C. Leslie Mercer

Posted

(Aug. 28, 2006)

Charles Leslie Mercer, Powell resident and former Big Horn County resident, died Monday evening, Aug. 28 at the Powell Valley Care Center where he had been a resident. He was 94.

He was born at Hyattville May 13, 1912, son of Asa S. Mercer Jr. and Stella (Gardner) Mercer. He grew to manhood in Hyattville, attending school at the Mercer School and at Basin.

He married Clara Allen at Hyattville Oct. 22, 1937. They had one son, Allen Stephen Mercer.

They made their home at Hyattville until moving to Basin in April of 1949. He worked 12 years at the Red Horse Service Station, and then he and his son bought the Cory Drive In. For the next 20 years, he managed the theaters in Basin as a family project, retiring in 1980.

Les was an active member of the United Methodist Church in Basin. He was past president of the Basin Chamber of Commerce. He was a member of the Knights of Pythias, where he served as Grand Chancellor of the Grand Domain of Wyoming and also served as Supreme Representative at Baltimore, Oklahoma City and Phoenix.

In retirement, he loved traveling, fishing, hunting, visiting family and attending the Yellowstone Conference of the Methodist Church. He loved to sing and dance the waltz.

Survivors include his loving wife of 69 years, Clara Mercer of Powell; his son, Allen Mercer and wife Ena of Powell; his brother, Chester Mercer (Martha) of Hyattville; three granddaughters, Connie (Curt) Stebner of Powell, Tammy (Nick) Siddle of Sheridan and Wendy (Chuck) Carver of Thermopolis; seven great-grandchildren, Troy Siddle, Kelly Siddle, Cory Stebner, Chancey Stebner, Lorraine Carver, Sondra Carver and Erica Ford.

He was preceded in death by his parents; his brother, Stephen Mercer; his sister, Pauline Sievers; three sisters-in-law, Grace Schroeber, Ethel Alexander and Margaret Dufresne; and brother-in-law, Henry Allen.

Funeral services will be Saturday, Sept. 2 at 11 a.m. at the United Methodist Church in Basin, with Rev. Jack Preston officiating. Burial will follow in Mount View Cemetery in Basin.

A viewing will be held Friday, Sept. 1 from 3 to 6 p.m. at the Atwood Family Chapel in Basin.

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