Mary Elizabeth Poirot , 87, of Charlestown, NH, passed away peacefully 29 June 2022 at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center after a brief illness. Mary was born on June 14, 1935 in New Haven, CT to Louis E. Shaw and Genevieve E. (Munson) Shaw. Mary was a graduate of Hamden High School Class of 1953, and of Southern Connecticut State University Class of 1957. Mary loved her first job as a kindergarten teacher in the North Haven, CT school system.  She then moved on to begin a long and satisfying career in management, first with the New England Telephone Company in Boston, followed by over 20 years of service with the Southern New England Telephone Company in Connecticut, where she remained until her retirement.

Mary was first married to Donald Miskelly of Boston. She later married Donald Poirot of Madison, CT and, following Mary's retirement in 1986, they moved to Sebastian, FL. Mary made many lifelong friends while volunteering her services at the local library and at Indian River Memorial Hospital. Following the unexpected and untimely death of her husband, Mary chose to remain in Sebastian for 17 years, enjoying the warm companionship of her friends and being best friend and companion to her mother.

In 2003, in keeping with Mary's joy in finding life adventures, she bought her next home, sight unseen, in Charlestown, NH, where once again she found use for her skills by volunteering at Valley Regional Memorial Hospital. A new home and new friends brought joy to her life in NH.  She discovered a world of interest and excitement in the woods behind her home, extensively photographing the wildlife and flowers which she shared with her community of friends until her very last days.

Mary will be remembered by her friends and family for her feisty, funny and cheerful approach to life. She was an enthusiastic fan of the UConn women's basketball program, seldom missing a televised game while her beloved cat Jazzy sat beside her.  The phone was her friend, and she was always ready to call someone after the game to report on her favorite plays. She was also a foodie, trying new tastes and excitedly reporting to one and all on her findings. She would fight you for anything chocolate.

Much of Mary's family preceded her in death. She is survived by her brother Dr. John Shaw and his children Kristen Shaw Jezerski, Melissa Shaw Lawson, and Patrick Shaw. Mary would insist that her community of friends is much larger though. She would include her niece Susanne Clark and her two children Noah and Katie, her first husband and lifelong friend Donald Miskelly and his wife Wendy, her friend Mary Patton, and her longtime buddies Eleanor Boisvert and Valerie Bell. The family is particularly grateful to Val and Ed Bell for their unselfish and unstinting support of Mary in her last months when her health at last made life complicated.

Funeral services have been provided by Stringer Funeral Home in Claremont. At Mary's adamant request, there will be no memorial service. Instead she has asked the people whom she has loved to say a prayer for her once in awhile, to skip the flowers and to please make a meaningful donation in her name to any animal shelter they choose.