Karen C. "Gracie" Jirsa

– Karen C. "Gracie" Jirsa, 63, left this earth on Thursday, Jan. 14, 2016, surrounded by loved ones in her Missoula home.

Karen was born to Eugene and Mary Corcoran on July 11, 1952, in Butte. She graduated from Anaconda High in 1970 and later continued her education, obtaining her Bachelor of Arts degree, double majoring in art and psychology, at Eastern Montana College in Billings.

Her career took her to Missoula, Helena and finally to San Francisco, where she truly loved and lived.

She retired in 2014 and relocated back to Missoula to be near her mother, children and granddaughter.

Her joy for adventures and traveling took her to Germany, Italy, France, Australia and all over the U.S.

Karen was active in many groups including 4-H, Avon Grange, quilters groups and an early morning breakfast club.

She lived and breathed art of all mediums, viewing everything in life with her artistic eye in colors, shapes, hues and patterns. She created pieces of art in stained glass, paintings, drawings and crafting with yarn and fabrics. However, her most precious creations were her son and daughter.

Karen was full of life, creativity, inspiration and smiles. She was patient, compassionate, and a gentle soul who loved from the depth of her heart. She touched everyone she met and was most certainly an angel that walked this earth. May she inspire from heaven, the inner creativity and kindness in us all. Gone far too soon, she will be deeply missed.

She was preceded in death by her father, Eugene Corcoran. Survived by her mother, Mary Corcoran; daughter, Steffanie Jirsa; son, Ed (Johanna) Jirsa; granddaughters, Maya and Abby; brothers, Bill Corcoran, Bob Corcoran and Jim (Bernice) Corcoran; and countless aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces and nephews.

A special thank you to Partners Hospice who assisted in caring for Karen during the final days of her journey here.

A celebration of Karen's life will be held at 1 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 27, at Garden City Funeral Home in Missoula. In lieu of flowers, donations in her memory can be made to Watson Children's shelter or donor's choice.

Condolences may be shared with the family by visiting missoulafuneralhomes.com.


Read Karen Jirsa's Obituary and Guestbook on www.missoulafuneralhomes.com.