Shelley Pugliese

Shelley Yvonne Pugliese, 67, devoted wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, sister and friend was born November 23, 1953 in East Grand Forks, MN and went to be with Jesus on May 23, 2021.  She grew up in Minnesota with 8 brothers and sisters and moved to CO after graduation. She married her first husband in 1975 and had two daughters before separating. In 1979 she met and later married the love of her life, Rod Pugliese, and had another daughter. Rod and Shelley raised her two daughters in Arvada, later moving to their dream home in Erie.

Shelley loved God and always encouraged people to find truth and comfort in the Word. She was the living embodiment of sacrificial love, always encouraging and thinking the best of others. She was a perpetual caregiver, beginning with her nephews when she was a young girl, continuing to her own children, grandchildren, mother, both her parents-in-law, and finally caring for her husband while he bravely fought cancer. She was strong, generous, and genuine. She expressed her love through warm, hearty hugs and greetings, old-fashioned hospitality, and the practical arts of gardening, cooking, and baking. She had a knack for making people feel seen and loved. She was easy to talk to and phone conversations with her tended to last for hours on end. She knew when to just listen and when to give wise counsel. She had a flair for being artistic and loved projects where she could use vintage jewelry. She loved international travel, dancing, singing songs and was never shy about belting out words to a favorite tune or telling funny stories. Shelley was a great observer of people and was an avid reader. She loved to laugh and spend time with her friends and family.  Her dedication to her family and home was immediately apparent to all who visited their lovely home or who saw her with her children and grandchildren. Shelley was always ready for an adventure. Whether driving her 1955 Studebaker across the country after graduation, zip lining through the tops of the trees in Central American Jungle or going just a few more blocks to find those hidden gems in a little-known antique shop. Her family and friends grieve the loss of a beautiful soul who demonstrated much goodness and truth.

Shelley was preceded in death by her loving husband Rod, baby girl Angie, sister Margaret, parents Louis and Sybil Morris, and parents in law Vito and Patricia Pugliese.

She is survived by her two daughters: Jenny Maresca and Natalie Steffen (Seth); three grandchildren: Stephen Maresca (Haleigh), Angela Korver, and Caden Steffen; one great-grandson : Nathan Maresca; five siblings: Nancy Benson (Mike), Sherry James (Randy), Mel Morris (Audrey), Dale Morris, and Lou Morris, plus many loving nephews and nieces.

Please join us at 3pm on Sunday June 6, 2021 at Horan and McConaty in Thornton for a memorial service to celebrate Shelley’s life.