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Floyd Businga
Sheridan native Floyd Businga, 74, of Denver died Feb. 27, 2005, of pancreatic cancer.
Memorial services were at 2 p.m. on March 10 in the Fort Logan National cemetery in Denver under direction of the Horan and McConaty Wadsworth Family Chapel of Lakewood, Colo.
Mr. Businga was born Sept. 7, 1930, in Sheridan to Lucille and Raymond Businga. He was a 1948 graduate of Sheridan High School. He later moved to Casper where he lived until 1965, when he settled in Denver. Survivors include his wife, Shirley, now of Kansas City, Mo.; a daughter, Cheri Streeter of Independence, Mo.; and a sister, Maryellyn Miller of Casper. Memorials may be made to the Dumb Friends League, 2080 S. Quebec Ave., Denver, CO 80231.
Ellen E. Cotton
Ellen E. Cotton, 91, of Sheridan died Friday, April 15, 2005, at her residence. Cremation has taken place. A Celebration of Life will be 10 a.m. Thursday at Champion Ferries Funeral Home with the Rev. Bob Miller officiating. Scattering of Mrs. Cotton's cremains will follow for family and friends at the family ranch north of Decker, Mont. Arrangements are with Champion Ferries Funeral Home. Memorials may be made to the Sheridan Dog & Cat Shelter, 84 East Ridge Road, Sheridan, WY 82801.
Neil Justin Howarth
Former Sheridan resident Neil Justin Howarth, 78, of Bozeman died Thursday, April 14, 2005, at his residence. Memorial services will be at 12:30 p.m. Sunday at St. James Episcopal Church in Bozeman. A reception will follow the services. A private family burial will be in Buffalo. Mr. Howarth was born March 26, 1927, in Borger, Texas, to George W. and Merle A. Howarth. The family moved to Buffalo the following year, then to Las Vegas in 1943. Mr. Howarth graduated from high school and enlisted in the Navy. After he was discharged, he attended the University of Wyoming. He married
Ruth E. Sandercock on Aug. 29, 1948. They moved to Missoula, Mont., where he attended the School of Forestry at Montana State University-Missoula. He graduated in 1950. The family moved to Buffalo, and Mr. Howarth worked for his father in the propane gas business. He accepted a position as a junior forester in the Lincoln National Forest at Alamagordo, N.M., and was stationed at Sacramento, N.M. in July 1951. While he was in Alamagorda, he found the bear cub that later became famous as Smokey. His 32-year career with the United States Forest Service included assignment to the Bighorn National Forest in Sheridan as well as national forests in Montana and Idaho. He retired in December 1983. He was a past master of Montana Lodge No. 2 in Ennis, a member of the Scottish Rite of Free Masonry and Algeria Temple of the Shriners. He was a member of the Society of Range Management and the Lions Club and a life member of Bozeman Elks Lodge 463. He was a member of Valley View Golf Club, St. James Episcopal Church and Formal Dance Club. He enjoyed hunting, golf and fishing. Mrs. Howarth preceded him in death. He married
Barbara Bobbie Young on Dec. 27, 1988. In addition to his first wife, he was preceded in death by a son, Frederick, and a daughter, Nancy Robbins. Survivors include his second wife; a son, Allan of Koblitz, Austria; two stepdaughters, Linda Barick of Flower Mound, Texas, and Laura Jaillet of Carrollton, Texas; two grandchildren; four step-grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren. Memorials may be sent to the Shriners Hospital for Crippled Children, P.O. Box 4879, Helena, MT 59604 or to the Bozeman Deaconess Hospice, 915 Highland lvd, Bozeman, MT 59715.
Gerald L. Shaffer
Former Sheridan resident Gerald L. Shaffer, 85, died on Oct. 8, 2004, in the Grand Junction (Colo.) VA Medical Center from complications of a broken hip. Private family graveside services will be 1 p.m. Tuesday in Sheridan Municipal cemetery with the officers of the Eagles Lodge officiating. Arrangements are with Champion Ferries Funeral Home.
Rose Kitchel
Sheridan County native Rose Marie Kitchel, 79, of Gillette died Monday, April 11, 2005, in Campbell County Memorial Hospital of natural causes. Memorial services will be 1 p.m. Saturday at the Kingdom Hall of Jehovah's Witnesses in Gillette with Mike Turley of the Sheridan Congregation of Jehovah's Witnesses officiating. Visitation will be private. Arrangements are with Stevenson Funeral Home of Gillette. Mrs. Kitchel was born Oct. 2, 1925, to Frank and Marie Ann (Wattenburg) Barham in Kleenburn. She moved with her mother and siblings to Igloo, S.D., in 1941, and graduated from Provo High School in 1945. She worked as a letter carrier and later on the Bones Brothers Dude Ranch. She married
Alva Kitchel on Nov. 21, 1947, in Sheridan. The family moved to Anaconda, Mont., in 1952 and to Butte, Mont., in 1991. They later returned to Anaconda. Mrs. Kitchel was a homemaker for most of her life. In 1980, she returned to Sheridan to take care of her mother. She remained in Sheridan after her mother's death and worked part time at the Trails End Museum, then at Sheridan County Fulmer Public Library until 1990, when she retired. She moved to Gillette in 1998 to be close to her son and grandchildren. She enjoyed reading and doing puzzles. She was preceded in death by her husband and one brother. Survivors include three sons, Aaron of Gillette, Bruce of Las Vegas and Cameron of Anaconda, Colo.; two sisters, Hazel Peirson of Silver Springs, Nev., and Ruth Haas of Sheridan; a brother, Fred Barham of Sheridan; nine grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren. Memorials may be sent in care of Stevenson-Wilson Funeral Home, 210 W. Fifth St., Gillette, WY 82716.
