Shirley Corrine Payne (Bridges)
1927-2023
On March 18, 2023 our family lost a mother, grandmother, and great grandmother Shirley Payne. Shirley was diagnosed with dementia a few years ago. She gave her all to maintain a normal life and fought to the end. Unfortunately, it was not her fight to win, but we were truly blessed to have Shirley for 95 wonderful years.
Shirley was born on March 30, 1927 in Bozeman, MT to Carthy and Henrietta Bridges. She lived in several cities in Montana growing up, and her favorite city was “wild and wooly” Butte. Shirley was very energetic, clever, and smart. She attended Montana State University in Bozeman as a Chemistry major and had a goal of pursuing a career as a Chemist. In her senior year, she met a dashing young man, Tom Payne, and she left school to marry him on January 26, 1951 in Butte, MT. Shirley and Tom made their home in Livingston, Montana for almost 70 years. She worked at the telephone office as a telephone operator in Livingston while Tom was working on the railroad until Tom Jr was born. Together, Shirley and Tom raised 3 children Tom Jr, Doug, and Peggy. They resided in Livingston until they sold their home and moved to Helena in February 2022.
Shirley was a very good cook, and she took great pride in taking care of her family and her home. Shirley liked to refinish old furniture, sew, shop at garage sales, and shop in general. She was always busy doing something, and Tom jokingly would say, “If only I had 40 acres for your mom, I would be a wealthy man today.” Tom retired from the railroad in 1989, and they enjoyed floating the Yellowstone and Madison Rivers together. Shirley loved wildlife and the beautiful scenery in Montana. It was her morning ritual to feed the birds and “her bunny rabbits” and wait for deer to stop by. Later in the mornings, Shirley and Lucy Heger enjoyed walking the dogs behind the house in the hills. Shirley also loved sports and traveled to many different sporting events throughout the Western United States with Tom Sr.
Shirley’s support of her family never wavered, whether it was caring for them or supporting them in their endeavors. She and Tom Sr traveled to Doug’s running races, traveled to visit Peg and her husband Steve when they lived in England, and visited Tom Jr and his family in both Scotland and Malaysia. Shirley and Tom attended their granddaughter’s swim meets on the East Coast while she was attending West Point until they could no longer travel. When Shirley’s mother could no longer live on her own, she moved her in with the family and took care of her.
Shirley is preceded in death by her parents and the love of her life Tom Sr. She is survived by her son Tom Payne Jr and daughter-in-law Cheryl Payne of Bakersfield, CA, son Doug Payne of Helena, MT, daughter Peggy O’Neil and son-in-law Steve O’Neil of Bozeman, MT, granddaughter Corri Hastings and grandson-in-law Mitch Hastings of Port Orchard, WA, and great granddaughter Amelia Hastings of Port Orchard, WA.
A celebration of life service will be held in the summer of 2023 at Fort Harrison in Helena, Montana where both Tom and Shirley will be interned. If you wish to make a donation, please consider making a donation to the local animal shelter or SPCA.
Special thanks to the St Peter’s Hospital, the staff at Touchmark, St. Peter’s Hospice, the Sapphire Staff at Touchmark, hospice RN Nurse Kourtney Fisher, Kim Longmire-Reinhardt, and Belle Dailey.
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Barbara Yates says
Sending consolation and love to Shirley’s family.
Henrietta was our neighbor for many years in Bozeman. She always had coffee on, and a wise word to share. She loved seeing Shirley’s children.
May your memories sustain you in this difficult hour.
Barbara Hoadley Yates