Mostly Cloudy, 55° F
(Oct. 6, 2005)
Patricia Ann Mudgett died Oct. 6 at Powell Valley Healthcare at the age of 81.
She was born in Powell on Aug. 11, 1924, to homesteaders Percy William and Norah Knight Walsh Oviatt. She had a beloved brother, Waldo, who was 10 years her elder, but who died in 1952. When she was only 3 years old, her mother was killed by a rattlesnake. From that time until junior high she was raised in Iowa by her grandmothers and spoke with much love of her two aunts that were in her life during those years. Her dad and brother were also much a part of her life during these years, although not always living in the same house.
In junior high school, Pat, along with her dad Percy and her much loved step-mother Bertha, moved back to Powell. She was a member of the Powell High School National Honor Society and earned a letter in basketball. She graduated in 1942. During high school and shortly after, she worked at Bonner's Department Store.
In her mid 20s, she went to work in the office of Home Lumber Co. Her new boss was Ralph Mudgett. A romance blossomed and Pat and Ralph were married in 1950. They raised two daughters, Sue and Noreen. As well as being partners in marriage, Ralph and Pat were also partners in Mudgett Bookkeeping Service, where both Sue and Noreen learned the bookkeeping business. They met many clients during those years that became lifelong friends. Pat was still working in a limited capacity until she became ill in the spring of 2004. She always looked forward to income tax season so she could see her clients and get caught up on their latest news.
Pat was involved in Powell Day Care from its beginning in the early 1970s until the closing in 2000, always being a board member and being the accountant for most of those years. Pat lived her last 13 months at the Powell Care Center where she enjoyed the many social events. She cherished visits with friends and looked forward to family gatherings for birthdays and especially Christmas.
She was preceded in death by her parents and her brother, Waldo. Her husband, Ralph, died in 1988.
She is survived by two daughters, Sue Clifton and Noreen (Bill) Cox; eight grandchildren, Amy and Anthony Aguirre and Kristin and Trent Greenwald all of Powell, Rick (Lisa) Clifton of Nine Miles Falls, Wash., Norman (Jodi) Cox of Casper, Ryan (Vickie) Cox of Rawlins and Jason Cox of Rapid City, S.D.; 10 great-grandchildren, Alex, Aspen, Ashlyn and Asher Aguirre of Powell, Nikkole and Jayden Clifton of Nine Miles Falls, Ethan, Avery and Isaiah Cox of Casper and Sheridan Cox of Rawlins; one sister-in-law, Evelyn Steeck; and one step-sister, Virginia (Byron) Bishopp.
Pallbearers at her funeral services were Norman, Ryan and Jason Cox, Trent Greenwald, Larry Carter and Jack Johnston. Honorary pallbearers were Anthony Aguirre, Rick Clifton, Dwight Gilbert, Dave Merkel and Paul Jacobs. Donations may be sent to the Powell Valley Care Center Recreation Department for use in the patio area or the charity of choice in her memory.
