MAY 2003
Beatrice (Bea) Allen ~ May 1, 2003
Bob Hill ~ May 2, 2003
Lottie Burgener ~ May 5, 2003
Neil T. Webster ~ May 5, 2003
Howard Thomas Wilder ~ May 6, 2003
J. Michael Patrick ~ May 8, 2003
Allen F. Hinze ~ May 11, 2003
Maybelle Sullivan ~ May 11, 2003
William Sell ~ May 11, 2003
Laurel Daniel ~ May 16, 2003
Mary Helen Ballinger ~ May 17, 2003
Dewey Kersting ~ May 18, 2003
Alice B. Stoudt ~ May 19, 2003
Rodney D. Christensen ~ May 21, 2003
John C. Nazer ~ May 22, 2003
Curtis O. Stahl ~ May 22, 2003
John Leslie Olsen ~ May 23, 2003
Rodney Christensen ~ May 23, 2003
Patricia A. Graham ~ May 25, 2003
Louise Huntington ~ May 28, 2003
Connie Smith-Christiansen ~ May 29, 2003
Blanche L. Nicholson ~ May 30, 2003
Harold E. Weeks ~ May 31, 2003
Funeral services were held Monday at Union Presbyterian Church for Beatrice (Bea) Joan Allen, 93, who died Thursday, May 1 at Powell Valley Care Center.
The Rev. David Hunter officiated at services and burial in Crown Hill Cemetery.
She was born Aug. 27, 1909, in Granville, Tenn., to Frank and Bettie (Apple) Duke. She married Robert Franklin Allen in Lewistown, Mont., on Oct. 19, 1930.
She was an expert seamstress and enjoyed sewing and caring for her yard, home and family. She was a member of the Order of Eastern Star.
Four grandchildren survive her, Allan Brandenburger of St. Joseph, Minn., Terri Brandenburger of Sherman, Ill., JoBeth Effertz of Delaware, Ohio, and Wesley Brandenberger of Rochester, Minn. She is also surived by three great-grandchildren, Marie, Jack and Lila Effertz of Delaware, Ohio; and a nephew, Tom Longshore of Lewistown, Mont.
She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband in October of 1971; her daughter, Betty J. Brandenberger; her brother, Carl Duke; and a sister, Bessie Longshore.
Robert (Bob) Ernest Hill, 55, Powell, died Friday, May 2 at St. Vincent's Heathcare Center in Billings, Mont. He was in a coma five days following an accident in which he protected his 4-year-old grandson, Joshua, from getting hurt.
His family is comforted in the knowledge he died quickly and painlessly- the way he always said he wanted to go. The family also finds peace in thinking of the people his life is touching through the donation of his organs.
Mr. Hill was born June 3, 1947, in Great Falls, Mont., to William (Buck) and Phyllis Rutherford Hill. He served in the U.S. Navy from 1966-1970 and married Vicki Lee McGarvin on Sept. 18, 1968. They would have celebrated their 35th wedding anniversary this year. For the last 14 years, he was parts man for Powell Equipment.
He was a loving husband, son, brother, father and grandfather. He was proud to be a simple man and lived a simple life.
He was his wife's best friend and a precious part of all of his family's lives, but disliked when other people died and were suddenly regarded as a saint. He loved the Lord, and the Lord loved him. One of his favorite Bible verses was Ecclesiastes 7:1, "A good name is better than a good ointment, And the day of one's death is better than the day of one's birth."
His hobbies included woodworking, camping, yard work and spending time with his family. His woodworking projects can be found all over the homes of those he loved, and his grandsons are positive he's finding the best camping spot in heaven.
He enjoyed the Denver Broncos, Keystone Light ("just one more"), wrestling with his grandsons and following the war and anything else political on Fox News. He was always ready to help out and forever will be remembered as "John Deere Bob- Good Guy."
Survivors include his parents, William Hill and Phyllis Hill, both of Lovell; his wife, Vicki, of Powell; sons Jeff (Shelley) Hill of Powell and Doug Hill, currently in Air Force boot camp in Texas; daughter Denise (Mark) Schuler of Powell; brothers Bill (Pam) Hill of Rock Springs and Larry (Mila) Hill of Chicago, Ill.; sister Norine (Walter) Joyce of East Helena, Mont.; grandchildren Zachary, Joshua and Brylee Schuler; and numerous aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces and nephews.
No funeral will take place per Bob's request. Instead, the family will celebrate his life and share their grief together in a private gathering.
