Ann Loene Shoup January 14, 1921 ~ December 31, 2019
Ann Loene Shoup passed away on December 31, 2019 in Durango, Colorado at the age of 98.was the youngest child born to John Anthony and Rose Marcella Hilkey in Meeker, Colorado where she spent her childhood years. This small town country life is where her love of people, music and animals began. She hand-fed lambs, rode horses, fed chickens and turkeys, and all the things surrounding the country life. She enjoyed and spent many hours playing the piano.graduated from Meeker High School, an accomplishment she was proud of after missing much of her senior year to scarlet fever. After high school, she worked at a job she loved at the Rio Blanco County Courthouse and later attended Mesa College in Grand Junction, Colorado.married Donald Shoup of Rifle, Colorado where they raised their four children on Whiteriver Avenue. Many long-lasting friendships were forged over those years. She worked as a hospital volunteer and later as a switchboard operator at Clagett Memorial Hospital, and also did volunteer work through the Chamber of Commerce and other organizations. She later moved to Rifle Senior Housing where she spent many fond years with many of those same friends who also moved there. to say good-bye to her old friends and familiar surroundings, at age 87, she moved to Sunshine Gardens Assisted Living in Durango, Colorado, where she gained a new zest for life, meeting new people and seeing new places. Her room looked out onto a hillside where she would see fox, chipmunks, squirrels, various birds, deer, raccoons and bear. She was “home” for the next 7 years before moving to Four Corners Health Care Center for her last 5 years, where she also had a beautiful view to wildlife, a creek and trees. She was a life-long learner and would often bring forth obscure facts that we had no idea she knew. We affectionately began to call her “The Professor”. She was proficient at crosswords, word jumbles, arts and crafts, and an avid reader. She was quite the conversationalist and had a way of sharing stories and drawing you in.ones who await her are husband, Donald Shoup; son, Joe Shoup; her grandson, Donavon Keithley; beloved twin brothers, Herman (Eldrid) and Harold (Mary) Hilkey, and Joe (Florence). Loved ones who will miss Loene until they meet again are her daughters, Judy Johnson (Robert) of Durango, CO and Yvonne Gray (Don) of Tucson, AZ; her son, John Shoup (Susie) of Howard, CO, grandchildren and great-grandchildren, nieces and nephews. Ann Loene Shoup was loved, is missed, and will always be cherished.celebration of her life will be held spring or summer 2020 in Rifle, Colorado to honor her life, date and time will be forthcoming.heartfelt thanks to all of the nurses and caregivers at Sunshine Gardens West, Four Corners Health Care Center, many great friends near and far, the faithful visits from First United Methodist Church of Durango, Sue at La Plata County Humane Society, and all the others who shared their beloved pets, and the many musicians who shared their talents.memory of Loene, please donate to a charity of your choice, or consider First Christian Church of Rifle, 306 E. 3rd St, Rifle CO 81650, La Plata County Humane Society, 1111 S. Camino Del Rio, Durango, CO 81303; American Diabetes Association, or First United Methodist Church, 2917 Aspen Drive, Durango CO 81301
