IN MEMORIUM
Shirley's major passion was this Society and project. In saying so, this website was the very last project she started with her daughter to continue the preservation project for generations to come. Please consider becoming part of this legacy. Become a member, donate or just attend some of the free programs.
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Shirley's Legacy
Shirley was born and lived the majority of her life in Clintondale. She attended the Clintondale schoolhouse and later graduated from New Paltz High School. In addition to working as a bookkeeper for her family’s construction business, she worked for the Towns of Plattekill and New Paltz as a welfare officer.
She was the Town of Plattekill historian for many years, President of the Plattekill Historical Society, a renowned author, and expert in local history. Shirley spent many years as an active volunteer firefighter and medical emergency responder in the Clintondale Fire Department, where she also served as the department’s treasurer.
Shirley was known throughout the community as a trustworthy, hard-working, kind, and generous person. She loved learning new things and had many varied interests but the history of the Hudson Valley and researching her family genealogy was her passion. Her love of learning led her to take numerous college-level classes and seminars in genealogy and history. As the president of the historical society, she organized local lectures and fundraisers.
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Career/Honors/Affliations
1956-1960
1960s to 1990
1990 to retirement
LIFE MEMBER
1992 to 2014
1992 to 1999
1992 to 1996
1992
1992
1992
1989 to 1996
1990 to 2000
Worked at IBM
Bookkeeper for Lawrence H. Morse, Secretary & Treasurer for LHM, Inc. Secretary- Treasurer for LHM Realty Corp.
Joint Owner of Robert John Anson Construction Inc.
Life Active Member of the Clintondale Fire Department ~ First Woman Driver and Pump Operator in the History of Clintondale Fire Department - saved child from a fire - earning Firefighter of the Year in 1992 - with a beautiful plaque.
Clintondale Fire Department Treasurer & Clintondale Quaker Church Treasurer
Served on the Board and the Commissioners Board for the Clintondale Fire Department
Town of Plattekill and New Paltz Welfare Officer
Recognition as the Top Responder for the Clintondale Fire Department and Firefighter of the Year
Ulster County Woman of the Year - celebration at the Plattekill Grange.
Ulster County Person of the Year - celebration at the Plattekill Grange.
Town of Plattekill Historian - included preservation of cemeteries
Preservation of all old newspapers for the area.
1996 to 2021
President, Vice President and Treasurer of the Town of Plattekill's Historical Preservation Society
1997 to 2022
Member of the Gem & Mineral Society; Amenrican Genealogical Society, Northeastern Genealogical Society and many more to list.
2000
Chairman of the Town of Plattekill's 200th Anniversary - Developed the program for the year 2000.
2012 - 2014
Member of the Board of the Ulster County Round Table
1996 to 2019
Active Member and Board Member of the Southern Ulster Chamber of Commerce
Forever
Dedicated and Loving wife, mom, aunt, sister, cousin and friend to many. A member of the Ladies of Clintondale. Always loved and missed from her family ~ Butch, Jami, Kip & Sarah, Kelly, Koda
(and our brother past - Richard)
2023
November 25, 2023 - The Clintondale Fire Department - dedicated a memorial bench to Shirley and Mickey Palazzo. Shirley was the second woman in Ulster County to join a fire department and she was the first woman driver on the firetrucks.
Books & Projects by Shirley V. Anson
For more information on the upcoming Anson book on Plattekill's Civil War Veterans - click the image.
1989
by Shirley V. Anson
1991
by Shirley V. Anson & George A Badgley
1980
By Shirley V. Anson & Laura M. Jenkins
2000
2009
2012
By Libby Werlau & Shirley V. Anson
2023
2023
2025
Friends and Neighbors: A Pictorial History of the Town of Plattekill and Southwest Lloyd, Ulster County, New York.
Quaker History and Genealogy of the Marlborough Monthly Meeting Ulster County, N.Y. 1804-1900+
Clintondale Fire Department's 75th Anniversary Booklet
Clintondale School Reunion - Organizer and Author of the reunion book
Hallowed Grounds
The Anson Family and the Plattekill Historical Preservation Society comes together to keep
Shirley's Legacy going.
November 25, 2023 ~ The Clintondale Fire Department honors Shirley V. Anson's legacy with a memorial bench and garden at the Clintondale Fire Department.
The Anson Family and renown author Libby Werlau team up to complete Shirley Anson's local Civil War Book. CLICK HERE for more details.

From Ish & Maryanne Martinez
Shirley was one of the nicest most interesting people I have ever met. I will miss her friendship,
wit and wisdom. Her passing leaves a void in the town and especially in the village of Clintondale that cannot be replaced. As president of the Plattekill Historical Preservation Society she was a tremendous source of experience, knowledge, leadership and inspiration and she did it all, while maintaining a calm demeanor and a wonderful sense of humor. I will be forever grateful for how
she generously gave of her time, knowledge and resources in my pursuit of writing a book
about the Spanish and Puerto Rican villa resorts of Plattekill. At her memorial on Saturday
at the Copeland-Hammerl Funeral Home, I gave a short talk in her honor.
I have included here, as follows.
For Shirley V. Anson Saturday, December 18, 2021 Hello, my name is Ish Martinez. I am one
of the board members of The Plattekill Historical Preservation Society. I have only known Shirley
for about seven years but it feels like so much longer and that's probably because Shirley treated everyone like a dear old friend. When I set out to write my book about the Plattekill villas,
I immediately thought that I should contact the Plattekill Historical Society to possibly help
me with photographs and any other information they might have on that subject. Not knowing
what kind of reception, I might receive, I looked up the association and seeing Shirley listed as the president, I called her with some trepidation, thinking that she might take this as infringing on
their domain. Upon contacting Shirley and introducing myself with an explanation of what my intentions were for a book, I received from Shirley, nothing but a sincere warm welcome, great excitement and a promise of full cooperation with obtaining information and many one-of-a-kind photographs. Needless to say, these things were extremely helpful to me in the writing of the book. And true to her word, along with Town of Plattekill Historian, Libbie Werlau, we met at the Town
Hall to scan photos and that was the start of a wonderful collaboration that resulted in me joining the board of the association based on Shirley’s recommendation. As we worked together in the association it became very obvious very quickly, how much energy and passion Shirley brought
to the association as its long-standing president. I don’t think it would be an exaggeration to say
that Shirley was not only the face of the Plattekill Historical Preservation Society but she was also
its heart and soul. The challenge now will be to continue to do the important work of preserving
the town’s history without the driving force of Shirley Anson. Thank you.