Shirley Jean (Roker) Chilcoat

Graveside Services for Shirley Jean (Roker) Chilcoat will be 10:00 a.m., Wednesday, September 13th at the Stanton Cemetery.  Home for Funerals – Stanton is in charge of arrangements.

Shirley passed away on June 26, 2023 in Green Valley, Arizona at the age of 97.

She was born November 14,1925 in Stanton, NE the daughter of Amelia and Paul Roker.

Shirley attended rural school through the 8th grade near her farm then moved into Stanton to live with her grandmother Emma Johnson to attend high school. She was a proud member of the Stanton High School Class of 1943. She attended college and then moved to California in 1945 to find work.

Shirley married Robert Edward Graves (U.S. Navy) in 1945 and they had daughter Sandra Sue in 1946 and Robert Edward II in 1951. Divorced in 1971, he passed in 1977.

Shirley remarried Bill E. Coyle in 1972 until his passing in 1995.

August 3, 1996, Shirley and Robert E. Chilcoat married in Stanton, NE with both of their Mothers present. They split time between the family farm in Stanton and Green Valley, AZ. until about 2010 when they moved full time to Arizona.   Bob passed away there on March 19, 2017.

In addition to her parents, Shirley was pre-deceased by her sister Esther Joan Wantlin and Esther’s daughter Lana, and Shirley’s son Robert Edward Graves II.

She is survived by daughter Sandra Tonkin, her granddaughter Shelby Nicole Howe of Washington and grandson Wade Matthew Tonkin of Florida, and great grandchildren Indie and Jackson Tonkin. Robert II’s children Misty, Cassidy, Robbie and Hunter Graves of Florida.

Also survived by Bob’s sons Bob Jr. (Chris) of Stanton; Jack (Margaret) of Kansas City, MO; David (Barry) of Panama, NE; and daughter Judy (Tim) Lichti of Shickley, NE; grandchildren Andy (Aizhana), Allison Chilcoat-Vasques (Michael), and Ben Chilcoat, Rebecca (Shannon) Lenser, Katie (Caleb Hendrickson) and Chris Lichti, Erin (Van) VanderSchaaf and Anna (Lane) Baker.  In addition, Shirley is survived by 13 great-grandchildren.     

Shirley was a lifelong member of Beta Sigma Phi an International non-academic sorority and was very active in community service projects. She also loved collecting cookbooks and being adult leader of her daughter’s youth activities. She made a significant impact in the lives of all who knew her.

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