NOVEMBER 2006
Robert Gaffri - November 3, 2006
Josephine D. Steffen - November 5, 2006
Carrie J. Gasch - November 10, 2006
Raymond Powell, Jr. - November 11, 2006
William W. Jones - November 13, 2006
Joanne Dee Munoz - November 14, 2006
Peg Coe - November 15, 2006
Doris Mabel Cross - November 16, 2006
Lawrence Reid - November 18, 2006
Sandra Jean Tollman - November 19, 2006
Magdalena Morales - November 20, 2006
Paul F. Hedge - November 20, 2006
David Bagley Lewis - November 22, 2006
Joan Baker - November 24, 2006
Alice May Lehner - November 27, 2006
Rudolph Richard Ley - November 28, 2006
James R. Hutchinson - November 29, 2006
Robert Gaffri - November 3, 2006
Former area resident Robert (Bob) Gaffri, 78, lived a wonderful life.
He died Nov. 3 at the Cedarwood Villa nursing home in Red Lodge, Mont., where he lived the last few years of his life. He suffered from aphasia and dementia.
He was born in Mason City, Iowa, July 6, 1928, the second of three children of Fritz and Erna Gaffri. After high school, he served in the U.S. Air Force just before the Korean War. He graduated from Iowa State University in Ames, Iowa, with a B.S. degree in Chemical Engineering.
While in college, he married Rachel L. Nielsen of Mason City, Iowa, who lives today in Sidney, Mont. They were married 56 years and had three children.
Bob’s work with Exxon for 30 years took his family to Bayway, N.J., Billings, Mont., and Benicia, Calif. In Montana, Bob and Rachel bought a cabin along the Gallatin River in the early 60s. He enjoy fly fishing, the outdoors and picking huckleberries during his frequent trips to the cabin.
Bob and Rachel purchased a farm/ranch outside of Powell in the early 70s. They retired at the farm for a few years in the early 80s, eventually traveling back and forth between Powell and Billings while he worked as a consultant for the petroleum industry. The farm is still active today, raising cattle, alfalfa and barley.
Bob and Rachel loved to travel, visiting family and for work-related projects around the world. They traveled to Alaska, Hawaii, Chile, Puerto Rico, Canada and most of the 48 contiguous states.
He was a member of the First English Lutheran Church in Billings and served as a church council member and president for many years.
He was active in the Heights Kiwanis and also spent many hours volunteering for the Special K Ranch in Columbus, Mont.
In addition to his wife, survivors include his children, Mark, who lives with his wife Selene in Sidney, Mont., Scott who lives with his wife Camille and daughter Codie in Highlands Ranch, Colo., and Jay who lives with his wife Kathy and two children, Tom and Katelyn, in Billings; two sisters, Eleanore Beckman of Normal, Ill., and Marilou Paxton of Seattle, Wash.
Memorial services will be held Nov. 18 at 1 p.m. at First English Church, 1243 N. 31, Billings. For those who wish, the family would appreciate memorial contributions to the Special K Ranch, P.O. Box 479, Columbus, MT 59010.
Josephine D. Steffen - November 5, 2006
Funeral services will be conducted at 1 p.m. Friday, Nov. 10 at Thompson Funeral Home for Josephine D. (Jo) Steffen, 89, who died Sunday, Nov. 5 in Powell.
She was born Oct. 18, 1917, in Lima, Ohio, to Glenn and Josephine Robinson. She graduated from high school and attended college, then married Charles R. Ashton June 9, 1938, in Akron, Ohio. She was widowed in 1951 and married George F. Dacon in Omaha, Nebr., Sept. 19, 1951. She married William Steffen Oct. 24, 1993, in Salem, Ore., and she was widowed in 2002.
A professional secretary, she lived in a number of states, including Ohio, Arizona, Washington, Oregon, Florida, California and Wyoming.
She was a member of the First Church Christ, Scientist of Boston, Mass., and the Christian Science Society of Cody.
Jo loved to dance, travel (especially cruising), read novels and watch college football. Her family knew her as a generous and loving wife and mother, who will be missed. She loved her family, church and friends, and her family takes comfort in the thought of her now dancing with the stars.
Survivors include her daughter and son-in-law, Sherrill J. and Clifford Cook, Jr. of Powell; a sister, Donna Fletcher of Ft. Worth, Texas; and two grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her parents; husbands Charles R. Ashton, George F. Dacon and Bill Steffen; son Charles Rodger Ashton; sister Virginia Gentry; half-sister Mary Davis; and half-brother Glenn Robinson.
Randi Slaughter of Alcyone Chapter #27 of the Order of Eastern Star will officiate at services. A reception will follow at noon at the Masonic Hall.
For those who wish, memorials to Christian Science Society of Cody, 901 Sheridan Ave., Cody, WY 82414 or Powell Animal Shelter would be appreciated by the family.
Carrie J. Gasch - November 10, 2006
In the early morning hours of Friday, Nov. 10, Carrie Jane Gasch, 51, of Cody, died at West Park Hospital in Cody and was born to eternal life.
Born on Sept. 27, 1955 to Don and Elaine Nafus, Carrie was raised in Cody and attended kindergarten and grade school, growing up with many friends and family members. She graduated from Arapahoe High School in Littleton, Colo., where her dad was working for Husky Oil Company.
