Shirley Robidas ... formerly owned Dover gift shop; at 88

On Friday, August 19, 2022, Shirley A. Robidas died peacefully at Watson Fields in Dover, at the age of 88. She was born in Richmond, Maine, on Feb. 17, 1934, to John McKinnon and Gladys McKinnon (Guiou). Her family moved to Dover when she was a young girl and she had been a resident of Dover ever since, graduating from Dover High School.

Shirley married Harold (Hank) Ellsmore in 1956 and they had 3 children together. Shirley and Hank owned and operated the Four Seasons Gift Shop, a local favorite, for several years where Shirley would arrange the entire store, displays and sale items beautifully. Se also created amazing flower arrangements that were sold as well. After the sale of the gift shop, Shirley worked in the Cafeteria at Woodman Park School for 22 years. Shirley and Hank were married for 36 years before Hank passed away in 1992.

Shirley remarried on April 19, 1996, to Joseph A Robidas. They were happily married for 25 years until his passing on March 27, 2021.

Shirley loved spending time with family and friends. She loved to cook, garden, entertain and she loved the beach. She loved and spent a lot of time with her family at Fort Foster in earlier years and then later in life more often at Newcastle Commons where she and Joe would gather with family and friends for a picnic, conversation and sometimes a game of cards.

Music was a very important part of her life. She had a beautiful voice and loved to sing and play the piano. She was gifted with the ability to hear a tune and play it by ear on the piano, but most of all she loved to dance. She will be remembered for her genuine love of people, her infectious smile and her kind and compassionate spirit.

Shirley, along with her spouses mentioned above, is predeceased by her sister, Kathryn (Beaupre) Mullen, her brother, Gerald McKinnon, her grandson, Jonathan Cote and stepson, Michael Robidas.

She leaves behind her 3 children, daughters Laurie Ellsmore Dalton of Somersworth, Bonnie Ellsmore Cote of Manchester, and son, Dana Ellsmore of Hyde Park, Mass. Her granddaughter, Kelsey Finn and her husband Gabriel Finn of Portsmouth, 2 great-grandsons, Caleb and Forest Finn, her brother, Donald McKinnon and his wife, Rosemary, as well as several nieces, nephews, great nieces and nephews, as well as 5 stepchildren. She will be forever in our hearts.