Shirley Mae Montague, age 87, of Centennial, Colorado passed away on June 13, 2019. Shirley was born in Albuquerque, New Mexico on September 29, 1931 to Dorothy Mae (Sutherland) Reynolds and John Maurice Reynolds. She was preceded in death by her parents, her son, John Francis Montague Jr., her sister, Patricia Clare Davis, her brother Robert Jerrald “Jerry” Reynolds, and on January 23, 2019 by her husband of almost 66 years, John Francis Montague Sr., MD.
Shirley is survived by her daughters, Lorrie (Michael) Bade of Highlands Ranch, CO, Kim (Michael) Montague-Smith of Ellicott City, MD, and Valerie (Steven) Nichols of Katy, TX; her grandchildren Emma and Hannah Bade of Highlands Ranch, CO, Nate Montague-Smith of Reston, VA, and Alicia, Trevor, Donovan, and Holly Nichols of Katy, TX; her sister Joyce (Dean) Miller of Mesa, AZ; her brother, Mike Reynolds of Eagar, AZ; her sister-in-law Agnes Wright of Topeka, KS; numerous nieces and nephews; and other loving family and friends.
Shirley and her family moved from Watrous, NM to Denver, CO in the mid-1930s. She graduated eighth grade in 1945 from Cathedral School in Denver, CO and high school in 1949 from Cathedral High School in Denver. Shirley attended Denver Mercy Hospital School of Nursing, graduating in 1952 and began work as a registered nurse at National Jewish Hospital in Denver in the pediatrics unit.
Shirley met her husband, John Montague of Topeka, Kansas in 1951, and they were married in Denver on May 23, 1953. While John was going through residency Shirley worked as an RN in San Francisco, Long Island, and Denver. They also lived in St. Marys, KS; Victor, CO; and Bacalar, Mexico before settling in Littleton, CO in 1960. After raising their four children, Shirley became recertified as an RN and worked at Community Child Care in Littleton as the RN consultant and Infant Room Supervisor for 11 years. Upon retirement she devoted herself to her mother and grandchildren.
A memorial service for Shirley will be held at 2:00 pm, Saturday, July 20, 2019 at Olinger Chapel Hill Mortuary & Cemetery, 6601 South Colorado Blvd, Centennial, CO 80121, followed immediately by a committal service at the cemetery. A Celebration of Life Reception will begin at 3:30 pm at Olinger Chapel Hill Mortuary & Cemetery, Summit Room. Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.olingerchapelhill.com for the family. In lieu of flowers, please send donations in Shirley’s name to Pajama Program at https://pajamaprogram.org/funders/donate-funds/or to Pajama Program, Attn: Diana Imhof, 171 Madison Avenue, Suite 1409, New York, NY 10016. Pajama Program gifts children in shelters and temporary housing across the country with a set of pajamas and a book.