As a memorial, the family requests donations for Julie Peterson, who is in need of organ transplants. Donations may be made at any Shoshone First Bank locations. Please note they are for the medical fund that has already been set up for her.
Local crop duster Neil Thomas Webster, 43, of Burlington, died Monday, May 5 in a small airplane crash at Pontiac, Ill.
The former Michigan pilot dusted crops all over the Big Horn Basin.
He was born in Detroit, Mich., on Nov. 25, 1959 to Billy N. and Audrey E. Webster. He was a pilot of a variety of small airplanes.
Survivors include his parents, Audrey Webster of Dearborn, Mich., and Billy (Terry) Webster of Chesterfield, Mich.; a daughter, Megan, and a son, Justin, of Madison Heights, Mich.; fiancee Danielle Brown and children, Danny, Christine and Lily of Burlington; two sisters, Mrs, Sheryl (Tom) Stewart of Center Line, Mich., and Martha Webster of Chesterfield, Mich.; two brothers, Dale (Diana) Webster of Trenton, Mich., and Ernest Webster of Chesterfield; and nephews Russell, Justyn, Krystopher and Michelle.
Memorial services will be held in Burlington at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on Wednesday, May 14 at 2 p.m., with a reception to follow in the Town Fire Hall.
Funeral Mass will be celebrated at 10 a.m. Friday, May 9 at St. Barbara's Catholic Church for Lottie Burgener, 94, who died Monday, May 5 at the Powell Nursing Home.
Father Pete Johnson will officiate at services. Rosary will be said at 7:30 p.m. tonight (Thursday) at Miratsky-Easton Funeral Home.
She was born Aug. 21, 1908, in Sadalla, Mo., to Lucas and Lillie Moore. Her family moved to Billings, Mont., when she was a young girl.
She married Albert (Ab) Burgener Sept. 25, 1925, in Billings. They moved to Powell and began farming. She was a helpmate in all aspects of farm life.
They raised nine children, all of whom graduated from Powell High School. She sewed dresses for the five girls and even made their prom dresses. She also liked playing bridge and eating at the Senior Center.
She enjoyed her children and grandchildren and crocheted quilts for all of them.
She was a member of St. Barbara's Church and the Altar Society.
Survivors include her daughters, Louise Huntington of Red Lodge, Mont., Dorothy Lee (Vance) Larkin of Cody, Bonnie (Hank) Hartley of Winter Haven, Fla., and Willa (Willy) Mae (Jim) Fleming of Powell; her sons, Tom (Carolyn) Burgener of Elizabeth, Colo., and Ken (Vallie) Burgener of Anchorage, Alas.; two brothers, Cliff Moore of Medford, Ore., and Emmett (Doreeen) Moore of Pocatello, Idaho; 26 grandchildren and many great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her husband Ab; her sons, Ronnie and Clarence; her daughter, Esther Merring; and her grandson Kirk.
Long-time Powell resident Howard Thomas Wilder died Tuesday, May 6 at his winter home in Yuma, Ariz. He was 86.
He was born Oct. 7, 1916, in Powell to Thomas A. and Maude M. Wilder. He was raised in Powell and attended local schools, graduating from Powell High School in 1934.
He married Wanda Waltman June 16, 1940. He worked on the family farm until 1962, with short stints during World War II at the shipyards in Bremerton, Wash., and helping to build the Heart Mountain Relocation Camp between Powell and Cody.
In 1962, the family moved to Ralston where he operated Ralston Auto Parts. In 1967, the family moved into Powell where he worked at the Powell Hospital until his retirement.
Mr. Wilder always loved the land and was a farmer and gardener all his life. He was devoted to his wife and cared for her until her death in 1993. He also mixed in some tinkering and woodworking, accomplishing projects for most of his family.
He was a Noble Grand of the Powell IOOF Lodge and a lifetime member of the Union Presbyterian Church in Powell.
Survivors include his children, Doris Schofield of Oxnard, Calif., Dawn Askew of Pierre, S.D., Gary Wilder of Mesa, Ariz., and Lee Wilder of Yuma; his brother, Dick Wilder of Cody; eight grandchildren, 15 great-grandchildren and 22 nieces and nephews.
A memorial service will take place in Powell at a later date.
A memorial service will be conducted Wednesday at 2 p.m. at Christ Episcopal Church in Cody for gifted artist-furniture maker, J. Michael Patrick, 51, Cody, who died Thursday, May 8 near Lander from injuries sustained in an automobile accident.
