LENOX, Mass. — Shirley M. Killian, 99, died peacefully at 11 a.m. at Mt. Carmel Nursing Home in Lenox. Her last word spoken to someone only she could see was "Hello."

She was born in Montrose, Colorado, on March 19, 1917. She grew up in Gunnison Colorado and went to college at Western State College, now Western State Colorado University, where she was a 75-year member of Sigma, Sigma, Sigma sorority.

At Western State College, she met her husband, David C Killian. Shirley played cello to David's violin. They were married in 1941. David and Shirley had a life-long love of music and set up and funded the "David and Shirley Killian Music Scholarship" to support and encourage young musicians.

Shirley taught grade school in Delta, Montrose and Englewood, Colorado. When the family moved to Kansas, she gave up full time work as a teacher to become a full time wife and mother. As her husband followed first his Air Force career and then worked with United Airlines and American Airlines to develop new training concepts, she moved from Colorado to Texas, Kansas, California, back to Colorado and back to Texas, where they lived until David died on January 22, 1986.

She was an artist, loved to travel, and maintained her love of music as a cellist in numerous string ensembles in the many places she lived. She loved Arlington, Texas, where she lived from 1967 to 1999. 

She was an active member of the First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in Arlington, where she sang in the choir, served on many boards, played bridge, and once declared that she would remain there until all her friends had died. However, in September 1999, she found an apartment she liked at Devonshire and moved to Lenox, Massachusetts, to be close to her daughter, Carol Killian.

She loved Tanglewood, as well as the many small choral and string music groups in the Berkshires. She line danced at Devonshire until she was 95 and played bridge at every opportunity until her deteriorating eye sight forced her to quit at 96.

She is predeceased by her husband, David C. Killian, and her brother, Alden McKinley.

She is survived by her daughter, Carol Killian; her son, Kirby Killian; her six grandchildren, James Clegern, David Clegern, Judith Clegern, Kyle Killian, Glen Killian and Kari Killian; and her seven great-grandchildren.

Funeral notice: There will be an interment in Denver, Colorado, at the convenience of family. For close family and friends there will be a memorial tea/coffee on Sunday, Jan. 29, 2017, from 2 to 4 p.m. at Devonshire Estates, Lenox, where Shirley lived for 17 years.

The Dery Funeral Home, 54 Bradford St., Pittsfield, is in charge of arrangements.