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Ralph Eugene `Gene' Shreve Sr.
Sheridan native Ralph Eugene Gene Shreve Sr., 83, of Sparks, Nev., died Friday, Feb. 23, 2007, at his residence. An open house/memorial will be 3-8 p.m. Thursday at his residence in Sparks. Mr. Shreve was born July 23, 1923, in Sheridan. He enjoyed playing the fiddle and was a country music recording artist. He served in the U.S. Navy as a Seabee during World War II in the Pacific Theater. He later worked at Harrah's Casino in Reno, Nev. He and his wife, Lucile, owned and operated the Nic Nac Shelf Ceramic Shop in Sparks for more than 30 years. He enjoyed fishing, hunting and camping, pingpong, and metal sculpting. He was preceded in death by a son, Randy, and a daughter, Sheila. Survivors include his wife, Lucile Blevins Shreve; two sons, Ralph Jr. of Yuma, Ariz., and Gary of Hereford, Ariz.; two daughters, Sande Bryant of Woodstock, Ga., and Sherry of Sparks; a sister, Margaret Dillon of Odessa, Mo.; 11 grandchildren; and 11 great-grandchildren. Condolences or cards may be sent to Mrs. Shreve at 270 Virgil Drive, Sparks, NV 89441. Condolence calls may be made to (775) 425-3322.
Jacob Ray Wolfe
Jacob Ray Wolfe, infant son of Billy and Amanda (Irwin) Wolfe of Sheridan, died Wednesday, Feb. 21, 2007, in Children's Hospital in Denver. A memorial gathering is being planned. Arrangements are with Champion Ferries Funeral Home. He was born Jan. 23, 2007, in Billings. Survivors include his parents; three brothers, Brandon Wolfe and James and Malichie Irwin; one sister, Tiphani; his grandparents, Barbara and Steve Shewmake and Linda and Vern Groth; a great-grandmother, Carol Fee; and his great-great-grandparents, Irene and Jim Schaffer. Memorials may be made to the Jacob Ray Wolfe Memorial Fund, established to help with medical costs, in care of Sunlight Federal Credit Union, 303 S. Main St., Sheridan, WY 82801.
Marquoketa C. Renkel
Former Sheridan resident Marquoketa C. Renkel, 94, of Lusk died Monday, Feb. 19, 2007, in the Niobrara Health and Life Center in Lusk. A celebration of her life will be 2 p.m. March 10 at the Cicmanec-Pier Funeral Home in Lusk with the Rev. Tom Strock officiating. A reception will follow at the funeral home. Cremation has taken place, and Mrs. Renkel's ashes will be buried next to her husband in Linn Grove cemetery in Greeley, Colo. Mrs. Renkel was born Nov. 22, 1912, in Griswold, Iowa, to John and Minnie (Felker) Hamlin. The family lived in small communities in Iowa, Nebraska and Colorado. While living with her aunt and uncle, Mrs. Renkel graduated from Greeley High School in May 1930. After graduation, she returned to live with her parents. She helped cook and serve hot meals to schoolchildren in what may have been one of the first hot school lunch programs in Colorado before the government began providing the meals in the 1940s. She married
Rex Alexander Renkel on Thanksgiving Day, 1933, in Akron, Colo. The family lived in several communities in Colorado before moving to Sheridan, where it lived from the 1940s until 1971. In Sheridan, Mrs. Renkel worked for several businesses and in the offices of Dr. Will Schunk and Dr. Seymour Thickman. She was a member of Daughters of the Nile, Eastern Star, Beauceant and the Presbyterian Church. Mr. Renkel died Jan. 13, 1997, and Mrs. Renkel moved to Denver. She moved to the Niobrara Health and Life Center in September 2005. She enjoyed being with her grandchildren and great-grandchildren, playing the piano, growing plants, working in her garden, sewing and embroidery. Survivors include two daughters, Jane Renkel of Denver and Joan Lenz of Lusk; four granddaughters; and eight great-grandchildren. Memorials may be made to Niobrara County Library Foundation, P.O. Box 510, Lusk, WY 82225.