While living in Littleton, she attained many long-lasting relationships and was so well liked that she was voted homecoming queen. In 1974, her dad was transferred back to Cody, and Carrie became a student at Northwest College (NWC) in Powell and spent her spare time skiing and working for her cousins at The King's Castle as hostess.
In 1976, Carrie met the love of her life, Kenny Gasch, and they were married July 1, 1977. She then became entrenched in the community as a giver and philanthropist of time, talents, and money.
In 1985, Carrie and a business associate, Kaye Simonton, purchased and ran an exclusive women's clothing store called The Real Thing. Although Carrie and Kaye sold the business in 1988, local women still miss The Real Thing and Carrie's fashion expertise.
She then worked as a teacher's assistant at Eastside Elementary School under the tutelage of Mary Anne McGee, who was already a dear friend.
During the fires of 1988 that burned in Yellowstone Park and the upper Crandall Country, Carrie was at the nerve center of Red Cross relief operations in the Law Enforcement Center for days on end.
She took a hiatus to spend time raising her children, Leif and Caley, which, to her, was the most important job. After her children were in school and she felt comfortable, she was selected out of 67 applicants to become the executive secretary to the director of the Cody Country Chamber of Commerce, Paul Hoffman.
After one and a half years of employment at the chamber, her love for retail could not be suppressed, and she returned to the clothing business for Mary Ackerman at The Plush Pony. During her employment at The Plush Pony, her passion and energy of philanthropy spurred her to co-chair a committee to raise the funds for a new recreation center, which had been sadly defeated in a bond issue in a recent general election. Carrie would not take no for an answer, and she inspired an entire community to coordinate and raise nearly $3 million in two years to build and maintain one of the premier recreation centers in the state of Wyoming. Being the humble person she was, she conveniently scheduled herself to be out of town during the center's dedication ceremony.
Due to the outstanding results of her work on the fundraising, she was approached by NWC to become part of their foundation team and accepted the job as Director of Alumni and Annual Giving. This was a good choice by the college, and they knew it.
Carrie's belief, long before any Hollywood movie, was to pay it forward, rather than waiting to repay goodness received. With that philosophy, her contributions to NWC are greatly appreciated by many and far too numerous to mention.
Her affliction of cancer only deepened her faith in God and her love of her family and community. It is the family’s firm belief that Carrie lived long beyond the time that medical professionals thought she would live, only to see the community pass the 1 percent capital tax in the recent election.
Carrie was active in a local PEO chapter, the Episcopal church, the Buffalo Bill Historical Center Patron's Ball committee, Education for Ministry, chairman for the Cody Recreation Center Board of Directors, the Wyoming Episcopal Diocese, among numerous other events and organizations. Carrie lived her life in abundance, and above and beyond all else, her greatest joys of life were her family and friends. Her mother, Elaine Nafus, preceded Carrie in death.
She is survived by her husband, Kenny Gasch of Cody; her son, Leif Gasch and friend Lindsay Dunnum of Lander; her daughter and son-in-law, Caley Gasch Salava and Matthew Salava of Laramie; her father, Don Nafus of Billings; her sister and brother-in-law. Laurie and Dewey Farmer of Washington, Utah; her aunts, Phyllis Mercer of Billings and Babe Martoglio of Cody; and many other relatives.
It was Carrie's parting wish that in lieu of flowers and food, donations be directed to establishing an endowment for a nursing scholarship at NWC in her memory.
A memorial service will be held on Friday, Nov. 17 at Christ Episcopal Church in Cody at 3 p.m. Due to her Greek heritage, a large celebration of her life will immediately follow at The Terrace.
Raymond Powell, Jr. - November 11, 2006
Raymond Adalbert Powell, Jr., 63, died Saturday, Nov. 11 at Powell Valley Healthcare.
He was born July 23, 1943, in Badford, Pa., son of Raymond Adalbert and Everlyn (Westlake) Powell. He served in the Army, and after being discharged, he worked as a security guard for the state of California. He was a member of the Rod and Gun Club of California.
He and his soul mate for 22 years, Diane, spent many hours hunting, fishing, camping, and taking care of their many animals, dogs, cats and geese.
Survivors include his mother, Evelyn Wright, of Gilroy, Calif.; sisters Terri (Allan) Burks of Gilroy, Claif., Debra (Randy) Riger of Cammron Park, Calif., and Carol Wilson of Oregon; and many nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his father, Raymond Adalbert Powell; and his step-father, Myron Wright.
William W. Jones - November 13, 2006
William Warren (Bill) Jones died suddenly Sunday, Nov. 13 in Billings, Mont. He was 85.
A memorial service will be held at the Union Presbyterian Church in Powell Friday, Nov. 17 at 11 a.m.
He was born in Excelsior, Minn., on June 24, 1921, third child of Warren William and Candace Jones. He grew up in Waubay and Webster, S.D., and graduated from Webster High School in 1939. He was employed by Northwest Public Service as a lineman/electrician and later became a meter reader.
He married F. Genevieve (Gensy) Nylander in 1944 and moved to Watertown, S.D., where he was employed as an electrician for that city. They and their four children moved to Wyoming and located in Midwest in 1953, where he was employed by Stanolind Oil and Gas Company. The family was transferred to Powell in 1958 where he worked at Amoco’s Elk Basin gas/sulfur plant. Bill retired after 26 years with Amoco, and he and Gensy resided in Powell until their move to Billings in April 2006.
