Shirley Ann (McPhillips) Sonju, 68
Homemaker and nurse's aide, Shirley Ann (McPhillips) Sonju, 68, died peacefully of natural causes in her sleep on Thursday, March 23, 2006, at her home in Cut Bank.
Visitation is set for after 2 p.m. on Wednesday, March 29, at Whitted Funeral Chapel in Cut Bank. Funeral services will be at 11 a.m. Thursday, March 30, at St. Paul's Lutheran Church. Graveside service at Mountain View Cemetery in Shelby will be at 1:30 p.m. Condolences may be sent to www.whittedfuneralchapel.com.
Shirley was born to Vernon and Betty (Goodrich) McPhillips on a train between Cheyenne, Wyo., and Ft Collins, Colo., on April 20, 1937. She was the first premature baby to test the incubator in Cheyenne, thus the name Shirley Ann. She grew up in Ft. Collins until her junior year in high school.
In 1954, the family moved to Shelby where she graduated from high school and met Leo Sonju. They were married on Dec. 10, 1955, and raised their large brood of 10 children in Shelby and Cut Bank.
Shirley leaves behind her sister, Connie Deleplanque; cousin, Ron McPhillips; children, Laurie and Dick Mitchell of Deer Lodge, Debbie and Gary Hallenberg of Cut Bank, Deanna and Ron Avent of Billings, Mark and Brenda Sonju of Kalispell, David and Laurie Sonju of Missoula, Leona and SJ O'Brien of Augusta, Maine, Sandy and Allen Cutchin of Spokane, Lynda and Paul Malcolm of San Antonio, Texas, and Robert and Jennifer Sonju of Olympia, Wash. Shirley is survived by 24 grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Leo; her sister, Barbara Jean Woods; and her son, Tom.
Shirley enjoyed spending time at the Senior Center in Cut Bank and taking blood pressures for anyone needing one. She was also a member of the Moose Lodge, the Historical Society, and a member of St. Paul's Lutheran Church. She also enjoyed crafts and made many family treasures.
Shirley had a love of people and a willingness to help that sent her to work in the hospitals in Cut Bank and Shelby for many years. This also got her out of the house and let Leo become the "referee." She had the patience of Job and a heart of gold. She touched so many lives and was loved by all who knew her. She was quick with a smile and a kind word. She was never judgmental and would always extend a hand to anyone who needed it. She taught her children how to be strong, never give up, what a family means, unconditional love, and how to give to others.
Shirley was very proud of her Irish heritage and loved St. Patrick's Day and Christmas. She would make sure everyone in the family wore green on St. Patrick's Day. This was always quite a fiasco if it landed on a school day but she managed to pull it off every year. Christmas was just as chaotic but filled with love and joy. "Well, as much joy as one could have at 4 o'clock in the morning when Dad couldn't take it anymore and just let us open the presents. Mom always made one favorite dish for everyone in the house. This also made the meals interesting."
"Mom, your greatest legacy is teaching us faith isn't faith until it is all you have left to hang onto. We will miss you."