Vee Allyn Bjornstad
Former Sheridan resident Vee Allyn Bjornstad, 72, of Gillette died Saturday, Feb. 24, at her home of natural causes. Funeral services will be 1 p.m. Thursday at Stevenson-Wilson Funeral Home with the Rev. Russell Bode, pastor of Central Baptist Church, officiating. Visitation will be 3-7 p.m. Wednesday at the funeral home. Mrs. Bjornstad was born June 27, 1934, to Harry and Frances (Heinrickson) Turner in Lance Creek. She was raised by her stepmother, Helen (Christianson) Turner. The family later moved to Gillette, where she graduated from high school in 1951. She began a lifelong career in the restaurant industry working at her family's restaurant, The Stockman's Cafe, in Gillette. She married
Sonny Bjornstad on Nov. 11, 1967, in Casper. They resided there and she worked at the Reef and Ramada restaurants. The couple later moved to Newcastle, where they managed the Newcastle Country Club, then to Sheridan, where they managed the Elks Club. They later owned and operated the Pony Lounge for five years, until 1987, when they retired and moved to Gillette. Mrs. Bjornstad enjoyed spending time with her grandchildren, listening to country music, sewing and crocheting quilts and afghans, and playing cards. She was preceded in death by her husband. Survivors include five children, Billy Percifield of Billings, Donnie Percifield and Kelly McKim, both of Gillette, Toni Kell of Burville, R.I., and Julie Jackson of Casper; a brother, Doug Turner of Gillette; 10 grandchildren; and nine great grandchildren. Memorials may be made to Shriner's Crippled Children Fund in Sheridan or Campbell County Health Care Foundation to benefit Campbell County Memorial Hospital Oncology Center in care of Stevenson-Wilson Funeral Home, 210 W. Fifth St., Gillette, WY 82716.
Clurus Miller
Clurus Miller, 88, of Sheridan died Saturday, Feb. 24, 2007, in Sheridan Memorial Hospital. Memorial services will be 2:15 p.m. Wednesday at Sugarland Ridge with the Rev. William Heine officiating. Private committal of cremains will be in Sheridan Municipal cemetery under direction of Champion Ferries Funeral Home. Mrs. Miller was born Nov. 16, 1918, in Big Timber, Mont., to Harry and Dema (Baum) Schmitt. She grew up on the homestead near Reed Point, Mont., and graduated from high school there. She worked as a maid in Billings, then later moved to Sheridan, where she graduated from nursing school. She married
Fred Miller on Dec. 24, 1941, in Hardin, Mont. They lived in Sheridan, and she worked at Sheridan Memorial Hospital. She later worked at Sheridan VA Medical Center until she retired. While raising her children, she was a leader in Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts and 4-H. She was a member of Immanuel Lutheran Church and enjoyed gardening, travel, knitting, crocheting and other crafts. She was preceded in death by a son, Roland, and a brother, Floyd. Survivors include her husband; a daughter, Beverly Medlock of Westminster, Colo.; two brothers, Bernard Schmitt of Great Falls, Mont., and Harold Schmitt of Carmichael, Calif.; three grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren. Memorials may be made to Immanuel Lutheran Church.