Bill, as he was affectionately known to his relatives and many friends, was a long-term (46-year) member of the Union Presbyterian Church in Powell, where he was active in most church activities including leadership roles and especially choir. He participated fully in the Powell Eagles Aerie #2426 as both an officer and a member. He was a past president of the Powell Senior Citizens Board, was Wyoming State Director of AARP for a number of years, and served in the State Gray-Haired Legislature. He and Gensy were involved in many other community and civic activities, especially the Powell Senior Center Kitchen Band.
Bill loved the outdoors and was an avid fisherman, boater, horseshoe pitcher; he enjoyed camping (his campfires were legendary), exploring and picnics. He was on a Powell league bowling team and even wrote a bowling column (“Bowling Banter”) for the Powell Tribune. He also participated in many state and national bowling tournaments and served as a local and state official.
He loved a rousing game of pinochle, was a formidable backgammon and cribbage opponent, and over the course of 20 years, played Gensy to a near draw in over 4,000 games of Scrabble. Music was a significant part of his life from his background as a baritone horn player in high school to a valve trombonist later in life. He enjoyed all kinds of music including opera, classical, Sousa marching band, and easy listening. Bill and Gensy have the only two lifetime passes to the Red Lodge Music Festival, which they attended annually since 1978. His appreciation for music was a gift to his children, despite an obsession for the Lawrence Welk Show. He had a passion for proper grammar and language and delighted in finding and correcting errors in the written and spoken word. His curiosity about the world around him never ceased and hopefully, he will now know where Atlantis is.
Bill had a quick wit, an irrepressible sense of humor, and an infectious laugh. He was an inveterate storyteller and enjoyed being on either the receiving or giving end of a practical joke. He seldom missed an appointment, meeting, or rehearsal and had a real sense of duty to his family, friends, church, and organizations. He was loyal to his friends, many of whom became life long. His integrity and principles were reflected in his everyday life and he was honest with everyone. He was a compassionate and caring husband, a loving and wise father, honorable in his personal and work ethics, and the best friend anyone could ever have.
He was preceded in death by his brothers, Laurence and Russell; sister Dorothy; and Warren William, Bill and Gensy’s second son.
He is survived by Gensy, his loving wife of 62 years; daughter Kathleen Patricia Jones of Billings; daughter Beverly Beth and son-in-law Brian Alan Thorn of Billings; and son Richard Warren Jones of Laramie. Other relatives include aunts, uncles, sisters-in-law, brothers-in-law, and cousins.
Memorials may be sent to Red Lodge Music Camp Scholarship Fund in care of Eloise Kirk, 3206 Green Terrace Drive, Billings, MT 59102, or a charity of one’s choice.
Joanne Dee Munoz - November 14, 2006
Funeral Mass will be celebrated Saturday, Nov. 18 at 9 a.m. at St. Barbara’s Catholic Church for Joanne Dee Munoz, 52, who died Tuesday, Nov. 14 at the Powell Nursing Home.
Rosary will be said at 5:30 p.m. Friday.
She was born July 11, 1954, in Cody to Charles Lee and Blanche Louise (Barling) Nicholson. She was raised in Meeteetse and lived in many states before settling in Powell.
She married Arthur Munoz in Billings, Mont., May 31, 2005. She was a loving mother, wife and sister and loved her crafts and needlepoint.
Joanne loved her family and never met a stranger. Although she had a hard life, she only looked for the good things life offered. She will be missed.
Survivors include her husband, Arthur Munoz of Powell; sons, Eric Lollar and wife Darcy of Oklahoma City, Okla., Martin Munoz and grandchild Xavier Munoz and Adam Munoz, all of Billings; daughter, Staci McDonald, husband T.J. and granddaughters, Danielle, Jodee Lynn and Tommie Jessa of Oklahoma City; brothers, Charles Jack Nicholson (Meg) of Meeteetse, Charles Thomas Nicholson (Nancy) of Powell and Larry Duane Nicholson (Wandea) of Thermopolis; sister, Judy Helen Good (Kenneth) of Powell; brothers and sisters and in-laws, Larry and Sonya Munoz of Billings, Cindy and Steve Meier of Gillette, Tommy and Carol Munoz of Casper, Robert and Rainbow Munoz of California and Vickie and Ryan Cox of Casper; and many nieces, nephews, aunts, uncles and cousins.
She was preceded in death by her parents.
Father Pete Johnson will officiate at services and burial in Crown Hill Cemetery under the direction of Thompson Funeral Home.
For those who wish, memorials to Powell Valley Hospice would be appreciated by the family.
Margaret “Peg” Shaw Coe, 88, died peacefully in her sleep at her home in Cody Wednesday, Nov. 15, 2006.
Peg was born to Effie Abrahamson and Ernest F. Shaw in Cody on Christmas Day, 1917. She always said she was “born under a lucky star.”
Her mother was the first teacher at Wapiti school. Her father, a newspaperman, worked for E.L. Newton and later became editor and publisher of The Cody Enterprise. He was also an early Wyoming State Representative.
