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Ethel Barbara Heimer, age 104, of Powell, Wyoming, passed away Aug. 10 at the Powell Valley Care Center.
She was born on the family homestead in Garland on Oct. 14, 1919, to Hank and Laura Meyers. She was the youngest of six girls with two younger brothers. She was born as a preemie, spending her first few months in a shoe box on the oven door. She rode a wagon to the Garland school until eighth grade, then graduated from Powell High School in 1937.
In 1938, she married Lloyd Heimer with $5 to their name. Ethel once said, “The key to a good marriage is work, play and have fun together.” They had three beautiful girls: Bobby Lou, Kay Lee and Judy. In 1957, Ethel and Lloyd purchased the family homestead in Garland where they spent all their years until Lloyd passed away in 2013. Once the girls started school, Ethel spent a few years working in the cafeteria at Powell Middle School then moved to Westside Elementary School as the assistant librarian. All the while, she was a full-time gardener and provided food for the family year round. Ethel loved the annual family summer packtrips. In the fall, she’d be hiking up and down many mountains hunting with her trusty .30-30. She and Lloyd loved dancing to keep the romance fresh, they could really cut a rug. They loved singing and yodeling a tune upon request. They were two of a kind!
Ethel survived being born a 3.5- pound preemie, the Great Depression, World War II, cancer, open heart surgery, heart attack, and the diagnoses of Covid at 102 years old.
Ethel is survived by daughters Kay (Jake) Clark of Ralston and Judy Heimer (Robert Krufal) of Spokane Valley, grandchildren: Darren (Wendy) Davis, Shawn (Jodi) Davis, TJ Clark (Amy Landrus), and Codi (Colby) Gines, and several nieces, nephews, 10 great-grandchildren, and one great-great grandchild.
Ethel was preceded in death by her husband Lloyd and daughter Bobbie Lou Davis Sheron of Butte; parents Henry and Laura Meyers; sisters Mary Burns of Cody, baby sister Helen Meyers, Kathryn Brown of Cody, Clara Barber of Billings; Loretta Johannes of Billings; and brothers Francis “Bud” Meyers of Powell, and Jack Meyers of Juneau, Alaska; and a dear friend Jim Pearce of Powell.
Ethel will always be remembered for her caring nature, loving personality and positive attitude. Her smile was contagious!
The family would like to thank the nursing staff at the Powell Valley Care Center as well as her caregivers with Hands to Help and Sunflower Senior Services.
Celebration of Life is Wednesday, Aug. 14 at 4 p.m. at Jake Clark’s Barn in Ralston, Wyoming, where she and Lloyd loved spending their time taking in events and dancing to country music. Following the Celebration of Life, attendees can enjoy a potluck dinner. Bring a fresh garden treat or your favorite sampling to enjoy with fried chicken. Live streaming of the services can be viewed on Kay Clark’s Facebook page or at (youtube.com/@kayclark8164).
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the American Legion or Senior Center who she loved supporting.