Edward Peterson
Edward Peterson, 79, Casper, died Wednesday, April 13, 2005, at Sheridan VA Medical Center. Arrangements are pending with Bustard Funeral Home in Casper with local arrangements by Kane Funeral Home.
Merritt James `Tommy' Thompson
Former Sheridan resident Merritt James Tommy Thompson, 84, of Tucson, Ariz., died Monday, March 21, 2005, at his residence. Services were March 25 at Evergreen Mortuary in Tucson. Burial was in Evergreen cemetery. Mr. Thompson was born July 28, 1920, in Gildford, Mont., and grew up in Havre, Mont. He was a graduate of Havre High School. He served in the U.S. Navy from 1943-45. He moved to Sheridan in 1947. He moved to Linch in 1951 and worked for Conoco for 32 years. He was a member of Pathfinder Masonic Lodge 42, A.F. and A.M. in Casper. He and his wife retired to Apache Junction, Ariz., in 1983, then to Tucson in 2000. Survivors include his wife, Marian; two sons, Ron of Riverton and Stanley of Tucson; three granddaughters; two step-grandchildren; three great-grandchildren; and eight step-great-grandchildren.
Anita Parrish Severance
Anita Parrish Severance, 57, of Sheridan died Thursday, April 7, 2005, in Deaconess Hospital in Billings. Cremation has taken place. Memorial services will be 10 a.m. Friday at Trinity Lutheran Church with the Rev. Ron Nelson officiating. A reception will follow the service. Arrangements are with Champion Ferries Funeral Home. Mrs. Severance was born Sept. 7, 1947, in Chicago to Earl Parrish and Mary McGlenn. She grew up in Chicago and moved to Sheridan around 1970. She married
William Severance on May 23, 1970. She was a former member of Calvary Baptist Church, where she taught Sunday school for many years. She belonged to Trinity Lutheran Church for several years and was a member of the church choir. She ran the sound system for church services and special events. She was an avid belly dancer in her younger days and at one time headed a Star Trek club in Sheridan. She was a computer buff. She was preceded in death by her parents and a brother, Earl. Survivors include her husband; a son, Michael Earl Severance of Sheridan; a daughter, Annette Long of Buffalo; three sisters, Mary Lilis of Richmond, Va., and Bernie and Kerrie Parrish of Lake Bay, Wis.; and two grandchildren. Memorials may be made to Trinity Lutheran Church or to Welch Cancer Center.
James Lee Schlegel
James Lee Schlegel, 41, of Story died Thursday, Feb. 17, 2005, at his residence. Private family services will be later. Arrangements are with Adams Funeral Home of Buffalo. Mr. Schlegel was born Oct. 27, 1963, in Freeport, N.Y., to Robert and Vaunda Schlegel. He attended elementary school in Story, then received his associate's degree from Sheridan College. He moved to Salt Lake City and worked as a welder-fabricator until 1991, when he moved to Elko, Nev. He married
Ramona Watson in Elko in 1992. The couple moved to Pocatello, Idaho, in 1999, then to Story in 2002. Mr. Schlegel enjoyed snowmobiling, hunting, fishing, the outdoors and spending time with family and friends. Survivors include his wife; his mother, Vaunda Jones; a son, Kyle Bergum of Elko; three daughters, Jamie and Jennifer Schlegel, both of Story, and Savannah Bergum of Pocatello; two sisters, Sharon Schlegel of Story and Punky and Bronco Legerski, both of Sheridan; and his grandmother, Frances Huggins of Story. Memorials may be made to Project ALS in care of Adams Funeral Home, 351 N. Adams St., Buffalo.
Denis R. Ferrari
Denis R. Ferrari, 61, of Gardner, Mass., died Thursday, April 7, 2005, in St. Vincent's Hospital in Worcester, Mass. He was brother of Dr. David P. Ferrari of Sheridan. Funeral services were Monday in the Petersham (Mass.) Orthodox Congregational Church. Burial was in Silver Lake cemetery in Athol, Mass. Mr. Ferrari was born in Athol on Dec. 26, 1943, to Antonio and Greta (Richards) Ferrari. He grew up in Athol and was a 1961 graduate of Athol High School. He worked in the shipping department of Harrington and Richardson in Gardner for many years. He was a member of Petersham Orthodox Congregational Church and the Singing Men of Athol. He enjoyed reading, cooking and radio-controlled airplanes. Other survivors include his wife, Alice L. (Thiem) Ferrari; two sons, Michael R. of Orange, Mass., and Matthew R. of Gardner; and a daughter, Greta D. Ferrari of Athol. Memorials may be made to the American Diabetes Association or the Petersham Orthodox Congregational Church Music Fund, 21 N. Main St., Petersham, MA 01366.
