Shirley Mcbride

Shirley Elaine McBride Self died July 16th surrounded by her loving family at HopeWest in Grand Junction, Colorado. She died after a lengthily illness. Shirley Elaine McBride was born July 20, 1956 in Colorado Springs, Colorado to George Ray McBride and Mary Alice Sawyer. When she was four she moved to Westminster, Colorado and lived there until she was twenty-nine. She married Michael Jon Blankenship October 31, 1980. From this union they had three children Amber, Jesse, and Deja Blankenship. They later divorced in 1986. She later married Laine Franklin Self August 16, 1997. They were divorced October 2016. The city life was not for her so when she got the chance she moved to a smaller town. Talk about a change, she moved from Westminster to Opal, Wyoming with a population of 126 people in 1985. The town consisted of one main building which had a tiny grocery store, one gas pump, and a bar complete with strippers. It took a lot of getting used to but once she did she loved the small town life and decided never to live in a big city again. She moved to Grand Junction, Colorado later where she lived for 7 years. She was a single parent for ten years and although it was really tough at times she had learned two important things to carry her through life. Patience and a sense of humor. While in Grand Junction she attended Mesa State University for two years for computer programming. She was a volunteer for two years on the crisis line for domestic violence. She also taught grade school children how to use computers for two years. She then moved to Craig, Colorado and fell in love with the town. She loved the closeness and caring of people in Craig. She later moved back to Grand Junction in 2013 when her health declined but her heart was still in Craig. She loved the outdoors, camping, gardening, genealogy, craft work, geocaching, and reading. She worked assorted jobs over the years but her favorites were working for the Moffat County School District for 8 years and what a lot of stories to tell with that one... Another was KSTR Radio Station in Grand Junction where she was a receptionist and what a fun job that was. Her first job was at the First National Bank of Denver as a check processor. This was located in downtown Denver so what a challenge that was. She was a very sweet and caring person with a great sense of humor. She would go out of her way to help friends in any way she could. She will be sorely missed. She loved her children, grandchildren, and great grandchild. They were the most important things to her. She is survived by her mother Mary McBride, step father Robert Jerram, Mother-in-law Shirley Elaine Self, Ex husband Laine Self, sisters Teresa McBride, Diona Self Barber, brother Leslie Self , and three children Amber (Jim) Cooper, Jesse Blankenship, Deja (Justin) Craig, her five grandchildren Shay and Nathan Cooper, Tiyana Henry, Jayah and Zoey Craig, and her great grandson Torin Cooper. She is also survived by nieces Jennifer Rapier, Brooklyn Barber, nephews James McBride and Kele Barber plus numerous aunts, uncles and cousins. She was preceded in death by her father George Ray McBride and father-in-law Hugh Self. There will be a Celebration of Life Ceremony this summer.