Shirley Anne (Cooper) Coyne, of Cobb, CA, was called to her heavenly Father on Friday, November 14, 2025. After a short illness during which her health declined, she passed peacefully at her home with family at her side. She was 86. Born on November 28, 1938, in Oakland, CA, she was the only child of the late June Kathleen Buis, of Vallejo, CA.
Shirley grew up in Vallejo, where her grandparents, the late George Lee and Charlotte Marie (Baumann) Buis, had a profound impact on her life. They provided the loving stability and care that guided her through her formative years. Shirley often spoke fondly of time spent with her aunts, uncles, and cousins, cherishing those family connections deeply. Among her grandparents' most meaningful gestures—though they were not Catholic—was their decision to ensure Shirley was raised Catholic. She remained eternally grateful for this gift of faith.
Shirley attended St. Vincent Elementary and High School, where she played basketball and formed a lifelong bond with her close-knit circle of friends, the Crazy 8, who fondly referred to her as Shirley Cooper, "The Party Pooper," or simply "Poopsie." In 1956, Shirley graduated from high school and reunited with her mother, who had since moved to Virginia. Together, they began forming deeper, more meaningful ties that remained strong until her mother's (June) passing. While living on the East Coast, Shirley enrolled in flight attendant school in New York City.
On January 16, 1960, at Langley Air Force Base in Virginia, she married her husband, Brendan (Ben) Oliver Coyne. Soon after that, they relocated to Shirley's hometown, Vallejo, where they built a home and raised their family. Proud to be a firefighter's wife, Shirley embraced her role as a devoted homemaker, creating a life filled with love and care.
By 1974, Shirley and Ben were raising three young sons, all under the age of seven. In March of that year, life took an unexpected and challenging turn when Ben suffered a severe, disabling stroke. The illness forced his early retirement, and he was never able to return to work professionally.
During this challenging period, Shirley drew strength from her faith as she faced a new reality and an uncertain future. In January 1975, she and Ben welcomed their fourth child—and only daughter—a blessing amid hardship. By 1977, rising inflation placed added strain on the household, leading Shirley to return to work as the family's primary provider. Meanwhile, the growing conversation around workplace equality began to influence the values within their home.
Shirley dedicated her career to serving others as a Benefits Clerk for the United Food and Commercial Workers Local 373, retiring in 1993. Drawing on her experience navigating public and employer benefits after her husband's stroke, as well as the training she received from her employer, Shirley became a trusted resource for union members. She provided thoughtful, expert guidance to help them secure the benefits they deserved during challenging times and life's transitions—a role she considered deeply rewarding.
Shirley's greatest passion was her family. Their well-being was her strength and joy, and she devoted herself wholeheartedly to them. Balancing a full-time job with the demands of motherhood, she tirelessly shuttled her children to practices, prepared home-cooked meals, and embraced every moment of family life. Shirley truly embodied the spirit of a working mom—dedicated, loving, and unwavering in her commitment. She brought home the bacon and fried it up in a pan!
During her years in Vallejo, Shirley was deeply involved in her community. She proudly served on the St. Patrick-St. Vincent High School Board of Regents, as President of the Young Ladies' Institute, and took an active role in the St. Vincent Elementary School Parents and Friends Club, including serving as its President. In 2003, Shirley and Ben moved from Vallejo to live full-time in their favorite vacation spot, Cobb, CA. Here, they engaged a robust network of retirees, many of whom they knew from years of spending summer family vacations together while raising their kids.
In 2013, an unexpected blessing entered her life. DNA testing revealed that Shirley had a younger half-brother, John Parks. For the first time in her life, she was a sister, a role she embraced. They remained actively engaged since the discovery, including Shirley visiting John in Virginia and John visiting Shirley twice, most recently just before her passing. She valued her sibling relationship!
In 2015, life brought another unexpected challenge when Shirley and Ben lost their home to the devastating Valley Fire, narrowly escaping with their lives. Refusing to be displaced by the destruction, they rebuilt their lives on Cobb Mountain in a beautiful area untouched by the flames. Shirley remained there until her passing.
She was predeceased by her husband, Brendan Oliver Coyne, Sr., who died on September 16, 2023; her mother, June Kathleen (Buis) Kenney, who died on June 10, 1995; and her Stepfather, Paul Graham Kenney, who died on May 7, 1983.
Shirley is survived by her children, Brendan, Jr. (Cindy Bredek), Michael (Faith Berardi), Patrick (Shelly Close), and Cathleen (Patrick) McCarthy; seven grandchildren and two great-grandchildren; and her half-brother John Parks.
Visitation will take place on Saturday, November 29, from 9:30 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. at Our Lady of the Lake, 12836 Hwy 175, Loch Lomond, CA 95461. A Vigil Prayer will begin at 10:00 a.m., followed by Shirley's Funeral Mass at 11:00 a.m.
After the service, a reception will be held at Adams Springs Golf Course, 14347 Snead Ct., Cobb, CA, where family and friends can gather to honor Shirley's life and share cherished memories.
A joint graveside service for Shirley and her husband, Ben, will be held on Saturday, December 6, at 10:00 a.m. at St. Vincent's Catholic Cemetery, 550 Glen Cove Road, Vallejo, CA. Family, friends, and all who knew and loved them are warmly invited to attend and pay their respects as they are laid to rest together.