Marshall Knowles `Junior' Herman
Sheridan native Marshall Knowles Junior Herman, 71, died Friday, Feb. 23, 2007, in Amie Holt Care Center in Buffalo. Funeral services will be 2 p.m. Tuesday in Adams Funeral Home Chapel in Buffalo with the Rev. Joe Jarvis officiating. Private burial will follow. Visitation will be 1-9 p.m. today and 9 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Tuesday in the funeral home chapel. Mr. Herman was born March 18, 1935, in Sheridan to Marshall and Arta Ridley Herman. He started school in Sheridan, then moved with his family to the Middle Fork of Crazy Woman Creek, south of Buffalo, when he was in second grade. The family moved to Muddy Creek Ranch in 1950. Mr. Herman was a 1954 graduate of Johnson County High School. He received an associate degree in agriculture from Casper College in 1957, then joined the U.S. Army, serving in France as a crane operator. He was honorably discharged in 1959. Mr. Herman received a Bachelor of Science degree in agriculture from Montana State University-Bozeman in 1962. He returned to Johnson County to work for Gammon Land and Livestock. He married
Carol Anne Shambaugh on May 6, 1972, in Buffalo. They resided in Buffalo while he worked on various ranches including, in addition to Gammon, Clarence Pierson, the Kuiper Ranch, Purdy Ranches and Madsen Land and Livestock. He also worked for the Soil Conservation Service and Buffalo Livestock Auction. He worked for the Johnson County Fairgrounds from 2000-2003, when health forced him to retire. He had resided at Amie Holt Care Center since June 2005. He enjoyed ranch work, especially flood-irrigating and working with cattle, hunting, fishing and participating in 4-H livestock events and rodeos with his children. He was a past master of Anchor Lodge 7, AF and AM, past member of Scottish Rite and Kalif Shrine, past patron of Golden Rod Chapter 13 Order of the Eastern Star, past associate guardian of Bethel Chapter 4, International Order of Job's Daughters, past president of the Johnson County 4-H Council, and a former community leader for Billy Creek 4-H Club. He was preceded in death by a grandson. Survivors include his wife of Buffalo; two daughters, Jeri Lynne Martin of Evanston and Arta June Herman of Buffalo; and a sister, Donna Allen of Sundance. Memorials may be made to the Johnson County 4-H Council Livestock Committee in care of Adams Funeral Home, 351 N. Adams, Buffalo, WY 82834.
Thomas E. `John' Shell
Thomas E. John Shell, 82, of Sheridan died Thursday, Feb. 22, 2007, in Sheridan Memorial Hospital. Cremation has taken place, and burial of cremains will be in the summer. The family is planning a Shell Shindig in the summer to celebrate the lives of Mr. Shell and his wife, Maxine, who preceded him in death. Arrangements are with Kane Funeral Home. Mr. Shell was born July 22, 1924, in Sheridan to Lawrence and Elizabeth (Rourke) Shell. He graduated from Arvada High School and enlisted in the U.S. Navy. He served in the South Pacific and Philippine Islands Campaign during World War II. He married
Maxine Ann Dalzell in June 1947 in Buffalo. They were married
52 years. Mr. Shell enjoyed the outdoors, farming and caring for livestock. The couple spent their last years together at the T Bar T Ranch. In addition to his wife, he was preceded in death by a son, John Robert. Survivors include two sons, Ken of Casper and Bill of Colorado Springs, Colo.; and four grandchildren. Memorials may be made to a charity of the donor's choice.
Maxine Olson Powers
Memorial services are pending for Maxine Olson Powers, 88, of Sheridan. She died Dec. 18, 2006, at her residence. Cremation has taken place. Arrangements are with Champion Ferries Funeral Home. She was born in Sheridan on Dec. 3, 1918, to Hanney G. and Lucille (Kegerris) Olson. She grew up on Meade Creek, attended Whitney Elementary School and was a 1936 graduate of Sheridan High School. She married
Arthur A. Powers on May 28, 1938, in St. Peter's Episcopal Church. She worked as a cashier at the United Store in Sheridan until Mr. Powers was stationed at Treasure Island in April 1943. She made her home in San Francisco and worked for a gas and oil company and, later, a bank, during World War II. After the war, the couple moved to Los Angeles while Mr. Powers attended chiropractor's college. They returned to Sheridan in 1947, and he opened a practice here. Mrs. Powers was a member of PEO, the Altar Guild at St. Peter's Episcopal Church, and Daughters of the Nile. She enjoyed playing bridge and panguingue. Mr. Powers died in 1979, and Mrs. Powers became active with the Sheridan Senior Citizens Center. She moved to Gulf Breeze, Fla., in 1991, and later to Destin, Fla. She divided her time between daughters in Florida and California and enjoyed being with her grandchildren and great-grandchildren and watching sports. She returned to Sheridan after a daughter moved back here. She was preceded in death by a brother, Waynard Olson of Sheridan. Survivors include two daughters, Nancy Arbogast of Big Horn and Eleanor Mooney of El Dorado Hills, Calif.; three sisters, Martha Billie Baker of Tucson, Ariz., Nelda Carroll of Sheridan and Duretta Vestal of Salinas, Calif.; five grandchildren; and seven great-grandchildren. Memorials may benefit Saint Peter's Episcopal Church or Shrine's Crippled Children's Hospital.
