Shirley Alta Sayre

(1928 – 2014)

Born on 5 October 1928 in Grand Junction, Colorado, and died on 14 June 2014 in Lakewood, Colorado, she was 85 years, 8 months, and 10 days old. She was preceded in death by her parents, Ramel Tessora (Hall) and James Oldham Bell; by her brothers, John James and Frank Leroy Bell; and by her husband Royce Sidney Sayre. She is survived by her children: Connie Belle (Anthony L.) Bertapelle, Ronald Kent (Sharron) Sayre and Theresa Marie (Patrick L.) Youngwirth. She is also survived by numerous grandchildren, great grandchildren, nieces and nephews.

Shirley met Royce at church camp, she waited for him while he served in the U.S. Army during World War II. During the war, high school students were expected to help in the fields in the area. She did her duty topping onions. She graduated from Montrose High School. She married Royce on 26 January 1947 in Montrose, Colorado.

After the wedding they lived on Ash Mesa, Montrose County, Colorado where Royce worked as a farmer. That fall at harvest time, the neighbors were helping harvest. Shirley was expected to provide the evening meal for a lot of hungry farmers. As a city girl, she was not used to the country way of life. But she did it and became an excellent cook.

They moved to Delta, Colorado where she did ironing to help. She also did the hair and make-up of the deceased at the funeral home and sang at funerals.

Around 1960, the family moved to the metro Denver area, buying a house in Wheat Ridge, Colorado. She helped her aunt and uncle with their wholesale fishing tackle company by snelling thousands of hooks among other things.

She and her mother set up a ceramics shop in the back of the house. They made amazing things, like coffee cups, dishes, knick–knacks, etc.

In 1994, her first great–granddaughter heard Royce call her Honey and since the great–granddaughter had four different grandmothers, Shirley became Grandma Honey, a title she loved and embraced. Every child since calls her Grandma Honey.

Shirley was very craft oriented. She was responsible for a bulletin board at her church. She was an active member of Eastern Star. She decorated tables for Eastern Star meetings as well as for her church functions. In 1997 she inherited her aunt and uncle’s house in Lakewood, Colorado where she lived for the rest of her life.

One of Shirley’s sayings was “Owl love you more.” She collected owls. Once, someone tried to count them. It was impossible. She was very humorous and witty. She loved double entendre, one of her favorite jokes was: Diarrhea is inherited. (It’s in your genes (jeans).)

The family requests that in lieu of flowers send a donation in her name to St. Anthony Hospice or the local hospice in your area.