Mr. Patrick is credited with being the leader in the so-called "Cody style" of western funiture, a driving force in the renaissance of the Molesworth-Cody furniture making influence. He was one of the founders of the Western Design Conference in Cody in 1992.
He was born Jan. 27, 1952, in Cody. He was raised on the Diamond Bar Ranch and the Belknap Ranch on the South Fork, southwest of Cody, and participated in all aspects of ranch life.
He competed in high school rodeo, excelling in the event of team roping. One of the greatest pleasures in his life was team roping with his father, Jim. He graduated from Cody High School in 1970 and attended the University of Wyoming on an academic scholarship, studying journalism.
He lived an exciting and adventurous life. In 1971, he traveled to Kenya to visit his mother, Lucille Patrick, and spent several months managing a large African cattle ranch. In 1973, he spent four memorable weeks horsepacking through Yellowstone National Park and the surrounding area with his brother, Nic, and close friends Jerry Hodson, Que Mangus and Tom Anno. He also traveled throughout South America with his friend, Tom.
He married Virginia Livingston in 1981. They had one son, Jim, in 1985. His son was the greatest source of joy in his life, and his greatest treasure.
Mr. Patrick founded New West Furniture in Cody in 1986 and built it into a premier western furniture business. His peers recognized his artistry and creativity with many awards, including the Buffalo Bill Historical Center 1998 Switchback Ranch Purchase Award, Western Design Conference People's Choice Award in 1994 and 1995, WDC Best Exhibit Award in 1995 and Metropolitan Home Magazine Design 100 Award in 1992. He was featured in a Home and Gardens TV program, "Your Home with Kitty Bartholomew" in 1998 and recently completed filming for a second HGTV program, "Sensible Chic," which will air later this year.
His strong belief for the Western Design Conference was that bringing artisans together to share ideas and philosophies would benefit all.
A third generation rancher, he understood the critical importance of continued sustainable use of natural resources. He was an advocate for wild places and dedicated many volunteer hours to the cause of maintaining environmental balance through such organizations as the Northwest Resource Council, the Park County Planning and Zoning Commission and the Corporation for the Northern Rockies, which he co-founded.
Survivors include his son, Jim Patrick; his biggest fan, his mother, Lucille Patrick; brother Nic Patrick and wife Joyce; sisters Pat Harter and Jo Knight; Virginia Livingston and many loving and caring nieces, nephews and friends.
On Mother's Day, Sunday, May 11, Maybelle Sullivan died at the Powell Nursing Home. She was 84.
Her death followed by 362 days the death of her best friend and husband, Leo Sullivan.
She was born in Knott, Texas, Aug. 15, 1918, to William L. and Lydia Gaskins, one of five children.
She married Leo K. Sullivan on Nov. 25, 1933. Their union was blessed with three sons, Kenneth, Lloyd and David. David and his wife Gloria were killed in an auto accident April 15, 1982.
She attended Baylor University.
In 1937, her husband, Leo, became a minister, and they became a team in the Lord's ministry from that day forward. They ministered in churches in Texas, Oklahoma, New Mexico, Idaho, Montana and Wyoming. They later went on to provide worship services and Bible schools in rural area where there were no churches. They were active in the ministry for 52 years.
Survivors include two sons and daughters-in-law, Kenneth (Judy) Sullivan of Ridgefield, Wash., and Lloyd (Donna) Sullivan of Powell; her sister, Lorena Newton of Lubbock, Texas; and six grandsons, Brian (Kristie), Bradley (Lorie), Brandon, Michael (Emily), Don (Renee) and Brent (Judy); and 13 great-grandchildren.
In addition to her husband, she was preceded in death by one sister and two brothers.
Graveside services will be at Crown Hill Cemetery, Powell, at 10 a.m. Thursday, May 15. Visitation is scheduled Wednesday from 6 to 8 p.m. at Miratsky-Easton Funeral Home.
Funeral services will be conducted Friday, May 16 at 10 a.m. at Ballard Funeral Home in Cody for William (Bill) R. Sell, 65, who died Sunday, May 11 at the Powell Hospital.
Mr. Sell was born April 14, 1938, in Winner, S.D., to Clarence and Katherine (Bergin) Sell. He was raised there and graduated from high school in Winner.
He joined the U.S. Army in 1957 and served in Germany. After his discharge, he returned to South Dakota, and then moved to Sundance in Wyoming. He married Ann Dillavou in Sundance on June 5, 1960.