Effie and Ernest were early Buffalo Bill Museum board members. As a child, Peg helped her mother with fundraising tea parties to support construction of the original museum. Peg enjoyed a Cody childhood with frequent trips to the family cabin near Yellowstone National Park. Many people found Peg a special child, including Molly Brown of Titanic fame, who was so enamored with her after a brief stay at the family home that she wanted to adopt her. Although her parents refused to send her to Denver, Peg and Molly corresponded for years.
Peg attended school in Cody and graduated from high school in 1935. She attended Stephens College in Columbia, Mo., and the University of Wyoming, where in 1939 she earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology and philosophy. She was a member of the Delta Delta Delta sorority.
After graduation, she worked at The Cody Enterprise and then for the Australian Procurement Office in Washington, D.C. She went on to San Francisco, Calif.,, where she worked for the War Labor Board and also helped edit a newsletter for Cody servicemen stationed overseas in WWII.
While in San Francisco, she married Henry H.R. Coe in 1943. Coe was the son of industrialist and philanthropist William Robertson Coe and Mai Rogers Coe.
Peg and Henry returned to Cody after his discharge from the Navy and bought Pahaska Tepee, Buffalo Bill Cody’s original hunting lodge which the family still operates as a successful tourist resort near Yellowstone’s East Entrance.
The couple had three children: Anne Rogers Coe, Henry H.R. “Hank” Coe, and Robert Douglas Coe. Both Mr. and Mrs. Coe were strong supporters of the BBHC, and Mr. Coe served on its Board of Trustees.
In 1966, Henry died. Peg assumed his seat on the Buffalo Bill Memorial Association (BBMA) Board, which began her four-decade tenure as a Trustee.
In 1968, Peg and her brother, John Richard “Dick” Shaw and his wife Phyl, purchased The Cody Enterprise newspaper and printing company which they operated for several years.
In 1974, Peg was elected Chairman of the Buffalo Bill Memorial Association (BBMA) Board of Trustees. During her tenure as Chairman, the Buffalo Bill Historical Center (BBHC) achieved world-class status and doubled in size. She presided over the BBHC’s participation in an international exhibition at the Heritage Museum in Leningrad in the Soviet Union.
There were several landmark expansions under her leadership. They included bringing the Winchester Arms Collection from New Haven, Connecticut to Cody (1976); constructing the new Plains Indian Museum (1979); expanding the existing library facilities and the Harold McCracken Library (1980); and reconstructing Frederic Remington’s New Rochelle studio (1981). In 1991, the Cody Firearms Museum was dedicated and in 1994, the McCracken Research Library was remodeled and rededicated.
Her service on the BBMA Board spanned 40 years. In 1997, Peg resigned as Chairman after 23 years of extraordinary leadership. Her fellow Trustees honored her by naming her Chairman Emeritus and she continued her Board service until her death. Peg took personal and professional interest in every aspect of the BBHC’s growth, and is credited with the creation of the Plains Indian Advisory Board to oversee the Plains Indian Museum.
Many civic organizations and businesses lost a good friend when Peg died. She was President of the Coe Medical Foundation and Director of the Shoshone First National Bank as well as Park County Republican Chairman.
Peg belonged to PEO, and was also on the Advisory Board of the Cathedral Home in Laramie. She served on Wyoming’s Centennial Committee from 1986-91, helping plan Wyoming’s 1990 statewide Centennial celebration. She served as Trustee (and Emeritus Trustee) of both the Millicent Rogers Foundation of Taos, N.M., and the Central City Opera House in Denver, Colo. She was also the only member from the Rocky Mountain area to serve on the Board of the Metropolitan Opera National Council.
Peg was honored numerous times for exceptional service. In 1980, she received the Westerner Award of the Old West Trail Foundation. Two years later, Peg was one of six women inducted into the National Cowgirl Hall of Fame and Western Heritage Center. In 1983, she was the first Wyoming citizen to be honored by the National Secretaries of State when they presented her with the Gold Medallion Award for Meritorious Service.
The University of Wyoming honored her with a Distinguished Alumnus Award in 1984. Peg was also a past recipient of a Governor’s Arts Award, and in 1994 she received the Arts and Sciences Exemplary Award from the University of Wyoming.
Peg was a Life Master of the American Contract Bridge League. Peg loved playing cards, and consistent with years of family tradition, was a proud participant of a local poker group.
Peg accomplished many things, but her love of family always came first. Her devotion extended to all her roles as wife, mother, sister, grandmother, great-grandmother, and aunt. She genuinely enjoyed sharing her home with her many friends. Among her special pleasures were travels with her family over the years. Peg’s heart and home were a centerpiece to family and friendship, and this she would consider her greatest legacy.
Peg was preceded in death by her husband, Henry H.R. Coe; her parents, Ernest and Effie Shaw; brothers, Charles “Chuck” Shaw and Dick Shaw; stepdaughter Natalie Gerdes; and nephew, Geoffrey Cameron Shaw.
