Shirley Coons

Shirley Gibson Coons was born December 15, 1951 to Doris and Bert Gibson in Helena, Montana. She died December 26, 2016 in her sleep of complications from heart disease and lung cancer in Helena, Montana at her daughter's home.Shirley was the mother of Tricia and Robert Rummel and the step-mother of Janielle (Hartsough), Jennifer, and Jason Coons. She cherished her time with her children and grandchildren in the last years and months before her passing.Although Montana was Shirley's native state, she was a traveler who lived across the West in Colorado, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Nevada, eventually meeting the love of her life, David Coons, and making her final home in Reno.Shirley had a great fondness for her childhood, growing up on Hauser Lake at the Lakeside Bar with her four brothers and sister. They were all her dearest friends. She was the last of the six children of Doris and Bert Gibson.We will miss her pluck and perseverance. She fought a formidable battle with heart disease and lung cancer, surviving on her own terms and living much longer than the doctors had expected. She was deeply appreciative of the St. Pete's and St. Mary's hospice teams who kept her spirits high and heart strong until the end.The family will hold a private service. In lieu of flowers, please make any donations to your local Humane Society.