In Sundance, he operated heavy equipment for the Crook County Road and Bridge Department. He then purchased Bill's Standard in Sundance and operated it until 1978 when they family moved to Baker, Mont.
They lived in Baker for two years before moving to Cody. Mr. Sell owned and operated the Gunbarrel Standard in Cody until 1996 when he and his wife moved to Powell.
He enjoyed hunting, fishing and camping. He was a past Cub Scout leader, past Noble Grand of the Odd Fellows Lodge, a member of the Methodist Church and a member of the Square Dance Club, all in Sundance.
Survivors include his wife Ann of Powell; daughter Lynn McGarvin of Arlington, Texas; sons Robert Sell of Greeley, Colo., and Russell Sell of Cody; brothers Clarence Sell of Mission, S.D., Lavern Sell of Sundance, Jack Sell of Fairfield, Neb., Roy Sell of Winner, Jim Sell of Witten, S.D., and Leonard Sell of Winner; sisters Katherine Man of Winner, Beryle Dvorak of Valentine, Neb., and Mary Schrader of Mitchell, S.D.; and grandchildren Jessica and Nicole of Cody.
He was preceded in death by his parents; son Ross Sell; and brothers Harold Sell and Jerry Sell.
Burial will be in Cody's Riverside Cemetery.
Funeral services are scheduled at 9:30 a.m. Friday in Watertown, Wisc., for Allen F. Hinze, 79, of Cody who died Sunday, May 11 in St. Vincent Hospital in Billings, Mont.
Mr. Hinze was the father of Dale and Scott Hinze of Hinze Oil, Cody. In Wisconsin, Allen Hinze had owned and operated National Transit Trucking with his brother, Delos, in Milwaukee. Later they owned Red Eagle Oil in Watertown, Wisc., and the Red Eagle Truck Stop in Johnson Creek, Wisc.
He was born Aug. 20, 1923, in Oconomowoc, Wisc. He married Jeanette H. Creydt on Aug. 18, 1945, in Lebanon, Wisc.
Survivors include two sons, Dale (Judy) Hinze and Scott (Jean) Hinze, both of Cody; a daughter, Diane (Michael) Spellmeyer of Owatonna, Minn.; a brother, Delos (Bernice) Hinze of Watertown; nine grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Jeanette, on Jan. 30, 1998.
A memorial service will be conducted Friday, May 23 at 11 a.m. in the Deaver Town Park for Laura Daniel, 43, Deaver, who died Friday, May 16 at Southwestern Regional Medical Center in Tulsa, Okla.
She was born Jan. 9, 1960, to Dale and Mary VanNote and grew up in Troy, Mont.
She married Bill Daniel in 1994.
She was no stranger to hard work, sometimes working two or three jobs at a time. She worked in the woods in a lumber camp, fought fires, was an EMT and hired out as a ranch hand.
Everyone who knew her knew of her love for animals. She had the usual menagerie of horses, sheep and chickens at their ranch, but she would also include "little wild critters" in need of homes.
In addition to being an excellent artist and sculptor, Laura was best known for her border collies. She raised and trained some of the most highly sought-after trial and stock dogs in the area. The love she showered on her dogs was apparent. Her faithful companions, Boo and Kitt, were always with her in her truck.
Survivors include her husband; her parents; daughters Amanda King, USMC, of Camp Lejeune, N.C., Misty Doughty of Cody and J-me Robb of Spokane, Wash.; two grandchildren, Shakyla and Tristan; brothers and sisters Dale, Daryl, Mike, Sherry, Deanna and Jackie; and her special aunt, Ellen. She will be greatly missed by her many friends in the Big Horn Basin and in the Wyoming Border Collie Association.
For those who wish, the family would appreciate donations to the Cancer Treatment Centers of America, Tulsa, Okla.
Mary Helen Ballinger of Cody, beloved mother, grandmother and friend, died Saturday, May 17 at West Park Hospital in Cody from complications of pneumonia and a broken hip.
She was born May 1, 1916, in Schuyler, Nebr., one of nine children of William and Jessie Pirrie, and came to Cody with her family in 1929.
On April 23, 1935, she married Carl Marion Ballinger. He died June 29, 1979, after 44 years of marriage.
Her family was her pride and joy. Her son, Merlyn Ballinger and wife Virginia of Powell; daughter Elise Ballinger York and husband Joe of Meeteetse; and daughter Janet Ballinger Dutton and husband Roger of Cody will all sorely miss her, as will her grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
The family will remember her as a respected farm and ranch woman on both the Southfork and Northfork at Wapiti. She was a long-standing member of the Cody Methodist Church where she served for many years. She was also renowned for her hospitality and her cooking.
