SHIRLEY H. BRIND


CANANDAIGUA/GENEVA- Shirley Hodgins Brind of Canandaigua and Geneva passed away peacefully on January 9, 2017 in her 90th year at her home at Ferris Hills. For 55 years she lived at the Brind summer home on Seneca Lake, Geneva. Shirley was born in Kingston, Ontario, daughter of W. Charles and Marjorie Murray Hodgins and the great, great granddaughter of David Murray, lord provost of Paisley, Scotland. Shirley graduated magna cum laude from Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario. (Arts '49) She participated in college sports, earning her varsity letter in swimming. After graduation, she emigrated to the United States and worked as a research assistant in biology at Brown University and then was appointed to the faculty at the Albany Medical College as a Research and Teaching Fellow in physiology. At Albany Medical College she published eight papers on cardiac research in the Journal of Circulation Research.

In 1954 Shirley married David Hutchison Brind of Albany, an attorney and later judge. In 1957, after two years as an army wife, she moved to Geneva, NY where the Brind family lived for 60 years. In Geneva, Shirley became involved in numerous activities which served others. In health care, she served as a volunteer in numerous capacities: General Chairman of the Greater Geneva Follies for both productions (1978 &1979) which involved the entire community and raised thousands of dollars for Geneva General Hospital; chairman of Guild #9; chairman of the Geneva General Hospital Auxiliary; founding board member of the Finger Lakes Visiting Nurse Service; Chairman and secretary of the Advisory Board of the Marion S Whelan Nursing School; and served on the boards of Planned Parenthood, mobile meals; and Finger Lakes Health System Agency.

Shirley was elected three times to the Geneva School Board. She served for ten years, six as board president. It was during her tenure that the senior high school was planned and constructed. She also served actively with the PTA, was a Girl Scout troop leader, and co-chairman of the committee to renovate the old high school. She served as chairman of the women's council and trustee of the Geneva Historical Society. She also took several post graduate courses in education at Hobart and William Smith Colleges.





Shirley was actively involved with fundraising throughout the Geneva community. She also was interested in the public affairs of the city, serving as poll watcher and secretary and chairman of the city republican committee and also a member of the Ontario County Committee. She was active in The North Presbyterian Church as member of the Thompson Club, chairman of the annual canvas and as a ruling elder.

Shirley was an avid fisherman, catching trout in Seneca Lake, muskies in Canada, bonefish in the Bahamas and earned the Field and Stream award for the 1977 world record wahoo she caught in Cozumel, Mexico.


Shirley was honored as a recipient of the Florence Nightingale medal for furthering nursing education; Hobart and William Smith Colleges President Allan A Kuusisto certificate for "outstanding service to her community"; and the Agnes Slosson Lewis Award by the League of Women Voters for "outstanding contributions to and participation in civic affairs." Shirley was a member of the Geneva Country Club, the Seneca Lake Yacht Club, the League of Women Voters, the Finger Lakes Forum and The Presbyterian Church in Geneva.
Shirley dedicated her life to her family, her church and her community with love, intellectual inquiry and action to benefit others. Her motto, "I always try to do my best."

Shirley is survived by David, her loving husband of 63 years; her daughter, Susan Brind Morrow and her husband Lance; her son Charles and his wife, Nancy and her two granddaughters, Katherine and Alexandra; her sister in law, Nancy Wallace. She was predeceased by two children, Barbara and David. Shirley was also survived by her Canadian cousins, Dr John Murray, Barbara Dell and Jeff Dell.

A Memorial service will be held at Ferris Hills on a date and time to be announced.