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LUCELIA ILENE ZISKA
Lucelia Ilene Ziska died July 21, 2005, at the Long Term Care Center in Cody. Lucelia was born in Willow Springs, Mo., on may 7, 1930, to Irene Turner Harkins and DeLue Harkins. The family moved to Shawnee where they homesteaded before moving to Douglas. She graduated from Douglas High School, and married William (Bill) Edwards Ziska on June 1, 1948. Together they had two children, James (Jim) Ziska and Janet Ziska Stambaugh. They lived on his dry-land farm in Glendo for four years before moving to Casper. The greatest and best years of their lives were spent on the Southfork when they moved to Cody in 1966. They managed a ranch for Herbert Hallman of Nevada and lived on the “old Harry Tiberand place.” They made many longtime friends and shared many memorable times with neighbors in every-day, ranch-life experiences. When Mr. Hallman sold the ranch and purchased another in Cora, north of Pinedale, they moved there to manage the Black Butte Ranch for him. After Mr. Hallman sold out of the ranching business a few years later, they moved to Idaho Falls and managed an apartment complex for a number of years. They later returned to Powell, and lived there until Bill’s death in 1993. Lucelia sold the place and moved to Cody where she lived for the rest of her life. While living in Cody the first time, she became involved in the Irma Flats Mother’s Club and was a member of Cody Country Cowbells (now Cattlewomen). Upon returning the second time, she reaffirmed old friendships with all of her Southfork neighbors and was president of Irma L. Flats Mother’s Club for seven years and also served as historian. She was ordained as a deacon to the Presbyterian Church and served with the Presbyterian Women’s Organization. She was also a volunteer for Meals on Wheels. One of Lucelia’s favorite things to do was to plant flowers and do her
yard work. She was still mowing her lawn and transplanting flowers last summer. She took great pride in her home and even though she became ill during the winter, her yard was a beautiful show place this year blooming with perennials that she labored over for the past several years. Her favorite hobbies were playing her organ and fishing. A very special fishing day was at the Majo Ranch where she caught a 10 pound rainbow trout, 27 inches long and 17 inches around. Lucelia is survived by her son, Jim Ziska and wife, Peggy; grandchildren, Jake, Charles, Will and Sarah; daughter Janet Stambaugh and her husband, Grant; grandson Scot and his wife Susan; great-grandchildren Sydnie and Steven; granddaughter, Lori Stambaugh Sanford and her husband Donald and his daughters; great-grandchildren Katie and Brianna; three brothers, Clare and his wife Nancy Harkins, Clifford and his wife Pam Harkins, and Chester Harkins. She was preceded in death by her husband, William (Bill) Ziska. Funeral services will be held July 27 at 10:30 a.m. in Cody at the Presbyterian church with internment at Riverside Cemetery. A fellowship luncheon will follow at the church.
RUBY HELEN BENNETT
Ruby Helen Bennett, 81, died peacefully after a short illness July 12, 2005, at the Don and Marilyn Anderson Hospice Care Center in Madison, Wis. Ruby was born Feb. 27, 1924, in Crawford County, Wis., to Milton and Alice (Beaumont) Clark. She was one of nine children. She graduated from Wauzeka High School in 1942, and completed nurse’s training at Methodist Hospital School. She served as a cadet nurse from 1942 until 1945. She worked for over 40 years as a nurse and cared for many patients, the vast majority of those years at the Memorial Hospital of Converse County. She was united in marriage to James Williams Adams on April 8, 1950, in Evanston. They had two children together, Geraldine Kay (Giegerich) and James William. They spent many happy years together until his death in 1984. Ruby was blessed to have found love a second time and was united in marriage to Moose Bennett on Dec. 31, 1986. Ruby enjoyed camping, gardening, making quilts for all her loved ones and collecting angels. She loved life, and everything was an adventure. She never missed a chance to go to the mountains. She loved to travel. Ruby was always there for her family and friends. She raised her own kids and helped to raise grandchildren, great-grandchildren, nieces and nephews. Her church, United Methodist Church in Douglas, was very important to her. Even after retiring from nursing, she was still helping people. She made trips to Mexico and Jamaica to help rebuild churches, volunteered at the Douglas Senior Center, Michael Manor, the Converse County Library and the American Legion Auxiliary.