The family is comforted that she was loved by many and that she inspired those who experienced her courageous spirit, love of God, positive attitude, great sense of humor and strength of character. She was well known for her rendition of "Everything is Beautiful," and that is what she truly believed of the world and people around her.
She will be held closely in the hearts of many as a truly beautiful person. "May we all aspire to her kindness, faith and courage."
In addition to her children, her survivors include grandchildren Twila York of Helena, Mont.; Susie Dutton Wantulok (John) of Boise, Idaho; Cathy York Jordan (Gary) of Portland, Ore.; Terri Ballinger May of Tacoma, Wash.; Brenda Ballinger Whitlock of Tacoma, Wash.; and Joel Adams (Margie) of Red Lodge, Mont.; and great-grandchildren Brandt and Taylor May; Justin and Spencer Whitlock; Carly, Kellen, Erin and Kobi Wantulok; Jody Inbody; Graham, Elizabeth and Connor Sims; and Neil Adams.
She is also survived by sister Dorothy (Dot) Bales of Cody; sister-in-laws Bessie Pirrie of Cody, Ruthie Pirrie of Las Vegas, Nev., and Phyllis Lundvall (Lawrence) of Leesburg, Fla.; brother-in-law Charles Meier of Cody; and numerous nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her brothers, Morris, Lester, Melvin, Keith, William (Bud) and Duane; and a sister, Marjorie Meier.
A Celebration of Mary's Life will be held July 5 at the Methodist Church, with time to be announced later.
Hubert Dwain (Dewey) Kersting, 57, died Sunday, May 18 at the Veterans Administration Hospital in Reno, Nev.
He was born in Cody July 28, 1945. He was raised in Powell and graduated from Powell High School in 1963. For the next two years, he attended mechanics school in Denver.
He was drafted into the U.S. Army in November of 1965. He attended boot camp in Fort Polk, La., then went on for specialized paratrooper training at Ft. Benning, Ga. He was assigned to Korea for one tour of duty. He was promoted to sergeant in the 1st Battalion, 18th Infantry Division and deployed to Vietnam where he served until discharged with honor. He was awarded a Purple Heart in November of 1968.
Returning to the U.S., he became a proficient welder, and his work took him to many places, including Wyoming, Colorado, Arizona, Oregon and finally Nevada where he lived for several years.
He was an outdoorsman and loved to fish and hunt. He especially enjoyed the Sunlight/Crandall are and the North Fork of the Shoshone in Park County. He also could be found tinkering with motorcyles and various engines in his spare time.
Survivors include his companion, Sherry Kersting of Nevada; his parents, Hubert L. and Jessie Kersting of Cody; his brother, Allan (Shannon) Kersting of Utah; his daughters, Sheila Siddall of Texas and Julie (Tracy) Renner of Meeteetse; his grandchildren, Jessica and Joshua Riddall, and Wilson and Karlie Renner; and several aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews and cousins.
Cremation has taken place. A private memorial service will be held at a later date. Memorial donations to any Veterans of Foreign Wars Post in his name would be appreciated by the family.
Former Powell resident Alice B. Stoudt, 98, died Monday, May 19 in Hamilton, Mont.
She was born in Glendive, Mont., Aug. 28, 1904, the sixth of 12 children born to Peter and Maria Reno Rorvik.
She grew up in Circle, Mont., and attended elementary school there. She graduated from Glendive High School in 1922. She attended Montana State College in Bozeman for one year and finished her college education at Montana State Normal College in Dillon, receiving a teaching certificate in 1926.
Following college, she worked for the McCone County Attorney and then moved to Terry, Mont., and worked for the Prairie County Attorney. In Terry, she met and married Harold L. Stoudt in 1928.
In 1944, they purchased the Case implement dealership in Powell. Later they owned and operated the Powell Auto Electric until retiring in 1971. They moved to Arizona for several years and then returned to Powell. She remained in Powell until 1989 when she moved to Casper to be near her daughter and son-in-law. She moved to Hamilton in 1996.
She was a member of the Union Presbyterian Church in Powell; Alcyone Chapter 27, Order of Eastern Star; Daughters of the Nile and was a past guardian of Jobs Daughter Bethel No. 23 in Powell. She was a member of the Powell Country Club and active in Tee & Tan golf.
