Shirley Ann Johnson

Shirley Ann Johnson (Rose) passed away peacefully in her sleep May 21st, 2025. She was born February 9th, 1936, in Boston, MA to Herbert Lane Johnson and Violet Rachel (Lee). She grew up mostly in Watertown, MA but graduated from Sommerville High class of '53 as the family moved. Her first job was a telephone switchboard operator. After she moved to Washington DC to work for the Pentagon delivering mail and lunches to generals and top officials. She loved the excitement of the nation's capital and had fond memories of eating lunch at the steps of the Lincoln memorial and enjoying the beauty of the cherry blossoms. She met and married a marine stationed at Quantico Alan Moriarty. When the marriage did not work out her friend from Watertown Sylvia Murphy had moved to the keys and invited her to come visit and put the marriage behind her. Sylvia and her husband Bill introduced her to a fellow Masons of Bills Oliver Franklin (Robert to most). They fell in love, married and had 2 children, Lynda and Wesley. Eventually the marriage ended, and Shirley moved back to Massachusetts where she worked for many years as a bookkeeper for the Charlie Doe family and the 99 Restaurants. Eventually she made it back to Florida and met and married Harry J. Rose who she enjoyed going out on the water with and lived life to the fullest. Sadly, Harry passed away and she moved back to the Keys and worked for Coral Medical. Then she decided to move to Ft. Myers for the affordability and to be near her dear friend Penny Churchman. She resided there several years until she started to fail and then moved in with her daughter in Key Largo. Shirley loved to do Swedish Weaving and made beautiful Afghans. She loved Penguins. She loved trying recipes, cooking, and baking. She had a big warm wonderful heart and always tried to help as much as she could. She will be missed by all who knew her. She was predeceased by her husband Harry Rose, her son Wesley Franklin, and her brother Herbert L. Johnson. She is survived by her daughter Lynda L. Franklin, Key Largo, a sister Linda Rudy of Elkins, WV, a stepsister Jan Arruda, New Bedford, MA, her grandchildren, Wesley H. Franklin, of St. Louis, MO and Holly Franklin of Egg Harbor Township, NJ, her nieces Jennifer Lovett (Johnson) of Arlington MA, Erica Dumont of Lyon, France, Ingrid Johnson of Hellertown, PA, Darlene Williams of Kannapolis, NC, and a nephew John Sanders of Yankeetown, FL. At her request there will be no funeral -Her Quote- "People should have come to see me when I was alive."