Melvin Clemens Sr.
Funeral services for Melvin Clemens Sr., 81, of Banner will be 1 p.m. Saturday at Champion Ferries Funeral Home with the Rev. Doug Melius officiating. Burial will be in Minnesota. Mr. Clemens died Wednesday, Feb. 21, 2007, in Sheridan Memorial Hospital. He was born Jan. 11, 1926, in Averill, Minn., to Ernest and Stella (Osborn) Clemens. He married
Ethel Kurtz on Aug. 18, 1947, in Moorhead, Minn. They moved to North Dakota, and Mr. Clemens worked for Midland Continental Railroad in the Jamestown, N.D., area. They moved to Sheridan in 1970. Mr. Clemens worked for Burlington Northern Railroad until 1977, when he retired. He enjoyed being with his family, hunting and fishing. He was preceded in death by his wife and infant siblings. Survivors include four sons, Melvin Jr., Carl and Allen, all of Sheridan, and Donald of West Fargo, N.D.; a daughter, Dona Jean Clemens of Banner; a sister, Adeline Clemens of Minnesota; 10 grandchildren; and 18 great-grandchildren.
Pegge A. Cooksley
Memorial services for Pegge A. Cooksley, 86, of Clearmont will be 1:30 p.m. Tuesday at Champion Ferries Funeral Home with the Rev. Stuart Crawshaw officiating. Mrs. Cooksley died Wednesday, Feb. 21, 2007, in Westview Health Care Center. She was born Sept. 11, 1920, in Tulsa, Okla., to William and Edna (Foster) Middleton. She grew up and attended schools in the Tulsa area and graduated from high school there. After Pearl Harbor was bombed, she went to work for the Department of War. After the war, she attended college in Denver. She married
Jack Cooksley on May 4, 1952, in Sheridan. They ranched on Piney Creek in the Ucross area. She was Sheridan County's 1983 Outstanding Citizen, cited for having devoted close to 30 years of her busy life to serving the people of this county, our state and nation. She was chairwoman of Sheridan County's 75th anniversary historical pageant and was asked by the governor to direct Wyoming's 75th anniversary historical pageant at the state fairgrounds in Douglas. She later contributed many photos and information on county history to The Sheridan Press and permitted several photos in her collection to be reproduced and placed on permanent display during the Sheridan Inn restoration. She won four Freedom Foundation George Washington Medals of Honor and later received the outstanding award for youth safety programs presented by the National Safety Council in Seattle. Several biweekly columns written for The Sheridan Press were published in the Congressional Record. She received a trophy from the Wyoming Farm Bureau Federation for press and radio work. She was selected to write the section on Sheridan County for the two-volume Encyclopedia of Wyoming. She served on the board of trustees of Sheridan College for six years; during that time, the board prevented closure of the college under threat of bankruptcy. She is credited with bringing about the college's dental hygiene program and getting fine arts and vocational technology placed on the college's priority list for academic development. She served six years with the U.S. Farm-Home Administration, the last year as chairwoman, and several terms as chairwoman of the Northeast Wyoming Farm Bureau Women. She also was a member of the Wyoming Farm Bureau Federation board and secretary of the state committee. She served on state and national committees on resolutions, legislation, public information, youth activities and women's activities. She was a 4-H leader in the 1950s, an officer of her political party for many years, and was involved for several years in researching and recording the history of Sheridan and Johnson counties. She enjoyed painting, which she began in 1982, and was a member of the Daughters of the Nile, Friendship Chapter 51, and Order of the Eastern Star. She was preceded in death by a brother. Survivors include her husband, of Piney Creek. Memorials may be made to Shrine Children's Travel Fund, P.O. Box K, Sheridan, WY 82801.
