FEBRUARY 2004
Darrell L. Yonts ~ February 1, 2004
Edith Mae Taylor ~ February 4, 2004
Roberta Biggs ~ February 8, 2004
Eva (Mimi) Lennon ~ February 9, 2004
Vina Lee Madsen ~ February 12, 2004
Pauline Nelson ~ February 13, 2004
Jim Steffen ~ February 16, 2004
Joe H. Toland ~ February 20, 2004
Norman Wood ~ February 21, 2004
Buddy Charles Champagne Jr. ~ February 22, 2004
Wanda Adeline Groves ~ February 22, 2004
Dixie McBlain McClure ~ February 22, 2004
Paul Roberts ~ February 22, 2004
Ruby G. Edwards ~ February 26, 2004
Helen V. Tighe ~ February 27, 2004
Hazel Welch ~ February 28, 2004
Funeral services for Basin resident, Darrell Leon Yonts, 82, will be conducted Friday, Feb. 6 at 10 a.m. at the First Southern Baptist Church in Powell. Mr. Yonts died Sunday, Feb. 1 at the Wyoming Retirement Center in Basin.
Pastor Pete Kuhn and Pastor Allen Pomeroy will officiate at services and burial in Crown Hill Cemetery.
He was born Sept. 7, 1921, in Sherlock, Kan., the son of Claude E. and Olla O. (Brown) Yonts. He received his schooling in Kansas and Wyoming. He came to Wyoming in the early 1930s and lived in the Whistle Creek area, Powell, Lovell and finally Basin.
He served as a Seabee in the U.S. Navy during World War II. He worked for a seismic crew for many years all over Wyoming, Montana and Canada, and then worked at the Wyoming Highway Department for many years until he retired from the work force.
He enjoyed creating with his hands and built a speed boat and many pieces of furniture. He was also an avid fly fisherman.
He was a member of the Grace Southern Baptist Church of Greybull.
Survivors include four children, Doyle R. Yonts of Basin, Doreen C. Hanich of Tonto Basin, Ariz., Dennis L. Yonts of Billings, Mont., and Sandra J. Wirth of Ferron, Utah; 12 grandchildren and 15 great-grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by his parents; his son, Kenneth D. Yonts; two brothers and his wife, Dorothy, on Sept. 7, 2000.
Atwood Family Funeral Directors, Basin, is in charge of arrangements.
Funeral services were conducted Saturday at the Seventh Day Adventist Church in Powell for Edith Mae Taylor, 72, who died Wednesday, Feb. 4 at her home south of Powell.
She was born June 18, 1931, in Eureka, Kan., to Emery and Erma (Barker) Larcom. Following high school graduation, she attended Union College in Lincoln, Neb., for two years.
On Feb. 14, 1954, she married Clifton E. Taylor in Lincoln. Following their marriage, they moved to Wyoming, settling in Basin, and then moved to the Powell area in 1959. She was a lifelong member of the Seventh Day Adventist Church and loved crocheting and raising flowers. She was a member of the High Country Classic Car Club.
Survivors include her husband of almost 50 years, Clifton Taylor, of the family home; three sons, Duane and wife Angie Taylor of Fresno, Calif., Robert and wife Sherry Taylor of Portland, Tenn., and Larry Taylor of Nashville, Tenn.; a daughter, LaVonna McClannahan and husband Terry of Des Moines, Iowa; six grandchildren; brothers-in-law, Delmar Taylor and wife Bernadine of Basin and Leonard Taylor and wife Anna of Lake Ellsinore, Calif.
She was preceded in death by her parents; a son, Ernie, who died in 1974; and a brother, Emery O. Larcom.
Burial was in Crown Hill Cemetery. Should friends desire, memorials may be made to the Seventh Day Adventist Church in Powell.
Miratsky-Easton Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.