Survivors include her daughter, Geraldine Giegerich (Frank Gonzalaz) of Cottage Grove, Wis., James Adams Jr. of Douglas.; eight grandchildren, Jennifer Giegerich of Madison, Jeremiah (Nicole Reich) Adams of Sauk City, Wis., Becky Giegerich (Jason Johnson) of Phoenix, Ariz., Micah Olivas of Casper, Wade Olivas of Cornville, Ariz., Bryce Simpson of Mineral Wells, Texas, and Cole Adams of Sauk City. She had one great-granddaughter, Destiny Adams of Sauk City. Ruby has several siblings: Clara Morton of Baltimore, Cleo O’Kane of Denver, Ralph of Milwaukee, Fred (Marlin) Teschendorf and Jesse Cone of Waterloo, Iowa; one sister-in-law, Mary Moffat of Big Piney. She is preceded in death by two husbands, James Adams and M.M. (Moose) Bennett; her parents, Milton and Alice Clark; three sisters, Mina and Opal Clark and Olive Coe; a son-in-law; six nephews; a niece; and two great-nieces. Funeral services were held July 16 at Bryn Mawr Presbyterian Church, 229 N. Main St. in Cottage Grove. Burial was at Douglas Park Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorials can be made to the Living Bank or the Don and Marilyn Anderson Hospice Care Center.
GEORGE FERRIS MCGEHEE
George Ferris McGehee was born March, 25, 1921, in Lost Springs to George Riley and Ella Lavern (Ferris) McGehee, the sixth of eight children. He died Aug. 2, 2005, in Peoria, Ill.
He was married to Doris Voetberg on Aug. 19, 1949, at Platte, S.D., and they welcomed two children, Margo Marie and Gary Allen. He served in 81st Division of the Army and later in the 1st Cavalry Division during WWII. After his training at Camp Walter, Texas, he was deployed to the Pacific theater and was stationed on Leyte island in the Philippines, Honshu island and northern Hokkaido island in Japan. After his marriage he made his home on a ranch in Wyoming for a few years. Later they moved into Douglas where he worked as a mechanic, as a partner in a farm machinery agency and for a while he owned and operated a sawmill. He was a faithful member of the Church of God (Holiness) in Douglas. When he was in mid life he felt a strong call to the ministry and began pastoring. He faithfully pastored churches of God (Holiness) in South Dakota, Oklahoma, Missouri, Mississippi, and for the past nearly 20 years at Bellevue, Ill. George and his wife devoted themselves to loving and caring for the people they served. He was faithful to preach the Word and set the example for the people as he led them to walk in the light of God’s word. While George had a tremendous sense of humor, was a very serious about serving the Lord Jesus Christ his savior. He was known as deeply spiritual and a man of prayer. He was preceded in death by his father and mother; one brother, Elbert; four sisters, Elta Stolt, Pauline Martin, Corrine Jensen, and Nona Curry; and his son Gary Allen. He is survived by his wife, Doris; his daughter Margo Pronger; four granddaughters, Jean and Mark Stadwiser of San Diego, Kathleen Schultz of San Diego, Candice and David Silvas of Anchorage, Alaska, and Melissa and Jesse Newport of Casper; four great-granddaughters; one sister, Mable Simpson of Capitola, Calif.; one brother, Silas and Irene of El Dorado Springs of Mo.; and a host of relatives and friends. He was especially loved by the people of the Bellevue church who loyally stood by him in his ministry and in the finals days of his life.
JAMES ALAN “JIM” MIDDLETON
Graveside services for James Alan “Jim” Middleton, 44, will be held at 11a.m. Aug. 25 at the family plot in the Douglas Park Cemetery with Pastor Tom Strock of the First Baptist Church of Lusk officiating. A memorial service was held in Cottonwood, Ariz., at the Westcott Funeral Home on, Aug. 19. Jim Middleton a resident of Cottonwood, Ariz., died of natural causes on Aug. 13, 2005, at his home. Jim was born Dec. 9, 1960, in Douglas, to James R. and Peggy (Wintermote) Middleton. He grew up on the family ranch in Converse County. He graduated from Douglas High School in 1978, and attended Northwest Community College in Powell. He loved working with horses and livestock. In his 20’s he tried his hand at saddlebronc riding, and in his 30’s he worked as a pickup man at various rodeos in Arizona. His family owned a construction firm where he learned how to operate heavy equipment. Jim moved to Arizona in 1985 where he worked in
Tucson for a construction company doing the rest of the Arizona Canal in Tucson. He later worked at the cement plant in Cottonwood. At the time of his death he was construction superintendent for Arcon of Phoenix. In 1996, he married Darla Willey of Casper. She had two daughters, Nicole and Jennifer, which Jim later adopted. He was a loving father to them and raised them as his own. The family loved to go to the sand dunes at Glammus, Calif. and play in the sand with his many friends in Arizona. He owned a Jeep that he raced in the Sand Drags. He finished second place in 2004 with the Fast Track Racing Association. He loved things that went fast. He liked to travel and explore backwoods in his Jeep. Jim is survived by his wife, Darla Middleton and two daughters, Nicole and Jennifer Middleton all of Cottonwood; his parents Peggy and James R. “Bud” Middleton and brother, Jeff Middleton all of Douglas. Gorman Funeral Home - Converse Chapel of Douglas and Westcott Funeral Home of Cottonwood are in charge of the arrangements.
JOHN JEROME BRYAN
Graveside services for John Jerome Bryan, 70, will be held at 10 a.m. Aug. 27 at the Glenrock Cemetery. John Bryan, a resident of Glenrock, died at his home Aug.18, 2005, of natural causes.