Peg is survived by sister Ruth Shaw Kern, Red Lodge, Mont., and sister-in-law Phyllis S. Shaw, Whitefish, Mont. Her children are Anne Coe Hayes (Jim), sons Henry H.R. “Hank” Coe and Robert D. Coe (Angela), all of Cody. She is also survived by stepdaughter Dorothy Mae Boyd (Spencer). Other survivors are grandchildren Jay Hayes (Brittany) of Fort Collins, Colo.; Meg Hayes of New York, N.Y.; H.R. Coe, Cody; Carey Coe Johnson (Jeff), Casper; Bethany Coe Boydston (Jason) of Cody; and Robert and Hubbard Coe of Cody, as well as several great-grandchildren. Peg also had many step-grandchildren.
Surviving nieces and nephews are Ernie Shaw, Greg Shaw, Bob Shaw (Jeanean), Mike Shaw (Julie); Anne Shaw Moran; Katy Kern-Levine (Joe); Dick Kern; Alan Kern; Lee Kern, Dr. Michael Coe, Dr. William Coe (Anne), and many great-nieces and -nephews.
Services were held at Christ Episcopal Church, Cody, Monday, Nov. 20, with interment at Riverside Cemetery immediately following under the direction of Ballard Funeral Home.
Memorial donations may be made to the Buffalo Bill Historical Center, Planting Fields Foundation (P.O. Box 660, Oyster Bay, NY 11771), Spirit Mountain Hospice, Cody Medical Foundation or a charity of choice.
Doris Mabel Cross - November 16, 2006
Doris Mabel Cross, 91, died Nov. 16 at Powell Valley Care Center, where she lived the last year and half of her life.
She was born Nov. 4, 1915, in London, England, daughter of Charlie and Florence Ellen (Garrard) Attridge. She completed high school and married Harold Edward Clare in 1940. After Harold’s death, she moved from England to Los Angeles, Calif., in 1967 to be near her only child, who had immigrated to the United States in 1964. She remained and married Benjamin D. Cross in 1967. He died in 1978.
She was a life-long member of the Baptist Church and enjoyed knitting and crocheting. At Powell Valley Care Center, she received excellent care and kept the staff smiling with her dry, British sense of humor.
Survivors include her daughter, Christine M. Bartman of Powell; two grandchildren, Anthony Bartman (Ronda) of Los Angeles and Angela Williams (John) of Powell; six grandchildren; one nephew and three nieces and their families in England.
She was preceded in death by two husbands; a brother and a sister.
Her family will remember her as a great lady who is very much missed. The family is comforted in the knowledge that she is now in perfect peace with her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
At her request, no services will be held. Cremation has taken place.
For those who wish, the family would appreciate memorials to the Powell Valley Care Center.
Lawrence Reid - November 18, 2006
Lawrence Reid, 84, Powell, died Saturday, Nov. 18 in Billings Deaconess Hospital.
He was born May 23, 1922, in Burlington to James Douglas Reid and Amy Ann Tucker. He married Margaret Berry in Billings, Mont., on June 11, 1945 after returning from service in the European campaign of World War II. The family lived in Powell.
Mr. Reid was retired and enjoyed hobbies of metal fabrication, mechanical engineering and woodworking. He was a loving father, grandfather and great-grandfather and will be greatly missed by family and friends.
Survivors include his wife Margaret; sons Roy Reid of Powell and Danny (Rhonda) Reid of Sheridan; daughters Margaret Buchli (Calvin) of California and Linda Reid of Cody; brothers Hubert of Powell, Vern of Greybull and Ralph and Willy of Billings; sisters Josie Loudan of Worland, Jean DeGraide of Rhode Island and Cherry Dunaway of Kansas; three grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by his parents; one son, Harrison; and three brothers.
Cremation has taken place, and at his request there will be no memorial services. For those who wish, memorials to the Cancer Society would be appreciated by family.
Sandra Tollman - November 19, 2006
Funeral services will be Saturday, Nov. 25 at 1 p.m. at New Life Christian Fellowship for Sandra Jean Tollman, 65, who died Sunday, Nov. 19 at the Powell Hospital.
She was born April 29, 1941, in Lusk to Charles P. and Florence Tollman. She attended grade school in Lance Creek and then moved with her family to Thermopolis for her first year in high school. Her family then moved to Powell where she graduated from Powell High School as valedictorian in 1959.
Sandra went on to graduate from Northwest Community College in 1961 and that same year began a 35-year career at Northwest, retiring in 1996 as registrar.
She was an avid reader and enjoyed listening to music, doing embroidery and taking weekend drives with family to the mountains.
The Powell Valley Care Center had been Sandra’s home since 2003. There she made many new friends and enjoyed a wide variety of activities.
Survivors include three brothers, Ray (Vicki) of Powell, Ed of Glennallen, Alas., and Jerry of Delta Junction, Alas.; and numerous nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her parents; her stepmother, Edity; and a sister-in-law, Donna Tollman.
Burial will be in Crown Hill Cemetery, Powell, under the direction of Thompson Funeral Home. For those who wish, memorials may be sent to the Powell Valley Care Center or to a charity of one’s choice.
Magdalena Morales - November 20, 2006
Funeral services for Magdalena Maria Del Carmen Rodriguez Morales, 82, Byron, will be conducted Saturday, Nov. 25 at 10 a.m. at St. Laurence O’Toole Catholic Church in Laramie.
She died Monday, Nov. 20 at Laramie Care Center.
She was born Aug. 16, 1924, in Ricon De Tamayo, Guanajuato, Mexico. She married David Morales, Sr. on May 5, 1954, in Celaya, Guanajuato, Mexico, and they immigrated to the United States that year.
