Ilene Lucille Cooney

Our beloved Ilene passed away from ovarian cancer at 83 years old, cared for and surrounded by love. She was born in Fruita, Colorado to Ruby (McDonald) and Alexander Murray (Muskowski) and grew-up on the family farm along the Colorado River. At 14 years of age she went to live with family friends Alma and Leo DesRosier in Lamar, Colorado, who became her legal guardians.

By the age of 24 she had graduated from Cosmetology school, married her first husband Donald Graf, started her first hair salon (Ilene’s Beauty Den in Ouray, Colorado), and gave birth to two daughters. They would move to Tucson, divorce, and she would have sole custody of her daughters by the age of 30. Her fierce determination as a single parent (without alimony or child support) was to secure a safe home for her girls and herself. At a time when unmarried women could not obtain a mortgage in their name only (pre 1974 Equal Credit Opportunity Act), she found a way. They were the “three musketeers” for many years.

In 1978 at the age of 38, Ilene married the love of her life John F. Cooney. She would go on to own her second salon, Ilene’s Hair Designs. Ilene knew she wanted to be a Hair Stylist since she was a teenager and continued doing what she loved until a few weeks before her death. Many of her coworkers and clients would become her beloved extended family. When asked when she would retire, she often said “why would I retire when I love what I’m doing and can still do it?”

Ilene loved living in southern Arizona with its warm climate and bright light. She especially enjoyed her patio, garden, and grassy backyard with a large two-tiered fountain that attracted wildlife. These things helped “to stay sane” during the global pandemic. Her dogs, decorating for all the various holidays, visiting on the phone, or having a smoke on the patio “nasty habit, never start it,” were other things she enjoyed. She was often in motion reciting her favorite motto “I’m so busy.” She was strong-willed when she needed to be, hard-working, organized, beautiful (oh, so beautiful), loving, giving, true to her word, mostly optimistic and had a great sense of humor.

She is preceded in death by her husband John; both parents; grandson Derleth Leo; and siblings Jerry, Ed, and Joann. She is survived by her daughters Dawn Graf-Thiessen (Ken Thiessen) & Joan Graf (Rick McConnell); granddaughters Delany, Olivia, Aubry (Ryan), and Ireland; siblings Bob (Sharon), Phyllis (Ron), Jan, Don (Mary), Ben (Tammy), Rita (Andy), and Thom; nephews Troy LeRoy, Troy Wade; heart-family Justin, Gary, Loren “Sheff”, the Kurtenbach family, along with many other beloved nieces, nephews, friends and clients.

Ilene is buried next to her husband at East Lawn Palms Cemetery with a view of Tucson’s Santa Catalina mountains.

The world is a more beautiful, kinder place because of Ilene.

She is deeply missed and forever will be loved. ♥️