Roberta Biggs, 82, died at Memorial Health Center, Extended Care in Sidney, Nebr., on Sunday, Feb. 8. Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Wednesday, Feb. 11 at 10 a.m. at St. Patrick's Catholic Church in Sidney with Father Jim Novakowski officiating. A Christian Wake service will be held at St. Patrick's Church today (Tuesday) at 7 p.m. Burial will be held on Friday, Feb. 13 at 10 a.m. in the Crown Hill Cemetery in Powell. Memorials may be given to Moyer Animal Shelter and St. Barbara's Catholic Church, both of Powell, or MHC Hospice and St. Patrick's Catholic Church, both of Sidney. She was born on July 3, 1921 in Powell, the daughter of Robert and Margaret (Bullock) Anderson. She attended schools in Powell. She was married to Paul "Sandy" Biggs on June 10, 1939 in Powell. They moved to Sidney in 1948 during the oil boom and moved back to Powell in 1975 after Sandy's retirement. She was a member of St. Barbara's Church in Powell. She recently moved to Sidney to be closer to her daughter and became a member of St. Patrick's Church in Sidney. She enjoyed knitting garments for family members and playing bridge with her myriad of friends. Her grandchildren were the "light of my life," she would often say. Her parents and husband preceded her in death. Survivors include one daughter, Dawn,and husband John Brown of Sidney; four grandchildren, Steven Brown, Lisa Whalen, Michael Brown and Christopher Brown; and five great-grandchildren. Gehrig Funeral Home is in charge of the arrangements.
Funeral services for Eva "Mimi" Lennon, 99, will be conducted Friday, Feb. 13 at 11 a.m. at the Wier Funeral Chapel in Roundup, Mont. She died Monday, Feb. 9 in Livingston, Mont., just 37 days short of her 100th birthday. Visitation will be today (Thursday) from 5 to 9 p.m. at Wier Funeral Chapel. Burial at Miners Cemetery will follow Friday services. She was born Eva Olean Wagoner on March 17, 1904, in Camden, Ind., to John and Eva (Wise) Wagoner. She married David Merle Lennon on Sept. 9, 1922, and they moved west after the birth of their first daughter, Norma Jean. They settled in Roundup where she lived until 2002 when she came to live with her son and his wife, Joe and Jeanette Lennon, in Powell. She will be remembered for her independence and strength, right down to her signature-hardy pats on the back in greeting and departure. Survivors include one daughter, Helen Devine of Livingston, Mont.; one son, Joe and daughter-in-law Jeanette Lennon of Powell; and numerous grandchildren, great-grandchildren, great-great grandchildren, nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents; eight siblings, Charlie, Mary, Bert, Ruth, Lula, Elda, John and Joe; her husband, Merle; her daughter and son-in-law, Jean and Harry Wacker; son-in-law, Leon Devine; son, Donald (Bud) Lennon; and great-granddaughter, Jessica Lennon.
A former resident of the Powell area farming community, Vina Lee Madsen, died Thursday, Feb. 12 in Yakima, Wash. She was 81. She was born in Lovell Dec. 18, 1923. She and her husband, Harold Madsen, were long-time residents of rural Powell. Survivors include a son, Butch Madsen and his wife Collette of Livingston, Texas; a daughter, Karan May of Yakima; five grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.
Pauline (Wright) Nelson - Feb. 13
Pauline (Wright) Nelson died Friday, Feb. 13 in Cupertino, Calif., after a long illness. She was 92.
She was born Nov. 12, 1911, in Dallas, Texas, daughter of Byrdie and Paul Wright. She had been a resident of The Forum at Rancho San Antonio in Cupertino since 1992 and a resident of Los Altos Hills, Calif., for over 35 years.
She was preceded in death by her husband of 35 years, Richard B. Nelson, formerly of Powell.
She was an emerita professor of Speech and Communications Studies at San Francisco State University from 1966 to 1977. She received her Bachelor of Oratory from Dallas Academy of Speech and Drama in 1933; her B.A. in Comparative Literature from Southern Methodist University in 1939; her M.A. in English Literature from the University of Arizona in 1949; and her Ph.d. in Speech and Drama from Stanford University in 1965.
