.

Friends wishing to remember Shirley may make memorial contributions to High Peaks Hospice in care of the funeral home. Family and friends can also share their memories and sign the online guestbook at fortunekeoughfuneralhome.com.