Shirley Guidarelli Obituary

On May 12, 2026, Shirley Guidarelli was called to be with God and reunite with her husband Tony who passed one month earlier. Shirley was a servant of God evidenced by her actions every day with her family, friends and all she met throughout her life. She was the embodiment of what a mom should be for her seven children. In her younger days she was proud to be a secretary with proficient shorthand skills and was a familiar face in newspaper ads and billboards as one of the “Hello Charley Girls” for Western Electric. But her true calling was to be a stay-at-home mom to her 7 children. With the children grown, you could see her at one of the Guidarelli family businesses supporting her family in a different way. She taught her children and grandchildren valuable life lessons and did so with deeds and not just words and believed you earn what you get and take responsibility for your actions. She hosted the neighborhood kids, shuttled everyone to sports and school activities, church on Sundays followed by traditional Italian Sunday dinner and made dinner for the family every night. She was a member of the Rosary Society and volunteered to always help with school trips and activities and had many published Daily Gazette letters to the editor with her honest observations of politics and social issues. Everything in moderation was a rule she lived by (except for the number of kids she had of course), putting God and her faith first so that all else in life would come together and always help others. She was thorough to the point of even upon her passing she left a notebook with the following message for her children. “ Love one another as we have loved you. Care for each other as we have cared for you. Bear each other’s burdens. Bind each other’s wounds. Love and forgive one another.” She lived a quality life of 95 years and all her children possess the qualities she wanted them to have to raise their own families, and she continues to live through each one of them. She is survived by her children Ricci, Jerry (Leah), Joann Amedore (Joe), Teresa Polak (Joe), Joe (Karyn), Anthony (Christine) and Peter. 18 grandchildren and 21 great grandchildren and her beloved trained cat “Sammie” A Catholic Mass celebrating Shirley’s life will be at St. John The Evangelist Church, Union Street, Schenectady, Tuesday May 19 10:30 am. Special thanks to the wonderful staff at the Schenectady County Glendale Nursing Home for their compassion and professionalism and to Father Carlino for his stewardship in Faith.