Partly Cloudy, 36° F
(Sept. 20, 1928 - May 13, 2012)
Longtime Powell area resident, Raymond John Bessler, died Sunday, May 13 at the Powell Valley Care Center. He was 83.
He was born Sept. 20, 1928, in Chicago, Ill., to Felix and Nannie (Barton) Bessler and moved with his family as a young child to a homestead on the Willwood Division south of Powell. He attended Powell schools and graduated from Powell High School in 1947.
On April 21, 1950, he married Janice Staker at St. Barbara’s Catholic Church in Powell. Together, they raised two sons and three daughters, and Ray devoted himself to his family as his first love.
Ray was an avid outdoorsman, who derived great enjoyment hunting and fishing in Wyoming. He was also a sportsman who pursued America’s pastime of baseball. He played, coached and umpired baseball and softball. In 1967, he coached the Powell Babe Ruth League All Stars to a district championship.
He was a member of Elks, Eagles and the Wyoming Umpires Association.
Ray took great pleasure in attaching nicknames to family members, starting with his children. The names stuck and held. Alan became “Bud;” Wanda became “Burket;” Mike was “Mav;” Sharon was forever “Bucky;” and Jan was “Jimmy.”
Survivors include his wife Janice in Powell; sons, Bud (Linda) Bessler of Worland and Mike (Rindy) Bessler of Shoshoni; daughters, Wanda Jacobs, Sharon Richardson and Jan (Guy) Bennett, all of Powell; brothers, John (Barb) Bessler of Powell, and Fred (Sandy) Bessler of Imperial, Neb., sisters-in-law, Ida Bessler and Gerri Bessler, both of Powell, and Janet Bessler of Laramie; brothers-in-law, Richard Heny of Powell, Bill Kupfer of Joliet, Ill., and Keith (Carolyn) Staker of Heyburn, Idaho; 11 grandchildren and 10-great-grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by his parents; sisters, Rosemary, Grace and Lucille; brothers, Felix, Hugo and Jim; son-in-law, Eric Richardson; and grandson, Ryan Richardson.
Funeral services will be conducted Friday, May 18 at 10 a.m. at St. Barbara’s Catholic Church under the direction of Thompson Funeral Home. Father Glenn Szczechowski will preside. Cremation has taken place.
Honorary pallbearers are grandchildren (nicknames in parenthesis): Gary Bessler (Zachary), Lee Bessler (Zeke), Kacey Green (Burr), Jeromy Jacobs (Wilmer), Dana Richardson (Tessie Lou), Jennifer Hallock (Tweetie), Ryan Richardson (Orv), Desaray Alcorn (Belle), Joshua Jacobs (Clem), Erin Study (Raychal Barie), Dane Bennett (Coot) and Hoot Bessler.