She loved to read, play golf and bridge, travel, knit and crochet and be with friends and family. She and her husband traveled extensively in the lower 48 states, Canada and Mexico and took a European tour in 1972.
Survivors include her son and daughter-in-law, Homer and Inez Stoudt of Lubbock, Texas; a daughter and son-in-law, Sandra and Tom Stecher of Stevensville, Mont.; six grandchildren; 13 great-grandchildren; and one great-great grandchild. She is also survived by a brother, John Rorvik Davies of Kalispell, Mont.; and a sister, Clara Beardsley of Big Fork, Mont.; and numerous nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Harold; her parents; five brothers and three sisters.
Cremation has taken place. No service is scheduled at this time.
Lifetime Wyoming resident Rodney D. Christensen, a native of Powell, died Wednesday, May 21 in Casper. He was 69.
He struggled with Alzheimer's disease for several years.
He was born April 1, 1934, in Powell, son of the late Arthur Christensen and Audrey (Rimbey) Christensen. He was raised and schooled in Powell.
He was a longtime rancher and brand inspector for the Wyoming Stockgrowers Association. He was a veteran.
His hobbies included horseback riding and raising registered Herefords, and he had a passion for painting and the outdoors. He was a former member of the Powell Fire Board.
Survivors include two daughters, Klara Maringas and Kari Jones, both of the Seattle area; three grandchildren, Devin Jones, Ryan and Sydney Maringas; two brothers, Don Christensen of Powell and Ed Christensen of Santa Paula, Calif.; and several nieces and nephews.
Private memorial services will be held.
Memorial donations may be made to the Alzheimer's Association in his name.
John C. Nazer, 91, died Thursday, May 22 at the Powell Valley Care Center.
He was born July 27, 1911, in Youngstown, Ohio, to Milus and Theresa Kostelnek. His foster parents, L.H. and Lena Nazer, raised him in Cowley.
He joined the U.S. Army at age 18 and completed his assignment and was honorably discharged. When World War II broke out, he re-enlisted and served overseas, again receiving an honorable discharge.
He married Martha Vogel in Montana. He was a farmer all his life, farming southeast of Powell.
He is survived by his wife Martha of the family home; a daughter, Janet Nazer of Powell; sons Jack Nazer of Lovell and Bert Nazer of Powell; granddaughters Balea Nazer, Brittany Nazer and Serena Stapert, all of Cody.
Cremation has taken place. As he wished, private memorial services will be held at a later date. Miratsky-Easton Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
The brother of a Powell woman died Thursday, May 22 after a courageous battle with cancer in Cody. Curtis O. Stahl was 51.
He was born Aug. 29, 1951, in Livingston, Mont., to Robert and Alice Stahl. He completed high school in Cody.
In 1987, he married Kathy Scharen in Cody. He worked at Husky Oil Co., and was a dedicated employee for Preator Construction for many years.
His family will forever hold the memories created by his patience, gentle nature and devotion. Curt considered himself lucky to have so many caring and wonderful friends and family.
Survivors include his wife Kathy of Cody; one son, Ryan Stahl of Oak Harbor, Wash.; two daughters, Sheila Schmidt of Cody and Shelley Fedderson of Denver and their respective families; three brothers, Robert R. Stahl (Kathy) of Evanston, Rennie Stahl of Cody and Glenn Stahl of Billings, Mont.; and one sister, Maureen Shuler (Ted) of Powell.
Cremation has taken place, and no services are planned. Memorial contributions may be made to Spirit Mountain Hospice, Cody.
John Leslie Olsen, a retired parasitologist, died of cancer Friday, May 23 at John Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, Md. He was 64.
Mr. Olsen was born Nov. 22, 1938, in Minneapolis, Minn. He lived as a child in Angleton, Texas, then moved with his family to Fort Collins, Colo., at the age of 10.
He graduated from high school in Fort Collins in 1957, received a B.S. degree in zoology at Colorado State University in 1961 and received a Master's degree in zoology at Kansas State University in 1964. He went on to earn a Phd. in pathology from the College of Veterinary Medicine at CSU in 1971.
He was an instructor in the zoology department at Minot State University in Minot, N.D., from 1964-1966. He was a teaching assistant in the College of Veterinary Medicine at CSU from 1968-1971.
Mr. Olsen worked for the FDA at the Center for Veterinary Medicine as a parasitologist in Rockville, Md., from 1972-1995. In 1995, he retired and relocated in Powell.
His retirement years were spent actively fly fishing and fly tying. He was also a member of the Powell Tree Board for a number of years.
