Anna Shilling

Longtime resident Marie Shilling of Durango passed away on June 22, 2017 after a long battle with cancer at the age of 90. Marie was the first born child of James and Helen Burkett. She was born on February 5, 1927 at a logging camp up Lightner Creek. Marie was 6 weeks premature and Helen was alone at the logging camp. Marie's family homesteaded up the Florida below Lemon Dam and her mother established Helen's store in 1936. Marie and her husband Clarence ran the store from 1982 until 2007 when Marie sold and moved into town at age 80.

Marie graduated from Bayfield High School in 1945. In 1947 she married Steve Davidovich in Durango. They were married for 26 years until his death in 1973. She and Steve had 5 children. Marie remarried in 1974 to the love of her life, Clarence Shilling. They were married until he passed in 2004.

Marie had a long blessed life with lots of loving family surrounding her. She had 9 grandchildren and 12 great grandchildren with one on the way. She also had a large extended family that stemmed from her work at the State Home and Training School for the Mentally Disabled in Grand Junction where she worked for 36 years. She was a supervisor at the State Home and was the Girl Scout Troop Leader of a group there and assisted with the Special Olympics.

In 1974 Marie won Colorado Woman of the Year and was recognized as a Good Samaritan and was honored at an award ceremony in Denver for stopping on Red Mountain Pass in the middle of the night in January during a blizzard to assist an elderly couple from Mancos who were crosswise on the road near Bear Creek Falls. Henceforth she was referred to as the Angel of the Mountains.

Marie is survived by her sister-in-law, Nyla Burkett; her children, George Davidovich, Yelenia McMurlyn (Cliff), Frank Davidovich, and Bill Davidovich (Maria); her grandchildren, Stephanie Hageman (Ryan), Michelle Wisnasky (Tom), Steve Davidovich (Millicent), Andrea Darr (Sean), Bryce Davidovich, Jeanie Davidovich and Matt Davidovich; 12 great grandchildren and numerous nieces and nephews.

Marie is preceded in death by her husbands, Steve and Clarence, her son Steve Jr. and her granddaughter Amber Davidovich-Gomez, her grandson Jason Davidovich, her brother Bud Burkett and her sister Darlene Simpson.

A rosary will be held at Sacred Heart Catholic Church. Date and time to be announced.

A celebration of her life will be at 10:00 am on Saturday, July 1st at Hood Mortuary in Durango followed by a graveside service at the Pine River Cemetery and a reception at the old homestead following the graveside service.

Published in The Durango Herald on June 26, 2017