Darlene Elizabeth Chickos

Darlene Elizabeth (Shanley) Chickos passed away unexpectedly at her home in Bozeman, MT on August 30th, 2023, at the age of 78.

Darlene is survived by her son, Michael Chickos, daughter-in-law, Laura Chickos and granddaughter, Ellie Chickos, all of Bozeman, MT, her sister, Nancy (Shanley) Cornish and her brother-in-law John Cornish, both of Rome, NY, her nephew Evan Cornish of Pittsfield, MA and her nephew Ryan Cornish of Utica, NY. Darlene is also survived by many more family and friends all across the country, especially in New York, California and Montana.

Darlene was born on February 9th, 1945, in Rome, NY to Henry Bernard Shanley and Josephine Veronica (Podosek) Shanley. She graduated from Rome Free Academy in 1963. While working at Canterbury Press in Rome, a job she truly loved and enjoyed, Darlene met Lawrence Edward Chickos of Pittsburgh, PA. After a significant engagement Darlene and Larry were married at St. Mary’s Church in Rome. They then welcomed their first and only son, Michael, in August 1978. After moving to San Jose, CA in the fall of 1978 Darlene worked as a Special Needs Teachers Aid for several elementary schools within the San Jose Unified School District. After retiring and her husband’s passing in 2018, Darlene decided to make the move to Bozeman, MT in 2021 to spend more time with her son, daughter-in-law, and granddaughter.

Darlene, who was a devout Catholic, was a long time parishioner of St. Mary’s Church in Rome and St. Christopher’s Church, also her son’s grammar school, in San Jose. She was an active member of the Bellarmine College Prep Mother’s Guild in San Jose during her son’s years at the school and even after his graduation. Darlene helped organize numerous events over the years including a few of her favorites like the St. Christopher’s Antique Show and the Bellarmine Fashion Show and Auction. She had recently become a parishioner at Holy Rosary Church in Bozeman.

Darlene will be remembered as a gentle, kind and loving person who would do anything for anybody. Darlene loved her 1976 Monte Carlo, shopping, craft shows with Marcy, lunch with the girls, decorating for holidays, road trips with her grand-dog Naia, watching the Pittsburgh Steelers, making her signature sausage bread, and spending time with her family, especially her beautiful 2 year old granddaughter, Ellie. Darlene (Mrs. C) will be missed more than words can describe.

In lieu of flowers the family asks friends and family to make a donation in Darlene’s name to Tunnels to Towers (www.t2t.org). Services will be at a time and place to be determined.