Her love of speech and drama began as early as the late 1930s when she was a familiar name in the Southwest on book review and lecture circuits. During those years, she presented over 1,000 one-woman shows. Her most memorable book review was of "Gone with the Wind," which she reviewed so often that the author, Margaret Mitchell, wrote her a note of gratitude for helping to make the book a success.
The Council of Parents and Teachers awarded her a loving cup as "First Lady of the Oral Book Review in the Nation" in 1938. During those years she also organized the Dallas Teenage theater where she directed seven to 10 plays each year. She discovered her love of classroom teaching in the 1950s at the University of Arizona, Pacific Lutheran University and San Jose State. In 1966, she became a professor at San Francisco State where she taught in the Departments of Theater, Speech and Communication Studies and Education. In 1977, she initiated an oral interpretation festival that students from some 50 colleges and high schools attend each year. Her colleagues dedicated the festival to her and named it the Pauline Nelson Northern California Oral Interpretation Festival.
In her spare time, she loved to read, travel and fish at the family cabin in northwest Wyoming. Survivors include her daughter, Anna and son-in-law, Ed Ghandour, of Sonoma County, Calif.; grandchildren Tamara (Michael) Kleinberg of Denver, Colo., and Naomi Ghandour of Sunnvale, Calif.; her nephew, Dick Nelson and wife Jeanne of Powell and Andy, Ty (Brandi) and Alexandra; her niece, Julie Sullivan and husband John and Johnathan of Canadagua, N.Y.; and her sister-in-law, Elsie Nelson of Powell. Friends are invited to attend the burial at Alta Mesa Cemetery in Palo Alto, Calif., Friday, Feb. 27 at 1 p.m. and a celebration of her life in the Living Room at The Forum of Rancho San Antonio at 2 p.m. on the same date. Donations in her memory may be made to the Northwest College Foundation.
Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated Friday, Feb. 20 at Holy Name Catholic Church in Sheridan for former Powell resident, Joe H. Toland, 81. He died Sunday, Feb. 15 at Memorial Hospital of Sheridan County.
He was born June 16, 1922, in Sheridan to Joseph and Lenor (Livers) Toland. He graduated from Sheridan High School in 1941. He joined the Army Air Corps and was a B-24 radio gunner with the 13th Air Corps in the Pacific Theater.
He married Marilyn Switzer at the Switzer Ranch in Sheridan June 8, 1947. He then went on to the University of Wyoming where he graduated magna cum laude in 1951 with a B.S. degree in pharmacy. For a period of years, he was a pharmacist in Powell and then returned to Sheridan where he owned Capital Drug Store for 22 years. He was recently honored by the University of Wyoming for 50 continuous years of pharmacy. He enjoyed fishing, golfing, gardening, square dancing, traveling and spending happy times with his family and having coffee and lunch with his buddies. He delivered meals on wheels, was a member of Jeans and Queens Square Square Dance Club, Powell Kiwanis, Sheridan Rotary, Knights of Columbus and American Legion. He was a member of Holy Name Catholic Church and was a charter member of Powell Elks Club, then transferring to Sheridan Elks Club. Survivors include his wife, Marilyn, of Sheridan; his two daughters, Nancy Sims and husband Gary of Ridgefield, Wash., and Jody Deeds and husband Larry of Sheridan; his son, Greg Toland and wife Cindy of Powell; 11 grandchildren, Sarah Sims Susanka, Rebekah Sims Andrews, Mary, Esther, Stephen and Catherine Sims, Rachel and JoAnna Deeds, and Joey, Nick and Hannah Toland; and three great-grandchildren, Dominic and Sean Susanka and Fiona Andrews; and his sister, Dorothy Sanders and husband Cliff of Buffalo. He was preceded in death by his parents; his son, Mark Wayne Toland; and two sisters, Thelma Guilfoyle and Relda Mossholder. Rosary will be said at 7:30 p.m. Thursday. The Rev. Ron Stolcis will officiate at Friday Mass. The family would appreciate memorials to St. Joseph's Children's Home or Meals on Wheels, in care of Karen Green, First Interstate Bank, P.O. Box 2007, Sheridan, WY 82801.
