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Candis (Moore) Peterson, 37, of Thermopolis, passed away on Feb. 7, 2019, as the result of a motor vehicle accident.
She is survived by her husband, Jason Peterson; her four children, Elizabeth, Cash, Violet, and Holly Jo; her parents, Tom and JoAnn (Hammond) Moore, and Terry and Tracey Peterson; her siblings, Lindsay (Tim) Shaw, Jacob (Charity) Moore, and June (Duane) Dunn; grandparents, Leo and Nina Hammond and Charline Peterson; aunts and uncle, Brenda (Ken) Schultz, Vicki (Elwood) Groenwald, and Jim Hammond; and numerous nieces and nephews.
Candis was a beloved daughter, mother, wife, sister, granddaughter, niece, and friend. She was born in Thermopolis in August of 1981, where she lived until the age of 9, when her family moved to Farmington, New Mexico.
At the age of 12, Candis and her family returned to Cody, where they lived until she graduated from Cody High School in 1999. Growing up, Candis enjoyed playing the piano, singing, theatre, and running cross country track.
After graduating from Cody High School, Candis enlisted in the U.S. Army where she served as a Cryptologic Technician/Arabic Linguist. She served a tour in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba and another in Iraq in support of OPERATION Enduring Freedom and OPERATION Iraqi Freedom. While deployed, Candis provided translation and interpreter support to military commanders communicating with tribal leaders, the local population, and detainees. After leaving active duty, Candis returned to her home state of Wyoming, serving in the Wyoming National Guard while attending Northwest College in Powell, before transferring to the University of Wyoming, in Laramie, where she graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Cultural Studies in 2011.
While serving in the National Guard and finishing her degree, Candis become a wife and mother. Candis and her husband Jason are the proud parents of four beautiful children. Candis dedicated her days to her family, ensuring that each of her unique and amazing children were showered with love and affection and afforded all the opportunities of life. She instilled in them some of her best traits, the best beautiful parts of her — love, kindness, dedication, and a fun-loving spirit.
Of all her extraordinary abilities and experiences, being a mother was what she considered to be her greatest accomplishment and joy.
Candis was known for her coppery red hair, brilliant green eyes, intelligent mind, and enormous heart. She had a passion for being outdoors and traveling, combined with an adventurous spirit, all of which drove her to experience life on an elevated level. She would hike, camp, and rock climb or be happy just to run around the yard at their country home with her children. Her smile and laughter could light up a room and her tender heart spread love and kindness to all that she met. She was also incredibly brave and strong.
Though her life was short, Candis touched so many people during her time here in both small and large ways and will be remembered and cherished forever.
Services will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 16, 2019, at the Risen Son Southern Baptist Church (342 Amoretti St, Thermopolis, WY 82443) with a reception to immediately follow at the Veterans of Foreign Wars (302 Broadway St, Thermopolis, WY 82443).
