CAMDEN - Shirley A. (Nicholson) Achterhof, 89, of Camden , passed away peacefully on Dec. 29, 2016, surrounded by family at the Knox Center for Long Term Care in Rockland.

She was the beloved wife of the late Eugene J. Achterhof.

Shirley was born Jan. 29, 1927, in Hartford, Conn., and was the daughter of the late Bernard and Ellen Nicholson. She lived as a child for a short time in Philadelphia, but spent most of her childhood in East Hartford, Conn. After she married Eugene in 1946, his career resulted in transfers to many places across the country, including New England, the Midwest, the West Coast and the Southeast. They relocated to Camden in 1985 shortly after he retired.

She was an active member at St. Thomas Episcopal Church in Camden and was a member of the Altar Guild. In years past, she served as a volunteer at various state mental hospitals, and she helped care for the shelter animals on Christmas Day at the Camden-Rockport Animal Rescue League to give the staff a day off with family. For many years she participated in a local quilting club and was a member of various Midcoast bridge groups.

She was an efficient, dedicated homemaker and an accomplished seamstress and knitter who made clothing for her children, and she knitted caps for newborns at Pen Bay Medical Center.

She also enjoyed making braided rugs, and she loved to travel, especially to the United Kingdom and Europe.

She is survived by her three children, Paul Achterhof and his wife, Bonnie, of Camden, Alan Achterhof and his wife, Roz, of Evansville, Ind., and Carol Achterhof of Thomaston; five grandchildren, Jan Achterhof of Lyndeborough, N.H., Erika Sullivan of Peterborough, N.H., Grace Tenn of Bedford, N.H., Rebecca Achterhof of Wallingford, Pa., and Jeffrey Achterhof of Halethorpe, Md.; seven great-grandchildren and two great-great grandchildren.

A memorial service for Shirley will be held later in the spring, on a date to be announced.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made in Shirley's memory to Pope Memorial Humane Society of Knox County, P.O. Box 1294, Rockland, ME 04841; PAWS Animal Adoption Center, P.O. Box 707, Rockport, ME 04856; or the St. Thomas Building Fund, P.O.Box 631, Camden, ME 04843.

Hall's of Thomaston has care of the arrangements.