Shirline Ethel Almeida, 82
The Western News | UPDATED 2 weeks, 1 day AGO
Shirline Ethel Almeida
A Life of Open Doors
Shirline was born in Missoula, Montana, on July 12, 1943, and lived in Swan Lake with her parents, Marie and Paul Jones and her twin sister Pauline.
When she was 4, they moved to Libby, Montana where she lived most of her life. She was born with a nurturing soul. She said that one of her first memories was collecting stray dogs. As a child, she took care of many animals. She raised kittens with a bottle, rehabilitated an injured crow, rescued several dogs and even had a monkey. Later she collected people.
On Aug. 6, 1961, she married Zenon Ignacio Chio Almeida (Nash). Being of Mexican heritage and culture, her life became a lot spicier. Her family grew instantly. Nash had a brother named Enrique and a sister named Malena.
Soon, they started their own family with the births of Eric, Sally and Greg.
Shirline and Nash loved to travel. They had been to Mexico, Arizona, Disneyland, Legoland, the ocean, Las Vegas, California and Texas. Shirline also spent time in Fiji with Eric. In their travels, they collected many friends and rocks.
Shirline was a dog groomer, an advocate for battered women, a grandma at the elementary school, a hot lunch lady, a Girl Scout leader, a pet store owner, an avid rummage-sale and thrift store treasure hunter. She was a diver, master gardener and the proud owner of a beautiful koi pond.
Of all the hats that Shirline wore, caretaker was her best role. She loved people and she didn’t worry about biological ties, in fact she had a foster son, Curtis Cureau.
If you stuck around long enough, you were family. The door was always open and there was always room at her table.
Shirline lived a happy life, and she died peacefully July 1, 2026, at the Hospice House in Missoula. She was surrounded by many wonderful nurses and staff at the Hospice House.
She was thankful for every person that God placed in her life. She will be missed here, but she’s now with God, Nash and Eric in Heaven.
For that, we are truly thankful.
Shirline was preceded in death by her parents, Marie and Paul, her husband Nash, her son Eric and her niece Shannon.
Shirline is survived by her twin sister, Pauline; her daughter-in-law Donna and Donna’s children; her daughter Sally and son-in-law Rick Cordier and their children; her son Greg and daughter-in-law Amy and their children and foster son Curtis Cureau.
She is also survived by three great-grandchildren; many nieces and nephews; and a wide circle of people who became family by simply sticking around long enough.