Former Frannie resident, Jim Steffen, 60, died Feb. 16 in Hermiston, Ore., after a brief illness. He had a great love for life and enjoyed hunting, fishing and spending time with his friends. He is survived by his wife, Patricia; son, Christopher, of Green River; and daughter, Angela, of Powell; and siblings Carol, Joanne and Chuck, all of upstate New York. He was preceded in death by his parents, Charles and Mary, and a brother, Bill. A memorial service of his life was celebrated Friday, Feb. 20, with burial in the Hermiston cemetery.
Norman L. (Pete) Wood, long-time resident of Powell, died Saturday, Feb. 21 at the Powell Valley Care Center. He was 94. Funeral services will be conducted Tuesday, March 2 at 10 a.m. at First United Methodist Church, with burial in Crown Hill Cemetery. A full obituary will follow in Thursday's Tribune. Miratsky-Easton Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Wanda Adeline Groves - Feb. 22
Funeral services will be at 1 p.m. today (Tuesday) at First Baptist Church in Powell for Wanda Adeline Groves, 81, who died Sunday, Feb. 22 at the Powell Hospital. The Rev. Jesse Sauskojus will officiate at services. Burial will be in Willow Springs, Mo., where there will be a graveside service Friday, Feb. 27 at 10 a.m. She was born Dec. 30, 1922, in St. Albans, Wyo., to Cecil William and Effie Belle Harding Lilly. She married Clyde Samuel Groves on Oct. 16, 1947, in St. Albans. She graduated from high school in 1940 in St. Albans and worked as a telephone operator until the birth of their first child in 1950. She was then a devoted wife and mother who took great pride and joy in raising three children in the nurture and love of the Lord. She was a member of the congregation of the Church of God in Willow Springs, Mo. She moved from Willow Springs to Powell in 1995 to be near her family. She had lived in the Powell Nursing Home since 1999. Surviving are two sons, Delbert Groves of Columbia, Mo., and Daniel Groves and his wife, Julie, of Powell; one daughter, Nancy Counts and husband Ray of Powell; five grandchildren; two sisters, Mrs. Reba Jane Stinson of Ocala, Fla., and Mrs. Ceciline Taylor of Williamsburg, Va.; and one brother, Rayburn Joe Lilly, and wife Genevieve of Columbus, Ohio. Her husband died Sept. 24, 1990, in Willow Springs, Mo. She is also preceded in death by three brothers and three sisters. Memorials may be made to the First Baptist Church of Powell.
Miratsky-Easton Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Word has been received of the Feb. 22 death of a former Powell resident, Dixie Doris McClure, 77.
She died at her home of 24 years in Dillon, Mont. She was born Oct. 11, 1926, in St. Louis, Mo. From an early age, she was raised in the Penrose community southeast of Powell by George and Matilda McBlain. She was raised in the LDS Church and graduated from Powell High School in 1945. She married John McClure on Sept. 29, 1945. The couple lived a military life. She was a past member of the Lady Elks and loved the piano, accordion and ukulele. Survivors include her husband John; her sons, George (Ursula) McClure of Utah, John (June) McClure of Connecticut; daughter Verlayn McClure McManus (Kelly) of Washington; five grandchildren and four great-grandchildren; and nephew Wayne Mangus of Ralston. A celebration of her life took place Feb. 27 at Brundage Funeral Home in Dillon.
The family would appreciate memorial donations to the Elks National Foundation.
Burial will be in the Penrose Cemetery at a later date. Burial of cremains for former Powell resident Dixie McBlain McClure will be Sunday, May 30 at 11 a.m. at Penrose Cemetery. She died Feb. 22 in Dillon, Mont. She was a 1945 graduate of Powell High School.