Anita Parrish Severance
Anita Parrish Severance, 57, of Sheridan died Thursday, April 7, 2005, in Billings Deaconess Hospital. Cremation has taken place, and memorial services will be 10 a.m. Friday at Trinity Lutheran Church with the Rev. Ron Nelson officiating. A reception will follow the service. Memorials may be made to Trinity Lutheran Church or Welch Cancer Center.
Gilbert J. von Knipper
Gilbert J. von Knipper, 78, of Big Horn died Thursday, April 7, 2005, at Sheridan VA Medical Center. At his request, cremation has taken place, and a memorial service will be later in Ortonville, Mich. Arrangements are with Champion Ferries Funeral Home. Mr. von Knipper was born in Ann Arbor, Mich., on March 3, 1927. He was an atomic veteran, according to his family, landing in Hiroshima, Japan, the day after the bomb was dropped. He endured post-traumatic stress syndrome for the rest of his life. He and his wife, Betty, were married
56 years. He was a former employee of the Detroit News. After retirement he divided his time between summers in Big Horn and winters in Arizona. Survivors include his wife; a son, Kurt; a daughter, Robin Samberg; and a granddaughter. Memorials may be made to Sheridan Dog & Cat Shelter, 84 East Ridge Road, Sheridan, WY 82801.
Henry James `Jim' Myers
Henry James Jim Myers, 81, of Sheridan died Friday, April 8, 2005, in Sheridan Memorial Hospital. Visitation will be 5-7 p.m. today at Champion Ferries Funeral Home. Funeral services will be 2 p.m. Tuesday at the funeral home with Sheridan Elks Lodge 520 officiating. At Mr. Myers' request, cremation will follow the service. Mr. Myers was born Feb. 22, 1924, in Sayle, Mont., to Henry Gale and Jessie (Buchanan) Myers. He grew up on the family homestead on Powder River and attended school at Sayle. He served in the Navy during World War II. After service, he returned to Forsyth, Mont., then moved to Sheridan and worked in the Ash Creek oil field. He married
Margaret Jorgensen. He went to work in the painting department at Sheridan VA Medical Center in 1956. He retired from the VAMC in 1972 and worked as a self-employed painting contractor until 1995, when he retired. He was a member of Big Horn Mountain Lodge No. 43, Sheridan Scottish Rite Bodies, Kalif Shrine, American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars and Sheridan Elks Lodge 520. He enjoyed hunting, fishing, the mountains, summers on the Kendrick Ranch, motorcycles and contributing to charities. He also enjoyed his cats and dogs and spending time with his family, especially his grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his wife, one son and one sister. Survivors include two sons, Chuck of Sheridan and Jim of Irmo, S.C.; four daughters, Linda Pruett of Sheridan, Patti Martini of Fort Collins, Colo., Debbi Martini of Laughlin, Nev., and Marjorie Hoffman of Reno, Nev.; a sister, Jean Zeiler of Billings; and six grandchildren. Memorials may be made to Sheridan Dog & Cat Shelter, 84 East Ridge Road, Sheridan, WY 82801.
Opal Marie Sterck
Longtime Sheridan resident Opal Marie Sterck, 92, of Belle Fourche, S.D., died Thursday, April 7, 2005, in the Belle Fourche Health Care Center. Viewing will be 2-7 p.m. today at Kane Funeral Home. Funeral services will be 10 a.m. Tuesday at First Christian Church with the Rev. Doug Goodwin officiating. Burial will be in Sheridan Municipal cemetery. Mrs. Sterck was born May 15, 1912, in Long Pine, Neb., to Laura Isabelle Bolish Allen and John Austin Allen. She married
Melvin B. Galyen on Sept. 5, 1927, in Thedford, Neb. She lived in Alliance, Neb., in the late 1940s and early 1950s. She was a member of First Christian Church in Alliance. She married
Alexander Jake Sterck on June 12, 1953, in Sheridan. She lived in Sheridan 52 years, until she moved into the health care center six months ago. Mr. Sterck died Dec. 16, 1979. Mrs. Sterck was a member of First Christian Church of Sheridan. She enjoyed crocheting doilies and tending her roses and garden. She canned vegetables and raspberry jellies, jams and butters. She played the piano and sang, and she played the violin for country barn dances. In addition to Mr. Sterck, she was preceded in death by two sons, a daughter and one great-grandson. Survivors include two daughters, Isabelle Roop of Sheridan and Rosalie Ackerman of Alliance; a son, Macky Galyen of Belle Fourche; and numerous grandchildren, great-grandchildren, great-great-grandchildren and great-great-great-grandchildren. Memorials may be made to First Christian Church, 102 S. Connor St., Sheridan, WY 82801.