A memorial to the Glenrock Senior Citizens Center, P.O. Box 783,
Glenrock, 82637, would be appreciated by the family. Gorman Funeral Home - Converse Chapel of Douglas is in charge of the
arrangements. Family and friends may call at the funeral home on Friday from 5-7 p.m.
JENNIFER JENEE MORTON
Funeral services for Jennifer Jenee Morton, 24, will be held at 11 a.m. Aug. 24, at St. Anthony’s Catholic Church in Casper. She died Aug. 19, 2005, in Casper. She was born Sept. 16, 1980, to Larry Dean Kiger and Christy Cundall in Casper. She was raised and educated in Gillette. She married Brian Morton July 24, 2004, in Douglas and enjoyed computers, NASCAR, movies, music, shooting, camping and spending time with Brian. Her family and friends brought great joy to her heart. She was a member of Saint Matthews Catholic Church and was employed by Boise Cascade.
Survivors include her husband, Brian; mother Christy Cundall; and
grandparents David and Linda Cundall and Ann Kiger. She was preceded in death by her father Larry Dean Kiger; grandfather Larry Kiger; and uncle David Cundall Jr.
DORIS BROW
Longtime Alaskan resident Doris Brow, 92, died July 23, 2005, at the Anchorage Pioneers’ Home. A small family memorial service was held near her favorite fishing hole on the Kenai River a week after her death. Mrs. Brow was born May 5, 1913, in Cedar Bluffs, Kan. After nearly 40 years in Kansas and Wyoming, she drove the Alaska Highway to Anchorage with her family in 1952 and settled in south Anchorage, embracing the territorial lifestyle of hunting, fishing, gardening and exploring. After retiring from the Anchorage School District, she continued to work at Denali Elementary School via the Foster Grandparent Program. Her family wrote, “Doris will be remembered for her unflagging devotion to her family, her church and many worthy charitable causes, most notably those benefiting disadvantaged children. She was a woman of tremendous energy, faith, generosity and determined optimism – a de facto ‘mom’ to dozens, if not hundreds.” After her death, the following quotation was found among her papers, author unknown: “We develop a distance from death, an insulation from the realities of death. Death comes to all of us, of course, but we are never prepared for it to come early. I’ve always intended to live until I could no longer rock my chair!” Mrs. Brow was preceded in death by daughter Kay Carson; son Jack Brow; grandchildren Daniel Audette and Marjorie Waldo; and siblings Ben McCartney, Gladys Richardson and Francis Bruegman. She is survived by her siblings, Byron and James McCartney and Relma Kirschke; children Ben Waldo, Willard “Bill” Waldo, Cecelia Green, Sam Brow and Karla Gillespie; grandchildren Lana Brow Anderson, Benjiman Waldo, Kenny Waldo, Brad DeBellis, Judie DeBellis Crawford, Charity Green-Burril, Brook Green, Joshua Brow, Eva Brow, Samantha Brow, Joseph Becher, William Gillespie and Colin Gillespie; numerous great and great-great-grandchildren; and faithful friends. Arrangements were made by Cook Inlet Funeral Home and Crematory.
GEORGE GORDON OLDS
Memorial gatherings for George Gordon Olds, 50, were Oct. 21 at College Inn Bar in Douglas and Oct. 23 at Commodore Bar in Wheatland. Mr. Olds died Oct. 18, 2005, at United Medical Center-West in Cheyenne. He was born April 23, 1955, in Douglas to Gordon and Beth (Phinney) Olds. He was raised and educated in Douglas, graduating from the Douglas High School in 1973. He was married a short time and had a step-daughter, Krissi. He led a full life with many adventures and a few misadventures. During the years he worked in the oil fields, on ranches, did carpentry and construction work, was a truck driver, bodyguard, mechanic, and most recently was grounds-keeper at the golf course in Wheatland. He traveled the United States and the world, making several friends in Australia. He enjoyed nature and small animals, reading and writing, bar room philosophy, Raiders football and spending time with friends. “Jungle” George’s crazy antics, sharp wit and unique brand of humor will be missed by many. He is survived by his sister Zora (Olds) Haefele and her husband Dale of Douglas; nieces Brandi Haefele and Jacque Haefele of Douglas; companion Debby Winters of Wheatland; aunts Vonnie Quinn of Cheyenne,Virginia Harris of Eugene, Ore., and Leone Olds of Douglas; cousins Jerry Garnick of Douglas and David Garnick of Eugene; extended family Kris and Bill Vines of Wheatland; and many, many friends and cronies. He was preceded in death by his parents; uncles Ralph Olds, Tex Quinn, Roy Garnick and Tom Harris; cousin Tom Quinn; and his loyal dog, Fido. Gorman Funeral Homes –Platte Chapel of Wheatland was in charge of the arrangements.
