ILION – Mrs. Shirley E. Sweeney, age 87, a lifelong Mohawk Valley resident, passed away peacefully on Thursday afternoon, April 7, 2016, at the Mohawk Valley Health Care Center, with the comfort of her beloved family at her bedside. Born on May 21, 1928, in Frankfort, Shirley was the daughter of the late Jesse and Voila (Schleicher) Miller. She was raised and educated locally and was a graduate of Mohawk High School. On May 20, 1950 she was married to Leo B. Sweeney at the Church of the Annunciation in Ilion. Together, the couple shared in a devoted union of forty years until Leo’s passing in July of 1990. Shirley’s first and foremost concern was always for the well-being of her family and she spent her life as a homemaker, working to be sure that her husband and children had everything they needed. Shirley was a longtime parishioner of the Church of the Annunciation and a former member of the Annunciation P.T.O. She will be dearly missed by her daughter, Theresa Sweeney of Whitesboro; her sons and daughters-in-law, Patrick and Kristie Sweeney, Michael and Tina Sweeney, and Jeff and Cassie Sweeney, all of Mohawk; her ten grandchildren, Jessica Wengert, Katie Sweeney, Nicole Sweeney, Abigail Sweeney, Mary Sweeney, Ashleigh Bonifazi, Sharon Green, Kyle Sweeney, Jacob Sweeney and John Green; and her eight great-grandchildren, Averie Wengert, Leo Wengert, Brodie Wengert, Lucas Sweeney, Logan Sweeney, Chloe Green, David Bonifazi and Delaney Peuser. She also leaves her sister, Beverly Firman of New Hartford; her sister-in-law, Mary Miller of Ilion; and many nieces, nephews, great-nieces, great-nephews and cousins. Besides her parents and husband, Shirley was predeceased by three brothers, Charles, Arnold and Malcolm Miller; and three sisters, Pearl Broadbent, Betty Paslak and Sarah Miller. Shirley’s family chose to honor her life in a private gathering. In keeping with her wishes there will be no public calling hours or services. She will be interred in St. Agnes Cemetery where she will be laid to rest beside her husband, Leo. For those wishing to do so please consider memorial contributions in Shirley’s name to the Ilion Ambulance Fund, Central Fire Station, Ilion, NY 13357. A special thank you is extended to the staff of the Mohawk Valley Health Care Center for their excellent care, compassion and kindness shown to Shirley throughout her time there. The Sweeney family would also like to extend appreciation to the Ilion Fire Department for their patience and kindness given to Shirley over the years. Shirley’s service arrangements and supervision were prearranged and entrusted to her Family Funeral Director and friend, Don Applegate, of the Applegate-Day & Enea Family Funeral Home’s newly reopened and renovated home at 102 West St., Ilion, NY, (315-895-7722). Online condolences can be made at www.applegateandday.com.