Judy Warren
Memorial services for Judy Warren, 48, of Sheridan will be 10 a.m. Saturday at Kane Funeral Home with Pastor Tony Forman and the Rev. Tom Ogg officiating. Burial of cremains will be later in Pine Grove cemetery in Pembroke, Mass. Mrs. Warren died Friday, Feb. 16, 2007, with family and friends at her side after a long battle with cancer. She was born Oct. 14, 1958, in Boston to Pasquale and Gloria (Nazzaro) Picariello. She was a graduate of Silver Lake Regional High School and received a nursing degree from Cape Cod (Mass.) Community College. She earned a master's degree from the University of La Verne (Calif.). She married
Bill Warren on July 3, 1991, on the ship Queen Mary in Long Beach, Calif. She was past member of the board of the Wyoming Nurses Association, past president of the Sheridan Nurses Association, and a team member on the national and local Relay for Life. She participated in the recent Relay for Life Walk Around the Mall in Washington, D.C. Survivors include her husband and three children, Stephan, Casey and Nicolas, all of Sheridan; her mother of Banner; her father of Pembroke; and two brothers, Stephen Picariello of Pembroke and Douglas Picariello of Harmony, Maine. Memorials may be made to the American Cancer Society/Relay for Life, 907 N. Poplar Ave., Suite 185, Casper, WY 82601.
E.L. `Roy' Wertman
A celebration of the life of E.L. Roy Wertman, 83, of Sheridan will be at noon Saturday at Eatons' Ranch following a private family service. Arrangements are with Kane Funeral Home. Mr. Wertman died Saturday, Feb. 17, 2007, at his residence. He was born Oct. 10, 1923, in Carney. His family moved to New Mexico briefly, then returned to Wyoming to live in Kleenburn and Dietz. His mother died in 1939, and he moved with his father and brother to Musselshell, Mont. He graduated from high school in Musselshell and worked in the coal mine and area ranches before moving to Coeur d'Alene, Idaho. He went to work for Eatons' Ranch in the hayfields in 1944. He spent several years working for Eatons' during the summer and at Camelback Inn in Arizona during the winter. He married
Nan Baker Eaton on April 15, 1951. They resided on Eatons' Ranch until 1998, when Mr. Wertman retired and they moved to the Flying W Ranch in Wolf. While at Eatons', Mr. Wertman worked at several jobs, from taking pack trips to the mountains and cooking for barbecues to maintaining plumbing and electrical systems and building cabin furniture. A member of the Elks Lodge and a Boy Scout leader, he enjoyed watching and participating in rodeos, hunting, fishing and building furniture in his home shop. He was preceded in death by a brother, Bill, and a sister, Nadine. Survivors include his wife; a son, Frank Eaton; two daughters, Jaci Fritz and Wendy Martin; five grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren. Memorials may be made to a charity of the donor's choice.
