Shirley Hamilton, 71, retired nurse

THERE WERE SOME good-natured battle royals in Shirley Hamilton's home. She was an avid Phillies fan, and her son Orlando was a Yankees rooter.

Despite his loyalties to the New Yorkers, Orlando saw to it that his mother got out frequently to Phillies games, and she took him to games when he was a kid, going back to the Connie Mack Stadium days.

"She was so happy when the Phillies won the World Series," Orlando said.

"She wouldn't let me forget that."

She proudly posed in her Phillies' world championship T-shirt.

But her son also took his mother to Yankee Stadium, and had planned to take her to the Yankees' opening game this year. But Shirley died April 7.

She was 71 and lived in the Northeast.

Shirley Hamilton was a nurse for 38 years and a devoted family matriarch and churchwoman.

She retired in 2001 from Philadelphia Osteopathic Hospital. She previously had worked at St. Mary Hospital.

"She was generous and kind," her son said. "She was always thinking of others. If she was going somewhere and you couldn't afford to go, she would say come anyway. Her attitude was, 'If I got it, you've got it.' "

Shirley was born in Philadelphia to Isaiah and Winifred Hargrove.

She graduated from West Philadelphia High School and went on to nursing school.

She married Eddie Hamilton in 1961. He died in 2003.

Shirley enjoyed bus excursions throughout the region and as far away as New York State, and would take the kids.

"I think I went to every amusement park around here," her son said.

There also were the summer vacations in Wildwood.

Shirley was a devoted member of Prayer Chapel Church of God in Christ, in Upper Darby.

Besides her son, she is survived by another son, Eddie Jr.; a daughter, Adrienne Howard; a sister, Irene; and eight grandchildren.

Services: 11 a.m. tomorrow at Prayer Chapel Church of God in Christ, 7099 Locust St., Upper Darby. Friends may call at 9 a.m.

Burial will be in Fernwood Cemetery. *