Shirley D. Johnson

Born: 4-9-33 - Died: 7-30.26

Born & Raised in: Denver, CO. Descendants: San Luis Valley 1560 - present

Shirley was born on April 9, 1933 at Mercy Hospital, in Denver, CO to Wm & Effie Gomez with siblings Nina, Bill Sr. & Josie.

She attended & graduated from West High School ‘51, & Emily Griffith’s Business School ‘53, Denver, CO. Her first position post graduation was with a bank in downtown Denver. Later she joined Arthur Murray Dance Studio, as a dance Instructor, where she met her husband, Carl. & eloped. After raising her family, she joined the workforce at Lowry Air Force Base Headquarters as an Office Assistant. Once all the children had left elementary school, she joined the Public Service of CO, as an Executive Assistant, in the Engineering Dept, where she retired in 1998.

At the age of 70, Shirley began raising her youngest great-granddaughter, and two years later, added another great-granddaughter to her household. Both stayed with Shirley, until her demise.

She was a member of the Disney Video Collector’s Club, Harry Potter Book Release Club, Denver Performing Arts member, a Public Broadcasting supporter and owner of two Denver Bronco Season tickets, since 1962.

Shirley was a member of St. James Catholic Church, in Denver, CO, where her children attended their school, received their sacraments & her daughter was married.

Life: Family was the center of Shirley’s world & Carl joined in happily. She was from a large close-knit Spanish family, who’d been in Colorado long before it was Mexico or the United States. They both loved music & dancing. Shirley met Carl at Arthur Murrays’, along with Shirley’s sister Lorraine & Jim Miller. Working closely together led to Shirley & Carl eloping in 1955.

Shirley & Carl, as well as her siblings Bill, Bob & Lorraine & their mates bought Denver Bronco tickets together along with Shirley’s cousin Gerald Duran in 1962. They became the CowBell Ringers of the South Stands, & were interviewed by Parade magazine. Together they went to three Denver Bronco Superbowl games.

Shirley’s daughter & her husband invited the family up to Lake McConaughey, one summer, since it’s become a yearly visit for Shirley’s kids & her siblings’ families. Shirley retired in 1998, Carl died in 2004. Shirley began caring for her great-grand-daughters, Shelby and Libby in 2005. They stayed with her, caring for her until the day she left the family. These little girls, now beautiful young ladies, grew up living with Shirley everyday.

Surviving her are her siblings: Lorraine Miller-Gomez, Richard Gomez (Denver,CO) & Dale Gomez (Chicago, IL).

Shirley’s children: Kim Johnson-Mondragon, Ray C. Johnson Jr. & Jamey Hammel, Stephen & Leigh Johnson (Denver, CO).

Shirley’s grandchildren: David Banfield, Renee Butler, Caityln Johnson & Skyler Johnson.

Shirley’s great-grandchildren: Gage Butler, Avery Butler, Shelby Butler & Libby Butler.

Shirley’s step-children: Linda Johnson Bokhan-Feazle, Bruce Johnson & Christine Johnson-Wheeler.

Predeceased by her: Josie Gomez (sister), Wm & Effie Gomez (parents), Nina Gomez-Balodis (sister), Wm Gomez Sr (brother), Viola Solis-Gomez (sister-in-law), Robert Gomez Sr. (brother), Leesha Gomez (great-niece), Chris Gomez (great nephew), Lizanne Gomez-Gallardo (niece).

Place of Funeral Celebration: St. James Catholic Church, Denver, CO. 8.11.26 12:00p

Place of Burial Highland Mortuary, Northglenn, CO, TBD