Phyllis M. Coors

Phyllis Elaine Mahaffey Coors was born on June 2, 1931 as the second child to William H. and Stella I. (Luellen) Mahaffey in Cedar Edge, Colorado, south east of Grand Junction. Her parents struggled to make ends meet in the early years of the great depression and the family spent time in Dotsero, Colorado before finally settling in Wheat Ridge, Colorado.

Phyllis went to Wheat Ridge High and subsequently attended Colorado State College of Education in Greeley (now UNC). She then spent time in Durango and Sun Valley, Idaho as a “ski bum” where she met several lifelong friends, including Warren Miller long before he became famous as a ski videographer.

She eventually moved to Hawaii before relocating back to Denver where she found a job as the switchboard operator at Coors Brewing Company. She was promoted to Secretary for then President William K. “Bill” Coors with whom she fell in love and married in 1963. The couple’s only child William “Scott” Coors was born in 1967. She and Bill divorced in 1995 and remained close friends for the remainder of their lives

She made a full time job of raising Scott while also volunteering and/or serving on boards for Colorado Academy, Volunteers of America, FACES (Family and Community Education and Support), the Denver Foundation, the Diane and Charles Gallagher Family Foundation, and the Coors Literacy Program (proudly with celebrity Danny Glover), among several others. In 1999 she formed the Phyllis M. Coors Foundation supporting adult education, abused women and children, and blindness research, among many other causes.

Phyllis’s friends and family lovingly referred to her effervescent, spirited and outgoing personality as her “sparkle” which truly captured her unique and beautiful essence. She passed away peacefully of natural causes at her home surrounded by her son Scott and longtime beloved caregivers Jody Faidiga, Kaycee Belt, and Loretta Leyba.

She is survived by her son Scott Coors and his partner Dr. David Hurt and her younger sister Winnetta Mahaffey as well as several nieces and nephews.

Per her wishes, Phyllis’s ashes will be scattered in the majestic mountain range visible from the Genesee park I-70 exit 254 overpass which was her favorite scenic view. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in her memory to Volunteers of America or any other charitable organization.

A celebration of her life will be held at a date in 2022 to be determined.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.CrownHillFuneral.com for the Coors family.