Buddy Charles Champagne Jr. - Feb. 22
Funeral services were held Feb. 27 at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Stake Center in Cody for Buddy Charles Champagne Jr., 52, who died Feb. 22 at North Big Horn Hospital in Lovell from complications of Multiple Sclerosis and diabetes. He was born Nov. 6, 1951, in Powell. He attended schools in Cody, Frannie, Columbus, Mont., Powell and Laramie. He enlisted in the U.S. Navy July 7, 1972, and served as a machinist on the USS Bryce Canyon and later on the USS Kitty Hawk. He took great pride in the work he performed and what he learned. After his discharge from the navy in March of 1980, he attended Northwest College in Powell and received an A.S. degree before going on to the University of Wyoming to major in education. He joined the Wyoming National Guard in September of 1980 and retired as a Gunnery Sergeant on Jan. 20, 1994. His last employment was with Fremont Motors in Cody. In February of 2001, he became disabled. He spent three months at the Veterans Hospital in Sheridan and then transferred to New Horizons Care Center where he resided until his death. Survivors include his mother, Elizabeth (Betty) Todd and stepfather, Terry Todd, of Cody; four sisters, Sue Orr (Jack) of Winnemucca, Nev., Carma Johannesen (Fred) of Coal Hill, Ark., Jeri Shuler (Carl) of Fromberg, Mont., and Lee Nell Owen of Cody; two step-sisters, Tammy Ellis (David)and Tara Raymond (Scott), both of Cody; one foster sister, Donna Hume (Tom) of Cody; one step-brother, Troy Todd of Cody; 14 nephews and one niece. He was preceded in death by his father; his grandparents; and four maternal uncles. Burial was in the Lovell Cemetery.
Paul Roberts, 88, of Pryor Creek, Mont., died Sunday, Feb. 22 at home of natural causes during his afternoon nap.
He was born June 29, 1915 in Reed Point, Mont., son of Rex and Anna Gilchrist Roberts. He attended elementary school at the Spring Creek rural school near Reed Point. He also attended Broadwater School in Billings and graduated from Roundup High School.
After working eight years for the Forest Service near Bozeman, he enlisted in the U.S. Navy. While in boot camp in Whapeton, N.D., he met his future bride, Grace Kapaun at a dance. After a short courtship they were engaged before he was deployed to the Pacific Theatre for the duration of WWII. He served as a Chief Machinist's Mate on the U.S.S. Bradford. After being honorably discharged from the Navy in November of 1945, he and Grace were married in Frazee, Minn. on January 8, 1946.
After their marriage Paul and Grace moved to Pryor Creek where they farmed, gardened, and raised their children in the home that Paul and his brother, Vic, built. Paul was successful and respected by fellow farmers. He was an active member of St. Charles Mission, the Billings Knights of Columbus, the Elks, and the Central High School Booster Club. He served on the boards of both the Western Bank and the Morin Elementary rural school. After retirement he and Grace enjoyed traveling to China and throughout the United States.
He is survived by his wife, Grace, and his three children Sharon (Steve) Bailey of Powell, Vernon (Kay) Roberts of Helena, and Venieta (Dave) Cox of Billings. He delighted in his six granddaughters, teaching them all to drive on the farm long before they were 16. They are Sara Bailey of Lyons, Colorado, Laura Bailey of Bozeman, Angela Roberts of Ithaca, New York, Beth Roberts Nave of Bozeman, and Melanie and Michelle Cox of Billings. Paul's sisters-in-law also survive him. They are Irene Roberts and Helen Roberts of Helena, Bernadette Roberts of California and Frances Roberts of Billings. He is also survived by many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents and step mother, Irma Roberts and by all his brothers and sisters. They were Byron, Don, Dean, Joe, Vic, Margaret (Mugs) Cormier and Eloise Cormier. Paul's vigil service will be at 7 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 26 at the Dahl Funeral Chapel, Billings. Funeral Mass will be celebrated at 10 a.m. Friday at St. Charles Mission near Pryor. Interment will follow in the Holy Cross Cemetery, Billings. Memorials in Paul's name may be made to Billings Area Catholic Education Trust (BACET), St. Charles Mission, or charity of choice.