Survivors include his wife of 39 years, Alice Olsen, of Powell; two daughters, Jennifer Foster (John) of Brandywine, Md., and Vanessa Olsen of Reston, Va.; one grandson, John Michael Foster, of Brandywine, Md.; a sister, Barbara Slanker (Larry) of Champaign, Ill.; three aunts, Bertha Edwards and Grace Barker, both of Brigham City, Utah, and Afton Ficarra of Vernal, Utah; one uncle, Grant Olsen of Clearfield, Utah; and numerous cousins.
Cremation has taken place, and services will be private. For those who wish, memorial gifts to the American Cancer Society would be appreciated by the family.
Memorial services for Rodney Christensen, long-time Powell resident, will be held Monday, Aug. 25 at 11 a.m. at the Union Presbyterian Church.
Mr. Christensen died May 23, 2003, in Casper.
The Rev. David Hunter will officiate at services.
Funeral services will be held Saturday at 2 p.m. at Miratsky-Easton Funeral Home for Patricia A. (Pat) Graham, 63, who died at her home in Powell on Sunday, May 25.
Sally Montoya of the Powell VFW Auxiliary will officiate at funeral services. Burial will follow in Crown Hill Cemetery.
She was born and raised in Escanaba, Mich., the daughter of Bill and Annie Nadeau. She married James (Jim) Graham of Drummond Island, Mich.
The couple moved to Wyoming in 1975 to make their home and raise their children. They moved to the Powell area in the winter of 1995.
Pat was a member of the Powell VFW Auxiliary and was recently installed as junior vice president.
She loved to fish and take rides in the country. She was fond of woodworking and cooking. She enjoyed her life filled with her children, grandchildren and great-grandkids.
She will be missed deeply, but always remembered as the short little French woman with a big heart and smile always.
Survivors include two sons, Mike Martin and family of Pensacola, Fla., and Grant Martin and family of Powell; two daughters, Sybil Cunningham of California and Florence Engels and family of Carpenter, Wyo.; three sisters and two brothers, all in Michigan; 14 grandchildren and four great-grandchildren; several nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her parents; one brother; her husband, Jim; one granddaughter and one great-granddaughter.
Viewing will be from 11 a.m. Saturday until the service at Miratsky-Easton Funeral Home
A memorial service was held Saturday at St. Agnes Catholic Church in Red Lodge, Mont., for Louise Huntington, 73, who died peacefully at Cedar Wood Villa in Red Lodge early Wednesday, May 28.
She was born May 25, 1930, in Powell to Albert and Lottie (Moore) Burgener. She attended schools in Powell and went on to earn her nursing and accounting degrees from Eastern Montana College.
On Aug. 9, 1952, she married Burt Huntington in Lovell. She worked in nursing positions in Laramie, Lovell and Billings and later assisted her husband in publishing work at the Lovell Chronicle and Carbon County News (Red Lodge). She also worked as a bookkeeper for Rocky Mountain Industries in Red Lodge for many years.
She was a devout Catholic and a devoted member of St. Agnes Catholic Church. Her loss will be felt deeply in the church and in the community. She enjoyed crocheting and knitting, but mostly cherished her time serving in the church.
Survivors include her son, Ted, and his wife Michelle of Wasilla, Alas., and two grandchildren, RenE' and Seth, also of Wasilla; three sisters, Dorothy Lee (Vance) Larkin of Cody, Bonnie (Hank) Hartley of Winter Haven, Fla., and Willa Mae (Jim) Fleming of Powell; and two brothers, Tom (Carolyn) Burgener of Elizabeth, Colo., and Ken (Vallie) Burgener of Anchorage, Alas.
Her husband, Burt, preceded her in death in 1997.
Cremation has taken place, and her ashes will be scattered by the family at a later date. Dahl Funeral Chapel of Red Lodge was in charge of arrangements.
Memorials to the Montana Alzheimer's Assocation, 3010 11th Ave., No., Billings, MT 59101 would be appreciated by the family.
Connie Smith-Christiansen- May 29
Connie Smith-Christiansen died at the Powell Hospital Thursday morning, May 29 at the age of 54 from a long-term illness.
She was born April 4, 1949, in Midland, Mich., daughter of Ray Smith and Nora Genn Doerfner. She lived and graduated from Midland, Mich., HIgh School in 1967 and attended the University of Colorado.
She sold real estate in the Denver area and later became regional manager for Mile High Yogurt Company and district manager for Colman Natural Beef of Colorado.