While residing in Powell and Byron, they worked for farm families in the Willwood area. Carmen was a homemaker, raising seven children while also enjoying tending to her flowers, crocheting, knitting and embroidering. She cherished visits from her many grandchildren.
She was a member of St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Lovell.
Survivors include her husband, David; four daughters, Socorra Morales (Dr. Ken Dammond) of Maryville, Md., and grandson Steve Lopp of Denver, Colo.; Clem Gallegos (Manuel) and grandchildren Marcus, Dean and Angel Marie of Laramie; Lilly Plasencio (Benny) and grandson Christopher of Laramie; Mary Nottage (Joe) and granddaughters Carmen, Heather, and Kendra of Laramie; three sons, Angel Morales (Jonelle) and grandchildren Ethan and Carol of Rochester, Minn.; David Morales, Jr. and granddaughters Kelsey and Kayla of Denver; and Rick Morales (Dr. Terry Berwick) of Denver; and four great-grandchildren. She is also survived by two brothers, Ricardo and Jesus Rodriguez; five sisters, Gregoria Kilo, Maria Martines, Raquel Lopes, Estela Sotelo and Guadalupe Pineda, all of Guanajuato, Mexico.
A prayer vigil will be held Friday, Nov. 24 at 7 p.m. at St. Laurence O’Toole Church. Father Frederico Callauti will officiate at services. Burial will follow in Laramie’s Green Hill Cemetery.
Memorial contributions can be made to Laramie Care Center, 503 S. 18th Street, Laramie, WY 82070 or the American Cancer Society, P.O. Box 22718, Oklahoma City, OK 73123.
Stryker Funeral Home, Laramie, is handling arrangements.
Paul F. Hedge - November 20, 2006
Former Powell resident Paul F. Hedge, 77, of 2360 B Patriot Lane, Oshkosh, Wisc., died in Appleton, Wisc., on Monday, Nov. 20.
He was born on Nov. 19, 1929, in Lincoln, Nebr., the son of Ivan and LaVada Hedge. He married Lois Snyder on July 31, 1951.
Following graduation from Doane College, Crete, Nebr., in 1951, Paul began his career in the banking profession in Scottsbluff, Nebr. In 1953, he began pursuing a masters in Music Education at Northern Colorado University in Greeley, Colo. Paul taught instrumental music for 23 years in Nebraska, Colorado, South Dakota, and Wyoming. While in South Dakota, he served as vice president for two years of S.D. Bandmasters and two years as president. He also served on the South Dakota High School Activities Board for several years.
Rushmore Music Camp in the Black Hills was established by Paul and Lois in 1971 and is still held annually each August for junior high and high school band students. Over the years, thousands of students have attended this camp near Mt. Rushmore. Paul was honored for Distinguished Service to Music by the SD Phi Beta Mu, Band Director’s Organization in 1992, by his alma mater Doane College in 2001, and by SD Music Educators Association in 2003.
In 1975, Paul and Lois purchased a music store in Powell and added another Hedge Music in Worland in 1981. The Hedges were in the music store business for 21 years. Since retirement in 1996, Paul spent a great deal of time with his wife at his cabin in Spearfish Canyon in the Black Hills of South Dakota. He volunteered as chairman of the Firewise Committee for the Spearfish Canyon Owner’s Association from 2001 to 2006.
Paul was active in civic affairs while a resident of Powell for 32 years, serving as chairman of the Downtown Improvement Committee for a number of years, president of Kiwanis, many offices in the United Methodist Church, and a loyal member of the church choir. He was a long-time board member for the Cody-Powell Community Concert Association.
Above all, Paul loved his family and loved music. He especially loved to play his trumpet and taught music lessons to many young students. He continued to play his trumpet in municipal bands, community symphonies, and at church wherever he lived. Most recently he played solos and with the Praise Band at Algoma Boulevard United Methodist Church in Oshkosh.
Survivors incude his wife, Lois of Oshkosh; son Randy (Holly) Hedge of Oshkosh, five grandchildren: Stephanie, Carly, and Joshua Hedge of Oshkosh, and Tyler Frederick of Worland and Heidi Frederick of Tacoma, Wash.; and brother Richard of Mead, Colo. He was preceded in death by daughter, Catherine Jean Frederick of Worland and by his parents, Ivan and LaVada Hedge of Filley, Nebr.
Memorial services were held Friday Nov. 24 at the Algoma Boulevard United Methodist Church. A memorial has been established for the student scholarships at the Rushmore Music Camp.
David Bagley Lewis - November 22, 2006
Memorial services are scheduled Sat., Dec. 2 in Garden Grove, Calif., for former Powell resident, David Bagley Lewis, 59.
He died Wednesday, Nov. 22 at his home in Garden Grove from cancer.
David was born in Powell on May 6, 1947 to Glenn and LeNore Lewis, attending local schools and graduating from Powell High School in 1965. He then went to Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah, for one year, leaving to serve two years as a missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the Eastern Atlantic States mission from 1966 to 1968.
He graduated from BYU in 1971 with a bachelor’s degree in accounting and was hired by Sears, Roebuck & Co. as an assistant store comptroller and then store comptroller trainee, working in Modesto, Concord and San Diego, Calif. He was hired by Denny’s Inc. in 1973 as an internal auditor at the company’s corporate headquarters in La Mirada, Calif., and later as senior corporate accountant.
