Obituary: Anne M. Shields, 83, of Milford

MILFORD, CT - (Cody-White Funeral Home) Anne M. Shields, 83, lifelong resident of Milford, beloved wife of the late Robert W. Shields entered into eternal rest on February 4, 2022.

Born on February 25, 1938 in New Haven, she was the daughter of the late Frank and Antoinette Milone.

Raised in West Haven, Anne was a graduate of West Haven High School, class of 1955, where she was an honors student, class officer and captain of the cheer squad.

Throughout her youth, Anne was passionate with regard to education, in particular a love for reading, a passion that stayed with her throughout her life. Anywhere Anne ventured, her Kindle was in tow.

After high school, Anne enrolled in Southern Connecticut State University graduating with a teaching degree, thus beginning her journey as an educator in the Milford Public School system that spanned more than 30 years, where she inspired generations of young children to share her passion for learning.

Considered by many to a “teacher’s” teacher, Anne, along with her husband Bob, also a career educator in the Milford school system, spent their lives dedicated to the pursuit of teaching and inspiring the students of Milford to dedicate themselves to learn while always exemplifying the highest degrees of character.

During her teaching career, she was able to touch the lives of elementary school students at Pumpkin Delight, Central Grammar and Meadowside schools until her retirement in 2000.

While her days were spent in the classroom, her afternoons and evenings were primarily spent on the bleachers watching her three sons (Todd, Robert & Craig) play little league, junior football, high school and college sports.

Home or away, Anne was sitting in the bleachers, you could always find Anne in the crowd, not because she cheered the loudest but because she was the mother with one eye on her sons playing and the other focused while writing in her lesson plans for tomorrows class.

We wouldn’t have wanted it any other way as those lesson plans became classroom learnings that her students would remember for years and to this day, remind her sons wherever they meet at a restaurant, store or a gas station as to a special topic or moment that they recollect from her class 20-30 years prior. We are so proud and filled with joy when we hear “your mother was my favorite teacher”.

As respected and admired as a teacher earning many accolades and awards, Anne was first and foremost a mother and a grandmother, nothing could ever supplant that as her legacy. Family was everything to her and she treasured every moment and every opportunity to be with together.

Summers in Boothbay Harbor, late June visits to Martha’s Vineyard, ski weeks in Vermont are forever imprinted in our memories along with her famous themed summer picnics including a memorable July 4 making her nephew dress as the Statue of Liberty.

Anne’s Thanksgiving poems, crazy love of pewter, hour’s long phone calls and her love for the American flag will always be remembered as pure Anne. For many of us, we will always remember her handwritten notes and cards always closing with an “I love you” with a stick figure of herself holding balloons.

For many of us that will be the Mom and Grandma we will miss the most.

Anne is survived by her children, Todd (Sharon) Shields, Robert Shields and his longtime partner Sue, Craig (Maria) Shields, grandchildren, Mark, Marissa, Morgan. Riley, Lauren, Luke, Alexis, Cameron and Chloe, Sister Elaine Strogie, Brother Frank (Gwen) Milone, many nieces and nephews, extended family, friends and former students. Anne was predeceased by her loving husband Bob in 2014.

The family would like to thank the staff of U.S. Renal care at their Orange and Branford locations for the love and care provided to Anne for the past nine years.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Saturday, February 12, 2022 at 11 a.m. at Saint Mary Church, 70 Gulf Street, Milford (MEET DIRECTLY AT CHURCH). Interment will take place at a later date at Kings Highway Cemetery, Milford CT.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the “Robert and Anne Shields” Scholarship fund c/o Joseph A. Foran High School, 80 Foran Road, Milford CT 06460.