She was married to Michael John Christiansen of Powell on Aug. 31, 1991, on the South Platte River near Decker, Colo.
She and her husband resided in Germany and England for the past 11 years where she enjoyed traveling and fishing. But most of all, she enjoyed her gardening, learning plant names in both English and Latin. At one point, she had nearly one acre of flowers and vegetables under cultivation.
She is survived by her husband of Powell, Michael J. Christiansen; two daughters, Heather Dittmer of Brighton, Colo., and Shannon Morrin of North Berwick, Maine; six grandchildren, Robyn Lynne Guthrie, Meg Marie Guthrie, Daniel James Dittmer, Page Marie, Alexandria Kyle and Ethan Robert Morrin; her mother-in-law, Katherine E. Christiansen of Powell; three sisters, Stevie Davis, Mary Kay Martin and Patti Schwarz, and one brother, Randy Smith, and her stepmother, Molly Smith, all of Michigan; and many nieces and nephews.
Cremation has taken place, and a memorial service will take place on the family estate at Red Pine, nearly Graylind, Mich., on June 7. Her ashes will be spread near the old family cabin on the Ausable near where she caught her first trout and spent most of her younger years.
A memorial service will be held in Powell for her friends in July. She will be dearly missed by family and friend, both here and in Europe.
Memorial services will be conducted today (Tuesday) at 2 p.m. at First United Methodist Church in Powell for Blanche L. (Barling) Nicholson, 74, who died at her Powell home Friday morning, May 30.
Pastor Susan Adams-Trembath will officiate at services. Burial of cremains will be at Crown Hill Cemetery.
She was born May 14, 1929, at Meeteetse, daughter of William Edward (Bill) Barling and Helen Marian (Agelie) Barling. After high school she married Charles L. Nicholson at Billings, Mont., on March 7, 1947.
She was a stay-home wife and mother who loved time with her family, her grandkids and great-grandkids. She was a member of the Baptist, then Methodist Church. She enjoyed playing bridge and woodworking with her husband Charlie.
Survivors include two sons, Charles T. Nicholson and wife Nancy of Powell and Larry D. Nicholson and wife Wanda of Thermopolis; two daughters, Judy H. Good and husband Ken and Joanne D. Lollar and husband Art, both of Powell; brother, Lloyd E. Barling (Marge) of Meeteetse and brother-in-law Tommy Nicholson (Lottie) of Casper; a sister, Ernestine Smith (Frank) of Meeteetse; nine grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her parents and her beloved husband, Charles L. (Charlie) Nicholson.
Honorary pallbearers include grandchildren Penny Hatovec, Monty Nicholson, Brent Good, David Good, Denah McDonald, Cory Nicholson, Staci McDonald, Eric Lollar and Nicole Nicholson.
The family would appreciate memorials to Powell Valley Hospice.
Arrangements were by Miratsky-Easton Funeral Home.
Funeral services are scheduled Wednesday at 10 a.m. in the First Baptist Church in Basin for Harold Edwin Weeks, 79, who died Saturday, May 31 in the Bonnie Bluejacket Memorial Nursing Home between Greybull and Basin.
He was born in Wendell, Idaho, on July 1, 1932, to Joy Ingle Weeks and Grace Elizabeth (Look) Weeks. The family moved to Wyoming when he was 5 years old and located on the Padlock Ranch on Owl Creek, which later became known as the Arapahoe Ranch. He later moved to the Dickie Ranch (LU Sheep Company) where he spent his teenage years. He attended Thermopolis schools and graduated from high school there in 1941.
He married Gloria Jean Boyer VanDell on Dec. 1, 1955, at Thermopolis.
He was a government trapper for 41 years, employed by the Bureau of Sport Fisheries and Wildlife, and later, the U.S. Department of Agriculture. His assignments were in Ten Sleep and Basin, where he retired in 1992.
He liked to hunt, fish and trap predators. In retirement, he took up gardening and yardwork. He was a member of the First Baptist Church in Basin.
Survivors include his wife Gloria J. Weeks of Basin; a son, Dick E. (Kathy) VanDell of Cheynne; a daughter, Sandra J. (Scott) Klindt of Houston, Texas; nine grandchildren, nine great-grandchildren and numerous nieces and nephews.
For those who wish, the family would appreciate donations to a memorial fund at Security State Bank, P.O. Box 531, Basin, WY 82410 for the First Baptist Church Bell Tower Fund at Basin.