Mrs. Shirley J. Lofstrom, 79, recently of Arkell Hall in Canajoharie, New York, and formerly of Fort Plain, New York, died Saturday, June 6, 2009, at Bassett Healthcare in Cooperstown, New York. She was born on December 15, 1929, the daughter of Armand and Ethel Smith Laverdure.

Mrs. Lofstrom was a graduate of Gloversville High School and earned her Associate's Degree from Fulton-Montgomery Community College. She was employed at LifeSavers in Canajoharie, New York as an executive secretary.

Mrs. Lofstrom had resided in Arkell Hall in Canajoharie for the past two years. Prior to that, she resided in Fort Plain, New York for over 40 years. She was an avid reader and enjoyed crocheting. She was a faithful Christian and a communicant of St. James Roman Catholic Church in Fort Plain where she was a Eucharistic Minister, a member of the Altar Rosary Society and a member of Catholic Daughters of the America Court Catherine Esther No. 1264.

She married Oscar C. Lofstrom on July 19, 1947, in Gloversville, NY. He predeceased her in February 1994. She is also predeceased by a sister, Betty Earl-Frasier; a brother, Richard Laverdure; and her daughter-in-law, Deborah Lofstrom.

She is survived by her daughter, Susan and her husband Joseph Perillo of Geneva, New York; her sons, Roger and his wife Becky Lofstrom of Fort Plain, New York, Dean Lofstrom of Bedford, New Hampshire and Mark and his wife Susan Lofstrom of Gibsonia, Pennsylvania; her sister, Mary Henza of Fort Plain, New York; 11 grandchildren; 6 great-grandchildren, as well as several nieces, nephews and cousins.

A Mass of Christian Burial will take place at St. James Roman Catholic Church on Reid Street in Fort Plain, New York on Tuesday, June 9, at 12:00 noon with Father Kenneth Swain officiating. The family will receive friends on Tuesday from 9:30-11:30 a.m. at Gray-Houghtaling & Smith Funeral Home, 34 Center Street, Fort Plain, New York. Burial will follow the funeral at the Fort Plain Cemetery.

Contributions may be made to Catholic Daughters of America Court Catherine Esther No. 1264, c/o Doris Dutcher, 52 Garfield Street, Fort Plain, NY 13339 or to Arkell Hall Activities Fund, 55 Montgomery Street, Canajoharie, NY 13317.

Please sign Mrs. Lofstrom's online guest book at www.houghtalingandsmith.com