Ruby G. Edwards, 99, of the Powell Nursing Home, formerly of Farmerville, La., died Thursday, Feb. 26.
She is survived by sons, James Garner and his wife Nona of Rayville, La., and Bobby C. Edwards and his wife Vangee of Whittier, Calif.; daughters, Mary Bidinger and her husband Robert of Warren, Ohio, and Wanda E. Ball and her husand Harold of Piedmont, S.C.; and a special daughter-in-law, Patsy Garner of Powell.
She is also survived by numerous grandchildren, great-grandchildren and great-great grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her husband, John L. Edwards of Farmerville, La.; sons, Max Garner of Powell and John F. Garner of New Orleans, La.; brothers, Audrey Gilmore and Conrad Gilmore, both of Powell, and Jesse Gilmore of Monroe, La.; sisters, Dora Pennington of Los Angeles, Calif., and Ruth Harrison of Strong, Ark.
Funeral services will be held at a later date in Farmerville, La.
Helen V. Tighe, 82, of Idaho Falls, Idaho, died Friday, Feb. 27, at Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center of natural causes. She was born March 29, 1921, in Gebo Wyo., to John R. Budovich and Agnes Patik-Budovich. She was raised and attended Glenrock Public Schools, graduating from Glenrock High School in 1938.
She married John L. Tighe on June 8, 1938, in Glenrock. He preceded her in death Jan. 15, 1994. They made their home in Midwest and then lived in Powell until 1973. She worked as a cosmetologist for several years prior to becoming a certified message therapist in 1961.
She was a member of First Lutheran Church, where she enjoyed the Christian fellowship of the congregation and her family. She enjoyed the warmth of Arizona in the winter and the beauty of Yellowstone during the summer, where she often found herself living in the family motor-home with her late husband John. When she wasn't on the road, she liked to shop, cook for the family and spoil her grandchildren.
Helen is survived by her daughter, Janice Griffin of Idaho Falls; three grandchildren, John Griffin, Paul Griffin and Tina Friesen, all of Idaho Falls; eight great-grandchildren, and a great-great-grandchild.
Funeral services are scheduled on Thursday March 4, at Wood Funeral Home (273 N. Ridge), with Pastor Larry Cudmore and Pastor Barbara Condon, of the First Evangelical Lutheran Church, officiating. Burial will be in Rose Hill Cemetery under the direction of Wood Funeral Home.
Funeral services will be Thursday, March 4 at 1 p.m. at the Cowley LDS Chapel for Hazel Tebbs Welch, 95, who died Saturday, Feb. 28 in the Powell Nursing Home.
She was born Dec. 21, 1908 in Cowley, daughter of James S. Tebbs and Mary Alice (Meeks) Tebbs. She was a lifelong resident of Cowley and graduated from Big Horn Academy. She also attended the University of Wyoming, Utah State University, Brigham Young University and Northwest College, maintaining her interest in education through correspondence courses.
She married Louis B. Welch, and they lived in the log home built for her in Cowley by her husband. Through the years together they owned and operated Louis B. Welch Construction Company, building many schools, churches and homes throughout Wyoming. He died in 1969.
Survivors include eight children, Alyce Jones of Green Valley, Ariz., Louis J. and Carol Welch of Salt Lake City, Linda Croft of Logan, Utah, Joan and Nick Welch of Las Vegas, Nev., Bobi Jo and Chuck Leonhardt of Cowley, Annette and Larry Lee of Broomfield, N.M., Richard and Joan Welch of Salt Lake City and Cynthia Dill of Las Vegas; 39 grandchildren and 118 great or great-great grandchildren. She is also surived by a sister, Vivian Robertson of Salt Lake City and a brother-in-law, Charles F. Welch of Cowley.
Burial will be in the Cowley Cemetery.