Shirley Koontz

Shirley Koontz
February 6, 1933 to March 28, 2024
She was a small town girl who had big dreams for her life – and got to live pretty much every one of them. Born in Hazelton ID, Shirley Rae Douglas knew that she was destined for bigger places and better things.
Shirl briefly attended Idaho State University, before starting her office career. Her boss introduced her to Ralph Koontz. Within weeks they decided to marry and fooled all the naysayers by making it 61 years before Ralph died in 2017. With daughters Cecelia and Shea, the family settled in Salem, Oregon where Shirl worked for Merritt Truax Oil.
Shirl met her best friend, Jackie Miller, a fellow member of Beta Sigma Phi sorority, and they found a shared love of opera, theatre and world travel, eventually leading to regular trips throughout Europe, to China and Australia/New Zealand.
Ralph’s decision to join his company’s headquarters in St Louis, MO, meant a move in 1976. Besides work and an active social life, Shirl became a St Louis Cardinal FANATIC. She enjoyed shopping at high-end department stores, excellent dining and wine, and collecting fine porcelain, glass, and original art.
Ralph announced a (sort of) retirement and desire to live on the Oregon Coast. Shirl put her interior design skills to work, and they built a beautiful home at Salishan. In 2007, it was time to downsize. They visited friends in northern Baja, Mexico and ended up as full-time ex-pats in a condo near Rosarito Beach.
WIth Ralph’s health failing, they made a final move back to Oregon, ending up in a small cottage in Monmouth, around the corner from Cec. With the help of neighbors and friends, Shirl lived on her own in their home until her death due to a fall. Daughter Shea predeceased her in 2022.
She is survived by her grandson, Greg Frank; and granddaughters and their partners - Lindsay and Tyler Goodman (daughters Rylan and Ruby) in Oklahoma, Kelsey Roy and Josh Moseley in Missouri, and Jordan and Travis Heide (son Macklin) in Oregon; her ‘sons’ Andrew Coultas, Steven Keller, Ken Hermens and Steve Frank, beloved nieces including Dena Gouvea (Paul) and Anne Walls (Fred), nephew Rick Renz (Barb), sister Gail Quinn and many adoring fans.
Shirl’s memory can be honored with gifts to Pentacle Theatre in Salem or St Patrick’s Church in Independence. Or by lifting a glass of Oregon Cabernet and toasting the dream life she had. Cec is planning a celebration for later in the spring.