He married Catherine Ann Peyton on Oct. 2, 1975, in the Los Angeles Temple of the LDS Church. The couple moved into their home in Garden Grove in 1976. Four children were born to them: Andrea (1976), Laura (1978), Michelle (1979) and Jeffrey (1981).
David left Denny’s in 1982 to become the Vice President-Comptroller for Innovative Holding Co. Inc. in Irvine, Calif. After the closing of the company in 1997, he became chief financial officer for Logon Data Corporation. He later became a consultant and then a realtor, in which he was engaged at the time of his death.
In the community he was active in Scouting and eventually served as the district chairman, receiving the Silver Beaver Award in 2004. He became part of the Interfaith Council of Garden Grove, Stanton, and Westminster and received their Community Spirit in Action Award. He also served on the Garden Grove Police Chief’s Community Forum and was an advisory board member for the BYU Management Society of Orange County and a member of the Institute of Management Accountants.
At church he served as bishop of the Garden Grove Fourth Ward and later as stake president of the Garden Grove Stake. Until his death, he served in the Newport Beach Temple as a coordinator, having served previously in the Los Angeles Temple.
David is survived by his wife, Cathy; daughters Andrea and husband Adam McGary of Costa Mesa, Calif., Laura and her husband Johnny Hollingshead of Salt Lake City, Utah, Michelle and her husband Jared Aller of San Francisco, Calif.; a son, Jeffrey of Garden Grove; three granddaughters, Meghan and Kaitlyn McGary and Sydney Hollingshead. He is also survived by his father, Glenn R. Lewis of Sandy, Utah; brother, Donald Lewis of Redding, Calif.; and sisters, JoEllen Green of El Centro, Calif. and Diane Hull of Redlands, Calif.
He was preceded in death by his mother, LeNore Bagley Lewis (1989), and brother Grant (1982).
Joan Baker - November 24, 2006
Joan Czarny Baker, 86, died Friday, Nov. 24 at the Powell Valley Care Center.
Cremation has taken place, and graveside services will be held Friday, Dec. 1 at 10 a.m. at Riverside Cemetery in Cody, with Father Pete Johnson of St. Barbara’s Catholic Church in Powell officiating.
Joan was born Sept. 9, 1918, in Sheridan to Peter and Josephine Czarny.
She married Verne Baker on May 5, 1940. They lived in Deadwood, S.D., until 1949 when they moved to Casper. They transferred to Baton Rouge, La., in 1967, and after retiring in 1982, they moved to Panama City, Fla. in 1985. The moved to Rapid City, S.D. in 1994 and to Powell in 2002. Together Joan and Verne traveled extensively in the United States.
Survivors include her husband, Verne Baker of Powell and a sister, Rose Maynard of Reno, Nev. She is also survived by nieces and nephews: Karen Devenryns (Steve) of Cody, Carol Anderson (and family) of Las Vegas, Nev., Norma Heide of Wapato, Wash., Martin Heidi and Marvin Bowkett of Sheridan, William Bowkett of Boise, Idaho, Charles Anderson of Evergreen, Colo., and Steve Maynard of Las Vegas.
She was preceded in death by her parents, three brothers and five sisters.
Ballard Funeral Home, Cody, is in charge of arrangements.
Alice May Lehner - November 27, 2006
Alice May Lehner died Monday, Nov. 27 at Powell Valley Hospital. She was 79.
She was born Jan. 20, 1927, in Potosi, Mo., daughter of Hugh Roland Morris and Ibbie May (McGuire) Morris.
She was a teacher and a rancher’s wife, having married Clair Lehner in Red Lodge, Mont. She lived in Montana and Wyoming.
She was fond of art and poetry and raising cats.
Her husband, Clair Lehner, preceded her in death.
She is survived by her sister, Velma Morris Fitzgerald, and brother-in-law, Frank Boring Fitzgerald, in Montana.
Cremation has taken place. Arrangements were by Thompson Funeral Home.
Rudolph Richard Ley - November 28, 2006
Rudolph Richard (Rudy) Ley, 86, of Cody died in his home Tuesday, Nov. 28 due to a house fire.
Funeral services are scheduled at 11 a.m. Friday, Dec. 1 at the Christ the King Lutheran Church in Cody. Cremation has taken place.
He was born Aug. 21, 1920, to Jacob and Katherine (Crisman) Ley. He grew up and attended schools in North Dakota during the horse and buggy days. He then moved to Colorado.
He married the love of his life, Irene, Jan. 14, 1942. To this union were born two daughters, Sharon and Kathryn, his very special daughter.
He was drafted into the U.S. Army and served during World War II from 1942-1946. Upon learning that Rudy spoke fluent German, the Army made him an interpreter for Prisoners of War, and it was his role to be among the first to enter concentration camps to seek and help surviving Prisoners of War. He was one of the first soldiers to enter and liberate the Nazi prison camp at Auchwitz.
He was also known as one of the best Army cooks. He received the Purple Heart for injuries received in combat.
After his discharge, he worked for the sugar factories in Colorado.
