Edna Harvey ~ July 1, 2002
Isadora Stahn ~ July 12, 2002
Frank Avery ~ July 18, 2002
Fred S. Valles ~ July 15, 2002
Ruth Bygren Grossnickel Hart ~ July 21, 2002
Lloyd V. Gahley ~ July 22, 2002
Harvey Heiberg ~ July 23, 2002
Ruth Amelia Johnson ~ July 25, 2002
Laurena T. Land ~ July 26, 2002
Bain Lagard Robbins ~ July 27, 2002
Marie Sophie Forbes ~ July 27, 2002
Wilbur Fay Alexander ~ July 31, 2002
Edna Harvey, 80, of Byron, died Monday, July 1, 2002, at
Powell Hospital.
She was born Aug. 13, 1921, in New Milford, N.J., to Harvey and Elizabeth DeGraw.
In 1936, she married Fred Brightly and the couple had seven children.
The couple moved to the Big Horn Basin in 1942. In their early days of marriage
the worked on the farm, trapped, raised children, tended garden and canned.
In 1955, she married Luther "Pete" Harvey and the marriage was solemnized
in the Billings (Mont.) Temple. They left the area for eight years before returning
in 1963 to be near Julia Harvey after her husband died. She has made her residnce
in Byron since 1965.
She is survived by her husband Luther Harvey; children, Fred Brightly (Kimberly)
of El Paso, Texas; Charles Brightly (Peggy) of Denver; Leonard Brightly (Norma)
of McAllister, Okla.; Warren Shidler (Sheila) of Cowley; Elizabeth (Heidi)
Brightly of Nedville, Texas; Dale Harvey (Clyde) of Powell; and Gale Heny (Ken)
of Aurora, Colo; brothers and sisters Walter DeGraw of Ban Bernito, Texas;
Aiteson DeGraw of New Milford, N.Y.; Burton DeGraw of Briston, Vt.; Rosemary
DeGraw and Fairlene Rabenda of Poughkeepsie, N.Y.; Beverly Wholem of Germantown,
N.Y.; Isabelle Moskluk of Elizaville, N.Y.; and 17 grandchildren and 17 great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her parents, granddaughter Cheri Rogers and her
brother, Harvey DeGraw.
Services will be in the Byron Ward Chapel on Friday, July 5, 2002, at 10:30
a.m. Bishop Denny Neville will officiate.
Haskell Funeral Home of Lovell is in charge of arrangements.
Vinson M. Hall ~ July 10, 2002
Word of the death of Vinson M. Hall of White Rock, N.M.,
has been received here.
Mr. Hall died July 10 in New Mexico. He was employed with the Los Alamos National
Labs for 33 years as a heating and ventilation engineer.
He married Charlene Kopriva in Powell on Sept. 22, 1952.
He was a U.S. Navy veteran and a member of the design team which created the
cantilevered flight deck of the USS Coral Sea. He was an adjutant of the American
Legion Post 90 in Los Alamos, a member of the auxiliary fire brigade in Los
Alamos and a lifetime member of the Elks Lodge.
Survivors include his wife Charlene of White Rock; son Patrick Hall of Sacramento,
Calif.; daughter Zandra Hall-Chong of Coldspring, Texas; one sister, one brother
and five grandchildren.
Funeral services were held July 17 at St. Barbara's Catholic
Church for long-time Powell resident, Isadora Stahn, who passed away peacefully
July 12 at St. John's Living Center in Jackson where she resided for the past
nine yeas.
She had lived in Powell since 1930. This obituary was lovingly written by her
children, Nicki, Julanne and John.
Isadora was born May 3, 1908, in La Porte City, Iowa. She was the daughter
of John and Julia Smith and was the oldest of six children. She spent her childhood
on her parents' farm in La Porte City, close to Waterloo.
After high school, she attended Iowa State Teachers College in Cedar Falls,
Iowa, graduating with a teaching degree in 1927. She accepted her first teaching
position in Streeter, N.D., from September 1927 until June 1930. She would
return to her parents' home each summer to help with daily life on the farm
and sent money home each month to help her parents sustain the family farm.
Her sister, Kathleen Higgins, of Waterloo, Iowa, relates that many of Isadora's
teaching friends would spent their summers traveling abroad, but Isadora chose
to go home to her family in Iowa.