A memorial donation may be made to one of the following charities:
LightHouse for the Blind and Visually Impaired, https://lighthouse-sf.org/
The National Multiple Sclerosis Society, https://www.nationalmssociety.org/
Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation, https://www.crohnscolitisfoundation.org/
Our Lady of the Lake Guild
• Accepts donations by check
• Mail to: Lisa Lambert, P.O. Box 238, Cobb, CA 95426
Special Olympics Northern California, https://sonc.org/
Shirley grew up in Vallejo, where her grandparents, the late George Lee and Charlotte Marie (Baumann) Buis, had a profound impact on her life. They provided the loving stability and care that guided her through her formative years. Shirley often spoke fondly of time spent with her aunts, uncles, and cousins, cherishing those family connections deeply. Among her grandparents' most meaningful gestures—though they were not Catholic—was their decision to ensure Shirley was raised Catholic. She remained eternally grateful for this gift of faith.
Shirley attended St. Vincent Elementary and High School, where she played basketball and formed a lifelong bond with her close-knit circle of friends, the Crazy 8, who fondly referred to her as Shirley Cooper, "The Party Pooper," or simply "Poopsie." In 1956, Shirley graduated from high school and reunited with her mother, who had since moved to Virginia. Together, they began forming deeper, more meaningful ties that remained strong until her mother's (June) passing. While living on the East Coast, Shirley enrolled in flight attendant school in New York City.
On January 16, 1960, at Langley Air Force Base in Virginia, she married her husband, Brendan (Ben) Oliver Coyne. Soon after that, they relocated to Shirley's hometown, Vallejo, where they built a home and raised their family. Proud to be a firefighter's wife, Shirley embraced her role as a devoted homemaker, creating a life filled with love and care.
By 1974, Shirley and Ben were raising three young sons, all under the age of seven. In March of that year, life took an unexpected and challenging turn when Ben suffered a severe, disabling stroke. The illness forced his early retirement, and he was never able to return to work professionally.
During this challenging period, Shirley drew strength from her faith as she faced a new reality and an uncertain future. In January 1975, she and Ben welcomed their fourth child—and only daughter—a blessing amid hardship. By 1977, rising inflation placed added strain on the household, leading Shirley to return to work as the family's primary provider. Meanwhile, the growing conversation around workplace equality began to influence the values within their home.
Shirley dedicated her career to serving others as a Benefits Clerk for the United Food and Commercial Workers Local 373, retiring in 1993. Drawing on her experience navigating public and employer benefits after her husband's stroke, as well as the training she received from her employer, Shirley became a trusted resource for union members. She provided thoughtful, expert guidance to help them secure the benefits they deserved during challenging times and life's transitions—a role she considered deeply rewarding.
Shirley's greatest passion was her family. Their well-being was her strength and joy, and she devoted herself wholeheartedly to them. Balancing a full-time job with the demands of motherhood, she tirelessly shuttled her children to practices, prepared home-cooked meals, and embraced every moment of family life. Shirley truly embodied the spirit of a working mom—dedicated, loving, and unwavering in her commitment. She brought home the bacon and fried it up in a pan!
During her years in Vallejo, Shirley was deeply involved in her community. She proudly served on the St. Patrick-St. Vincent High School Board of Regents, as President of the Young Ladies' Institute, and took an active role in the St. Vincent Elementary School Parents and Friends Club, including serving as its President. In 2003, Shirley and Ben moved from Vallejo to live full-time in their favorite vacation spot, Cobb, CA. Here, they engaged a robust network of retirees, many of whom they knew from years of spending summer family vacations together while raising their kids.
In 2013, an unexpected blessing entered her life. DNA testing revealed that Shirley had a younger half-brother, John Parks. For the first time in her life, she was a sister, a role she embraced. They remained actively engaged since the discovery, including Shirley visiting John in Virginia and John visiting Shirley twice, most recently just before her passing. She valued her sibling relationship!
In 2015, life brought another unexpected challenge when Shirley and Ben lost their home to the devastating Valley Fire, narrowly escaping with their lives. Refusing to be displaced by the destruction, they rebuilt their lives on Cobb Mountain in a beautiful area untouched by the flames. Shirley remained there until her passing.
She was predeceased by her husband, Brendan Oliver Coyne, Sr., who died on September 16, 2023; her mother, June Kathleen (Buis) Kenney, who died on June 10, 1995; and her Stepfather, Paul Graham Kenney, who died on May 7, 1983.
Shirley is survived by her children, Brendan, Jr. (Cindy Bredek), Michael (Faith Berardi), Patrick (Shelly Close), and Cathleen (Patrick) McCarthy; seven grandchildren and two great-grandchildren; and her half-brother John Parks.
Visitation will take place on Saturday, November 29, from 9:30 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. at Our Lady of the Lake, 12836 Hwy 175, Loch Lomond, CA 95461. A Vigil Prayer will begin at 10:00 a.m., followed by Shirley's Funeral Mass at 11:00 a.m.
After the service, a reception will be held at Adams Springs Golf Course, 14347 Snead Ct., Cobb, CA, where family and friends can gather to honor Shirley's life and share cherished memories.
A joint graveside service for Shirley and her husband, Ben, will be held on Saturday, December 6, at 10:00 a.m. at St. Vincent's Catholic Cemetery, 550 Glen Cove Road, Vallejo, CA. Family, friends, and all who knew and loved them are warmly invited to attend and pay their respects as they are laid to rest together.
A memorial donation may be made to one of the following charities:
LightHouse for the Blind and Visually Impaired, https://lighthouse-sf.org/
The National Multiple Sclerosis Society, https://www.nationalmssociety.org/
Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation, https://www.crohnscolitisfoundation.org/
Our Lady of the Lake Guild
• Accepts donations by check
• Mail to: Lisa Lambert, P.O. Box 238, Cobb, CA 95426
Special Olympics Northern California, https://sonc.org/
To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Shirley Anne Coyne (née Cooper), please visit our flower store.
Shirley Anne Coyne (née Cooper)'s Guestbook
Visits: 34
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the
Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
Service map data © OpenStreetMap contributors