Elizabeth Shimkus

Elizabeth (Hovey) Shimkus gently passed away with her family by her side on Monday, August 26, 2013 at her home, 241 Bristol Ferry Road, Portsmouth.Born in Reading, MA, she was the daughter of the late Reginald A. and Constance E. (Palmer) Hovey.Elizabeth (Libby) was the precious little sister of Karl Hovey of Irving, TX and David Hovey of Glen, NH and was preceded in death by her brother John Hovey.She was the wife of CAPT. Albert J. Shimkus, USN Ret.Cherishing her love and celebrating their memories are her children MSgt. Michael D. Shimkus USAF Ret. of Phoenix, AZ, Kimberly Shimkus Russell and her husband William A. of Portsmouth and Kathryne Shimkus Friess and her husband Jason of Concord, MA. She was a proud, loving and doting grandmother to William, Johnathan, Christopher, Matthew, Meredith and Lauryn. Elizabeth was an outstanding and completely devoted Navy wife. With her husband on several multi-month deployments, Elizabeth manned the ship at the home front. Moving all over the world, making new friends and navigating unknown streets she was a perfect example to new Navy wives, epitomizing the phrase "Navy wife, toughest job in the Navy".Elizabeth Shimkus served in the United States Navy and the United States Air Force as a Registered Nurse for over five years. She also held a variety of nursing positions including school nurse for the city of Virginia Beach, passionate nursing care for in home patients; she was also a nurse for Dr. Robin Wallace in Newport.She was the President of the Navy Medical Spouses Association in Washington, D.C., and served as the Ombudsman on the USS Nimitz. Mrs. Shimkus volunteered for the American Red Cross and enjoyed quilting as a member of the Flamingos Quilting Group and the Quilters by the Sea. Her memberships also included the Portsmouth Garden Club and the Portsmouth Senior Center.Funeral Services will be held Thursday, August 29, 2013 at 4:00pm in the Connors Funeral Home, 55 West Main Road, Portsmouth, RI. Burial will be private.In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in her memory to the Ovarian Cancer Research Fund, 14 Pennsylvania Plaza, Suite 1710, New York, NY 10122 or (http://www.ocrf.org/donatenow/honor-and-memorial-gifts) Service AUG 29. 04:00 PM Connors Funeral Home 55 West Main Road Portsmouth, RI, US, 02871 info@memorialfuneralhome.com http://www.connorsfuneralhome.com