In August of 1930, she moved to Powell and taught second grade for the Powell
Elementary School. She often remarked that second grade was her favorite age
to teach, because the children "were so open to learning.. . . old enough
to listen, yet young enough not to sass." Mom taught school in Powell
for three years.
Mom met Powell dentist, Dr. J.C. Stahn, who had moved to Powell in 1927 to
buy a practice from Dr. T.J. Ice. Mom was a patient of Dad's, and they often
ate their meals at a boarding house owned and operated by Lloyd and Gladys
Van Buskirk. Mom and Dad were married Sept. 2, 1933. After WWII, Dad's son,
Jack, and wife Rose moved to Powell and joined Dad in his dental practice.
Mom and Dad bought their first and only home at 235 N. Bernard in April of
1943 and welcomed the birth of their daughter, Julanne, in July 1934. In March,
1949, son John was born, and May 1951 daughter Nikki joined the family. With
each child, remodeling of the tiny home was done until its present size. Mom's
love of her family and home was evident to all that knew her. Her beautiful
yard and rose garden gave her many hours of pleasure, a sense of pride, and
a special joy.
Mom was very active in her church, St. Barbara's, and her faith sustained her
throughout her life. Her devotion to her church was evident in the 52 years
she played for virtually all masses for many of those years, as well as hundreds
of weddings and funerals. She didn't stop there, as she taught catechism for
many, many years. She loved life, and she loved giving of herself to God and
to others. She may have "retired" from teaching, but she never stopped
giving us the lessons of life.
Mom, although in her "growing up" years was always called Isadora,
after she and Dad were married (and he was always called "Doc"),
they were known as Doc and Izzy. It was an endearing name that everyone knew
her by.
Mom was very involved in the Powell community and loved to tell people what
and where her hometown was. She was a member of the Catholic Women's Society,
Catholic Diocese, Epasc Club, the American Legion Auxiliary, VFW Women's Auxiliary,
BPOE Does, the P.E.O. Sisterhood, as well as many bridge clubs over the years.
She loved having meetings, bridge club and entertaining in her home.
Company dropping by for coffee and a chat, as well as her friends, old and
new, over the years helped her go on with life after husband Doc passed away
in 1974. They were married 41 years.
Mom passed away with her children at her side. Her last years were spent in
Jackson where her daughter, Nikki, and husband George reside. She will be deeply
missed by her family and the many friends she made in both Jackson and Powell.
Her name was Izzy, but the nurses and aides at St. John's fondly called her "Isadorable."
Her husband Doc, infant sister Delores and brothers Joe, Don and Jack preceded
her in death. She is survived by daughter Nikki (George) Anderson of Jackson,
daughter Julanne Weisberg of Cotati, Calif., son John Stahn of Portland, Ore.;
stepson Jack Stahn of Powell; sister Kathleen (Arnold) Higgins of Waterloo,
Iowa; five grandchildren and five great-grandchildren; eight step-grandchildren
and numerous nieces and nephews.
Fred S. Valles ~ July 15, 2002
Word has been received of the July 15 death in Santa Barbara,
Calif., of former Powell resident, Fred S. Valles, after a long battle with
diabetes and congestive heart failure. He was 78.
He was born in Gallup, N.M., on Nov. 26, 1923, to Jose Valles and Maria S.
Valles. He moved to Powell at the age of 2.
He graduated from Powell High School and entered the U.S. Navy in 1943, where
he obtained the rank of Lt. J.G. He continued to serve in the Naval Reserve
until 1959.
He married Marjorie Correll Aug. 2, 1960. The couple had three daughters, Stephanie,
Laure and Janine.
Mr. Valles graduated from the School of Foreign Service at George Washington
University with a chemical degree and finally from Georgetown University Law
School. He worked as a corporate patent attorney for Rexal Dart and El Paso
Gas Rexene (now Huntsman). In connection with his job of licensing and patents
in the chemical/plastics field, he traveled extensively throughout Europe and
Asia.
The family lived in northern New Jersey, California and Texas where he retired.
Later they moved to Santa Barbara.
Survivors include his wife Marjorie; two daughters, Laure Benson and Janine
Solomon; brothers and sisters, Mary V. Grijalva, Rosie V. Bustos, Nicolas V.
