Sharon M. Coones, 79
ADAMS, Mass. — Sharon M. Coones, 79, of 25 Forest Park Ave., died Tuesday, July 21, 2015, peacefully at her home, surrounded by her husband and children.
Born in Milwaukee on Jan. 8, 1936, a daughter of Chester Hiland and of Doris Durocher Hiland Hansen, and stepdaughter of Air Force Master Sgt. Albert Hansen, she attended grade school at St. Aloyisus School in Milwaukee and St. Thomas Aquinas Academy in Green Bay, Wisc., and transferred in her junior year to Cathedral High School in Denver, from which she graduated in 1954.
She met her "knight in shining armor," Staff Sgt. Donald Coones, an Air Force aerial photographer stationed at Lowry Air Force Base, in Denver and married him on Oct. 31, 1955.
A faithful Air Force wife, Mrs. Coones managed the household and kept the home fires burning while her husband was often serving many temporary duty assignments in faraway places. She and her mother were the first mother-daughter team in the Air Force working as volunteers for the Family Service Center at Wright-Patterson AFB in Dayton, Ohio. She was also an active volunteer in the NCO Wives Club.
She traveled extensively throughout the United States and Germany with her husband and children. In 1972, they moved permanently to Sgt. Coones' hometown of Adams upon his retirement from the Air Force. She loved being a full-time homemaker and devoted her life to taking care of her husband, children and relatives.
A proud and patriotic American, she loved God, the USA and her family. She loved to dance, sing and have a good time. She enjoyed reading and watching movies; family vacations to Myrtle Beach, S.C.; playing video poker at Saratoga Casino and Raceway, her favorite video poker was the "Butterfly Machine"; and day trips to the Congregation of Marian Fathers of the Immaculate Conception of the Most Blessed Virgin Mary in Stockbridge.
She leaves her best friend, true love and husband of 60 years, retired Senior Master Sgt. Donald Coones; a son, Donald "Jasper" Coones Jr., Marine Corps veteran, and his partner, Karen Tendrup; three daughters, Doreen Coones and Kim Coones, both Air Force veterans, and Colleen Zajac and her husband, Mitchell; five grandchildren, Jamie Peterson and her husband, Josh, Cindy Coones, Ashley Perez and her partner, Tim Gajewsky, Mitch Zajac Jr. and Eileen Zajac; seven great-grandchildren, Ricky Perez, Alex Perez, Riley Perez, Tony Perez, Juliet Peterson, Joseph Gajewsky and Jacob Gajewsky; a sister-in-law, Alice Kirk; a brother-in-law, Alan Gomer, and nieces, nephews, grandnieces and grandnephews.
She was predeceased by her son David Coones; a brother, John Hiland; four sisters, Audrey Leonard, Darlene Tendrup, Lorilee Gomer and Arletta Hiland; two sisters-in-law, Dawn Hiland and Eileen Patterson; and two brothers-in-law, Walter "Red" Patterson and Burton Kirk.
FUNERAL NOTICE — In keeping with Mrs. Coones' wishes, funeral services will be private. Those wishing may make a donation in her memory to St. Stanislaus Kostka School, 108 Summer St., Adams, MA 01220. Paciorek Funeral Home, 13 Hoosac St., Adams, is in charge of arrangements.