Portland - Shirley J. Taber, died at home on Dec 19, 2022. Born September 21, 1943 to Percy and Marie Taber (Porter), she was a graduate of Portland High School. Except for a short time living with family friends in Rochester, New York, Shirley was a life-long resident of Maine. She found her greatest joy in her friends and family. She spent many hours at the kitchen table talking over a cup of coffee, playing games with her son, nieces and nephews. She also loved animals, especially cats, although she learned to love dogs later in her life. Shirley had a love for children and worked as a teacher's aide in the Head Start program of Sagamore Village for almost 25 years. In 1988 she was awarded the Outstanding Employee Award for her "patience and nurturing care for children, support of parents, and her strong links to the community she serves." Shirley was predeceased by her twin sister Sandra Louise Taber; father Percy Taber; mother Marie Taber; brother Michael Taber; sisters Lorraine Webster, Mary Keites, and Barbara Johnson; niece Tina Tarbox; and granddaughter Addisyn Taber. She is survived by her son Mark, and his wife Kristen (Paul), grandchildren Hannah, Christian, and Isaac; brother Warner Johnson; sister Arlene Reichert; brother in-law Dean Webster who cared for her as well as any brother could; niece Kim Munson whose dedication to her care in the final weeks of life allowed Shirley to remain in her home until her death; and many nieces, nephews, and lifelong friends whom she loved dearly. The family would like to express their sincere gratitude to the staff at Affinity Care of Maine for the compassion and care they provided to Shirley during the last weeks of her life. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Lifetime Wells International in Shirley's honor. https://give.classy.org/ShirleyTaberMemorial   Funeral Services will be held 1 Pm Wednesday December 28, 2022 at A.T. Hutchins Funeral Home, 660 Brighton Avenue, with visitation from 11:30 AM until time of service. Burial will follow in Brooklawn Memorial Park.