Robles, Joseph S. Valles, Frank S. Valles, Elsie A. Napper and Jess Aguirre;
and six grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by daughter Stephanie Stephens; his mother, Maria
Salazar Valles Aguirre; father Jose Valles; and brother Mark Valles.
Funeral services for former Heart Mountain farmer Frank Avery,
85, of Chadron, Neb., will be conducted Monday, July 29 at 9 a.m. at St. Patrick's
Catholic Church in Chadron.
Mr. Avery died Thursday, July 18 at his home in Chadron.
Father Ed Cortney will officiate at services. Burial will be in the Greenwood
Cemetery in Newcastle.
He was born Sept. 10, 1916, in Petersburg, Neb., to Steve and Jennie Howell
Avery. He joined the Civilian Conservation Corps and then moved to Newcastle.
On Oct. 12, 1938, he married Mary Adams of Newcastle. In 1952, they moved to
Powell where he was engaged in farming. Although he enjoyed farming, construction
was his passion. He moved to Chadron where he built several homes and condos.
He had another great passion of restoring old buckboard wagons, wagon wheels
and sleds with hay racks.
Survivors include his daughter, Mary Frances Kanarick and husband Joseph of
Chadron; son Ed Avery and wife Perrie Kay of Cheyenne; and daughters Barbara
Anschutz and Carolyn Abercrombie of Fort Smith, Ark.; 10 grandchildren and
10 great-grandchildren.
Ruth Bygren Grossnickel Hart ~ July 21, 2002
Funeral services will be conducted Monday, July 29 at 2 p.m.
at the Powell Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for Ruth Bygren Grossnickle
Hart, 94, who died Sunday, July 21 at St. Luke's Hospital in Parma, Idaho.
Funeral services were held Wednesday, July 24 at Dakan Funeral Chapel in Parma.
She had been living in Parma, Idaho, near family since the death of her husband,
Jim Hart, in Powell in June.
She was born Sept. 1, 1907, in Kansas City, Kan., to John and Ida Gundburg.
She was a resident of Parma from 1950 to 1957, where she worked at the Parma
Hardware Store. She moved to Powell in 1957 and lived here for 45 years before
returning to Parma at her husband's death.
Survivors include a son, Jack Grossnickle and wife Virginia, of Keizer, Ore.;
three daughters, Jeanne Bennett and Charlotte Domenico and husband Joe, both
of Parma, Idaho, and Shirley Hall and husband Raymond of Ontario, Ore.; two
sisters, Rubye Schopp of Cody and Jean Grossnickle of Silverton, Ore.; numerous
grandchildren, great-grandchildren and great-grandchildren; and many nieces
and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her husband, James Hart; her parents; two sisters
and one brother.
Visitation will be held one hour prior to services Monday in the Relief Society
Room at the LDS Church. Burial will follow in Crown Hill Cemetery.
Miratsky-Easton Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Lloyd V. Gahley ~ July 22, 2002
Lloyd V. Gahley, 87, longtime Deaver area farmer, died Monday,
July 22 at New Horizons Care Center in Lovell, where he had been a resident
for some time.
He was born May 28, 1915, in Billings, Mont., son of John G. and Irene Warne
Gahley.
Survivors include a sister, Lucille Beaver, of Deaver; and two nephews and
one niece.
Cremation has taken place, and memorial services and burial of cremains will
be held later. Haskell Funeral Home of Lovell in is charge of arrangements.
Harvey Heiberg ~ July 23, 2002
Harvey Heiberg, 83, formerly of Powell, died June 23.
Harvey was a resident of Bow, Wash., with his wife Doris. They celebrated their
60th wedding anniversary in January.
He was born Oct. 9, 1917 in Big Sandy, Mont., the firstborn child of Fred and
Emma Heiberg.
He graduated from Powell High School and later attended the University of Washington
and other schools.
He met his wife Doris at a dance at Lake Elmo in Billings.
Harvey served aboard the mine sweeper "Starling" in World War II
in the Pacific theater. He and Doris wrote to each other every day of the war.
After the war, they began their family, first with daughter Sandra and later
with son Randy.
They bought a lot by Lake Washington and constructed their home there, later
moving to a 10-acre farm near Bow and still later adding a winter home in Arizona.
They moved to an assisted living center in January 2002.
They had three grandchildren, David, Chris and Mike Olsen.