Kirk Koepsel
Funeral services for Kirk Koepsel, 47, of Sheridan will be 2 p.m. Wednesday at St. Peter's Episcopal Church with the Rev. David Duprey officiating. Burial will be in Sheridan Municipal cemetery under direction of Kane Funeral Home. Visitation is 5-7 p.m. today at the funeral home. Mr. Koepsel died Thursday, Feb. 15, 2007, in Sheridan Memorial Hospital of natural causes. He was born April 23, 1959, in Milwaukee to Erwin and Nancy Diamond Koepsel. He graduated from high school in Evergreen, Colo. He graduated from the University of Colorado-Boulder with a bachelor's degree in biology and from North Dakota State University in Fargo with a master's degree in range management. He had been the Sierra Club's senior regional representative in environmental conservation in Sheridan for the past 17 years. He married
Karen Walmsley on Nov. 12, 1994, in Sheridan. He enjoyed spending time with his daughter, teaching about nature and natural habitat preservation, and leading family-oriented backpacking trips for the Sierra Club. He also enjoyed playing ice hockey, hunting, skiing, camping, backpacking, politics, gardening, walking his dog, scuba diving and international travel. He was a member of Lions Club, Sierra Club, Phi Beta Kappa and Big Brothers Big Sisters and had served in the Peace Corps in Costa Rica. Survivors include his wife; a daughter, Katya of Sheridan; his parents; a sister, Krysti Klueber; and two brothers, Marc and James. Memorials may be made to a college fund established for his daughter in care of Sheridan Employees Federal Credit Union, 141 S. Gould St., Sheridan, WY 82801 or to the Sierra Club, 85 Second St., second floor, San Francisco, CA 94105-3441.
Michael Eugene Matteson
Funeral services for former Sheridan resident Michael Eugene Matteson, 51, of Gillette will be 2 p.m. Wednesday at Walker Funeral Home in Gillette. Visitation will be 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Wednesday at the funeral home. Burial will be in Mount Pisgah cemetery in Gillette. Mr. Matteson died Wednesday, Feb. 14, 2007, at his home of cardiac failure. He was born June 5, 1955, in Buffalo to Leslie C. and A. Nadine (Allen) Matteson. He enjoyed skiing, fishing and camping in the Big Horn Mountains, music, and jamming with friends. He played football in high school. He later worked in road, electrical and concrete construction in Sheridan, Buffalo and Gillette until he was hired by US West Communication, where he worked for 25 years in Sheridan and Gillette. He retired last year due to health. He was preceded in death by an infant sister, Verline J. Survivors include a son, Brendon M. of Gillette; three daughters, Erin N. and Krista B., both of Gillette, and Brittany A. of Minnesota; his parents of Buffalo; a brother, Everett L., and sister, Terrill E., both of Sheridan; and three grandchildren. Memorial and condolences may be made in care of Walker Funeral Home, 410 Medical Arts Court, Gillette, WY 82716.
Sharon Ann Loughan
Sharon Ann Loughan, 60, of Buffalo died Thursday, Feb. 15, 2007, in Johnson County Health Care Center. She was mother of April Bocek of Sheridan. Funeral services were this morning in Adams Funeral Home Chapel in Buffalo with the Rev. Jon Orwig officiating. Burial was in Willow Grove cemetery in Buffalo with graveside services. Mrs. Loughan was born May 16, 1946, in Oakland, Calif., to Betty Lee Wenz. She grew up in California with her grandparents, Louis and Leona Wenz, and was a 1963 graduate of Fremont High School in Oakland. She married
Harvey Loughan on April 24, 1964. They resided in Oakland until 1968, when they moved to Buffalo. Mrs. Loughan was a waitress at the Busy Bee. In 1980, she went to work as a nurse's aide at Johnson County Memorial Hospital. She graduated with honors from the Sheridan College School of Nursing in 1987. She worked at Johnson County Health Care Center until February 2003, when she retired due to health. She enjoyed being with family, especially her grandchildren. She was preceded in death by a brother, Michael Higgins. Survivors include a second daughter, Penny of Buffalo; a son, Robert of Casper; two sisters, Laura Higgins of Kalispell, Mont., and Carlene Daugherty of Moore, Mont.; a brother, Lonnie Higgins of Billings; and eight grandchildren. Memorials may be made to Johnson County Health Care Center in care of Adams Funeral Home, 351 N. Adams, Buffalo, WY 82834.