In 1948, Rudy and Irene and Sharon moved to Powell. He worked as a butcher in a grocery store and then Rudy worked as a plumber for Heasler Plumbing and Heating for 25 years. In 1965, Rudy and family moved to their farm outside Cody where he and Irene farmed until their retirement. He was still milking his cow, feeding his calf and gathering his eggs to sell every day.
He loved to dance — the waltz and polka. Rudy and Irene won numerous dance competitions.
Rudy was a kind and loving person, willing to help his friends and anyone in need. He was always there. He was a loving, caring husband, father, father-in-law, grandfather and friend. He loved all his animals and was always proud to show them.
His family says, “We are all blessed to have been able to share his life, and he will never be forgotten.”
Rudy was preceded in death by his parents; his brother, Gottlieb; and his sister, Anna. He leaves behind his wife of 64 years, Irene; his daughter, Sharon (Lyman) Sammons of Lovell, and daughter Kathryn of Powell; three grandchildren, Ty Sammons of Byron, Kyle Sammons of Rock Springs and Keri Sammons of Menan, Idaho; many nieces and nephews; his friends and all the special little ones he and his wife helped to raise over the years.
Cards of condolence may be sent to Irene Ley, c/o Sharon Sammons, 709 Lane 11, Lovell, WY 82431.
James R. Hutchinson - November 29, 2006
James ("Jim") Ray Hutchinson, 86, died in his home in Rapid City, South Dakota on Wednesday November 29, 2006, following a valiant two-year battle with pancreatic cancer, surrounded by family and friends. Born on July 4, 1920 in Kansas City, MO, to Noble Max and Mary Emma (McCluskey) Hutchinson, Reverend Hutchinson was raised in Bartlesville, OK. He courageously served his country as a B-17 navigator and Army Air Corp officer (2nd Lieutenant) during World War II.
He received his education at the University of Oklahoma in Norman and graduated with a degree in Petroleum Engineering in 1943. He was a member of the Delta Tau Delta fraternity. Following graduation, he was employed as a petroleum district engineer for the Cities Service Oil Company for 20 years before entering seminary.
He married Virginia ("Vickie") Varnell in Oklahoma City, OK on November 27, 1949. From this union, three children were born: Robert Ray, John David, and Pamela Lea. Vickie’s unexpected death occurred in 1975, the result of a cerebral hemorrhage. Pamela lost her courageous battle with scleroderma in 2003.
Following graduation in 1969 from Dubuque Seminary in Dubuque, IA, he was ordained as Minister of Word and Sacrament of the Presbyterian Church U.S.A. He moved to Minneapolis, KS, where he was installed as minister for the First Presbyterian Church. Over the ensuing years, Jim served many churches as an interim pastor throughout the Presbytery of Northern Kansas. He moved to Salina, KS in 1976, where he obtained his Senior Certified Alcoholism/Drug Addiction Counselor’s certification. He provided substance abuse treatment services at St. John’s Hospital in Salina and pastoral counseling services as an interventionist at the Central Kansas Foundation, a drug and alcohol treatment organization. Following retirement, Jim continued to maintain his previous level of commitment to the ministry, serving as an active member of the Committee on Ministry in the Presbyteries of Santa Fe, NM, Wyoming and South Dakota, ministered as a supply pastor, in addition to serving the denomination as liaison for the National Board of Pensions of the Presbyterian Church (USA).
His accomplishments include his many years of service as a Dale Carnegie Course Instructor (1958-1968), membership in the Kansas and National Alcoholism and Drug Addiction Counselors Associations (1976 – 1993), and membership of Rotary Club International for many years in the communities of Santa Fe, NM, Laramie, WY, and Las Vegas, NM.
While in Salina, he married Mary Catherine (Craig) Selby in 1990 after a twelve-year courtship. She is currently an Assistant Professor of Nursing at the University of South Dakota in Rapid City.
He is survived by his wife, Mary Catherine, son Ray Hutchinson (Dubuque, IA), son John Hutchinson and his wife, Dr. Kathy Platoni, (Beavercreek, OH), son-in-law Mark Collison and three grandchildren Joshua, Melissa, and Micah Collison (Sioux Falls, SD). Also mourning his loss are two stepchildren, Michael Selby, his wife Michelle, and their daughter Amanda Brown of Santa Fe, NM, and Kathleen Selby and her husband, Don Lamoureaux and their children - Teela and Rose Lamoureaux of Mission, SD. He was preceded in death by his parents and daughter, Pamela Lea Collison (Sioux Falls, SD). Jim’s infinite gifts permitted him to touch scores of lives and to generate lifelong friendships among each of the many places he called home.
Funeral arrangements will be conducted by the Osheim-Catron Funeral Home, located at 2700 Jackson Blvd. Rapid City. Visitation is scheduled for Monday December 4, 2006, 4 PM to 7 PM at the funeral home. Funeral services will held at 11 AM on Tuesday, December 5, 2006 at Emmanuel Episcopal Church, Rapid City. Following cremation, Reverend Hutchinson will be inurned at Black Hills National Cemetery, Sturgis, SD. Memorial gifts may be made to Hope Lodge (American Cancer Society), 411 2nd Street NW, Rochester, MN 55901 or to Hospice of the Hills in Rapid City, SD.
Friends may offer condolences and sign Jim’s online guestbook at www.osheimcatron.com.