Harvey attended his grandson's wedding in May, which was one of the highlights
of his life.
He was preceded in death by his son Randy, his three brothers Bob, Jack and
Ned, and his parents.
He was interred at Bow Cemetery.
Ruth Amelia Johnson ~ July 25, 2002
Ruth Amelia Johnson, 85, died at the Powell Nursing Home
on July 25 after suffering a stroke at her home on July 14. She was born Ruth
Amelia Fenton on Sept. 26, 1916 in Meeteetse to Robert Fenton and Ruth Stanley
Fenton. She received her schooling in Meeteetse, finishing the eighth grade
there. She married Ralph Miller in 1934. They were later divorced.
Ruth married James Maurice Johnson, Jr. on Aug. 27, 1968 in Reno, Nev., and
they were sealed in the Oakland Temple in October 1969. They lived many years
in California, Washington and Nevada, returning to live in Powell about 17
years ago. She spent her time as a homemaker and waiting tables. She loved
her many cats and dogs.
Preceding her in death was husband Jim; sons Richard Owen Miller and Joe Owen
(killed in Vietnam); daughter Bonnie Lorraine Miller Stearns, brothers Robert
Stanley Fenton, John William Fenton and Walter James Fenton; sister Ruby Ester
Fenton Kells Boyle and half sister Betty Jean Kozloski Alvroid.
She is survived by sons John Robert Miller of Cody and Ralph Austin Miller
of Albuquerque, N.M.; daughter Linda Ruth Miller Lier of Carson City, Nev.;
stepchildren James Maurice Johnson, III and Denise Johnson Crottle; sisters
June Marie McGary Unterezuber of Powell, Mary Louise Catcart of Riverside,
Calif. and Lila Pearl Sperry of Cody; and half sister Eva Lee Kozloski.
She also leaves many grandchildren, great-grandchildren, nieces and nephews.
Cremation has taken place with no services planned.
Laurena T. Land ~ July 26, 2002
Funeral services for former Willwood homesteader Laurena
T. Land, 91, will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday at First Southern Baptist Church
in Powell. Burial will follow in Crown Hill Cemetery.
Laurena died July 26 at her son's home on the Willwood homestead.
She was born Nov. 17, 1910 in Litchfield, Neb., to Charles and Lennie Dorman.
On Sept. 26, 1928, she married Loyd T. Land of Litchfield, where they resided
until their move to the Big Horn Basin in the fall of 1934.
The irrigated farmland of the Powell valley drew the Nebraska dry land farmers
to their homestead site on the Willwood southeast of town. All of their farm
animals, equipment and furniture arrived by emigrant railroad car as they drove
their Model T with $20 in their pockets to last the winter. Times were tough
at first, but Powell was to be their home until their deaths.
Laurena will be remembered for her faithfulness to the Lord, commitment to
church missions and love of flowers.
Survivors include daughter Verla Mangun and husband Ted of Belgrade, Mont.;
son Dorman Land and wife Sharon of Powell; daughter Evelyn Schneckloth and
husband Roy of Rohnert Park, Calif.; brother Duane Dorman and wife Beulah of
Powell; daughter-in-law Wilma Land of Sanger, Calif.; and sister-in-law Anne
Dorman of Powell; 12 grandchildren, 55 great-grandchildren and six great-great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her husband Loyd, in 1972, brother Lewis Dorman
and sister Wilma Hall, and in March 2002, son Lloyd Eldon Land.
Miratsky-Easton Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements. Memorials may be
made to Powell Valley Hospice or First Southern Baptist Church.
Bain Lagard Robbins ~ July 27, 2002
Bain Lagard Robbins, 85, died July 27 at the Powell Hospital
of natural causes.
He was born Aug. 7, 1916 in Flatridge, Va., the fourth son of John L and Alvirdia
Herrington Robbins. The family farmed in Comers Rock, Va., until 1924, when
they moved to Madison, Neb. and continued farming. In 1936 they sold all their
farm equipment and moved to Powell in 1937.
Bain and his father helped build the U.S. Post Office on Bent Street. Bain
was driving a gravel truck for a cousin, Stan Moore, when he met his future
wife. He married Elenora "Nonnie" Heimer on Jan. 18, 1938 in Joliet,
Mont.
Bain also drove truck for Fred Keller and worked on the Heart Mountain Canal.
In 1941, Bain and Nonnie built their home on South Douglas Street and resided
there ever since.
In 1945, he started work for Oscar Hillman at Case Implement, working on tractors
and other farm equipment. In the spring of 1948, he went to work for Edger
Swallow and Maurice Knutson at John Deere Implement. He spent seven and a half
years as a John Deere mechanic. In 1954, Bain joined the International Harvester
team at Johnson-Bolmeier Implement. Bain worked for that business, which later
became Swenson-Anderson, for the next 23 1/2 years.
He built a reputation as a capable and honest mechanic.
He was also known as Santa Claus to many youngsters and wore out three Santa
suits. He loved children.
His Powell friends will remember him for his many years of umpiring softball
games.
He also was a longtime collector of toy farm machinery.
Survivors include his wife, Nonnie; children, Gary and Carolyn Robbins, of
Worland; Marty and Jeanette Robbins of Rapid City, S.D.; John Robbins of Powell;
and Elva Lee and Jake Kauffman of Gillette; nine grandchildren, 22 great-grandchildren
and eight great-great-grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by his parents; two brothers; Gene and "Cup" Robbins;
a sister, Mable Schmidt; and grandsons Michael Bain Kelley and Bain Allen Robbins.
Graveside rites were planned for today (Tuesday) at 10 a.m. at Crown Hill Cemetery.
Ballard Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Marie Sophie Forbes ~ July 27, 2002
Marie Sophie Forbes, 76, of Lovell died July 27 at the New
Horizons Care Center in Lovell. She was born March 5, 1926 to Jesus and Aurelia
Montoya in Monero, N.M. She is survived by a daughter, Isabell Kelly of Phoenix,
Ariz.; a brother, Albert Montoya of Powell and a cousin, Dale Montoya, who
was raised in the family home as a brother.
Cremation has taken place and no services are planned. Haskell Funeral Home
was in charge of arrangements.
Wilbur Fay Alexander ~ July 31, 2002
Wilbur Fay Alexander, 84, died at West Park Hospital July
31, following a lengthy illness.
He was born on July 26, 1918 in Johnstown, Mo., the son of Floyd and Nadine
(Strode) Alexander. He grew up in Johnstown and graduated from Johnstown High
School in 1937. He moved to Kansas City, Mo., where he drove truck for the
Consumers Coop.
On Nov. 21, 1941, he was married to Irene McGraw in Kansas City, where they
made their home until he was drafted into the Army in 1942. He served with
the 16th Armored Division in Europe and was in Czechoslovakia when the Germans
surrendered. After his discharge he returned to Kansas City where he owned
and operated a service station until moving to Worland in 1954. He then leased
the Phillips 66 gas station and ran it until purchasing the Carter Station,
which later became the Exxon Station. Fay retired in 1973, and he and Irene
spent the winters in Yuma, Ariz., and summers in Worland.
They moved to Cody in 1999 for medical reasons.
Fay loved golfing, spending time in the mountains looking at wildlife, fishing
and visiting with friends. He loved his work, enjoyed reading western novels
and spending time and watching the accomplishments of his kids and grandchildren.
He had a great sense of humor.
He served his community by sitting on the city council for 12 years. He was
a member of the Elks BPOE Lodge 1908.
Fay is survived by his wife, Irene, of Cody; sons Jerry of Worland and Duane
(Terri) of Powell; daughters Janice Alexander and Marilynn (Frank) St. Clair
of Worland; brother Harold R. (Ann) Alexander of Butler, Mo.; sister Nina Cummings
of Las Vegas; seven grandchildren: Greg, Mike, Renata, Matt and Jonathon Alexander,
Alisha Haun and Trenton St. Clair; and one great-grandchild. He was preceded
in death by his parents.
Funeral services will be held on Saturday (Aug. 3) at 9:30 a.m. at the First
Baptist Church in Worland with Pastor Jim Barrick officiating. Visitation will
be held at the Bryant Funeral Home on Friday from 7 to 8 p.m. Interment will
be at the Riverview Memorial Gardens Cemetery with the American Legion and
Worland VFW in charge of military honors. Memorial donations may be made to
the National Kidney Foundation in care of Bryant Funeral Home, P.O. Box 524,
Worland 82401.