Wayne L. Feusner

Posted

(December 28, 2001)

Funeral services were conducted Wednesday at Miratsky-Easton Funeral Home for Wayne L. Feusner, retired Powell dairyman, who died Friday, Dec. 28 at the Powell Nursing Home. He was 89.

Mr. Feusner was born Jan. 18, 1912, in Huntley, Neb. He was the second of seven children born to Roy and Lillian (McConnell) Feusner. The family moved to the Emblem Bench area in 1933 where they farmed for several years.

On April 5, 1939, he married Freda Niday in Nebraska City, Neb. The couple immediately returned to Basin, where his parents had moved from Emblem, to work with the Feusner family-owned dairy processing business.

The dairy processing had begun as a home operation on the Emblem Bench farm in 1935 to supplement family income during hard economic times. After moving from Emblem Bench, the Feusner family decided to expand their dairy operation into what later became known as Cream of the Valley Dairies.

When the dairy business experienced large growth, Wayne and Freda Feusner and their family moved to Powell in 1948 to establish the central milk processing plant and corporate headquarters. Their dairy products received many quality awards and were marketed from Powell to Lander and southern Montana.

In 1972, the family-owned business was expanded into plastic blow-molded beverage container manufacturing, with manufacturing plants in Powell, Billings and Denver, Colo. Cream of the Valley industries thrived for over 40 years as a family-owned business, serving the entire Big Horn Basin and southern Montana until February, 1983, when Wayne and the family retired, and the business was sold. The beverage container manufacturing plant in Denver was sold in 1985.

Mr. Feusner was mechanically inclined and enjoyed building two complete miniature steam locomotives during his retirement years. His compassionate love of his family made him an exemplary role model for his children and grandchildren. He enjoyed the beauty and serenity of the mountains, and he made every attempt to be near them during his life.

Survivors include his wife of 62 yeas, Freda; two sons, LeRoy Feusner and wife Lynnette of Cheyenne, and Joe Feusner and wife JoAnn of Las Vegas, Nev.; a sister, Wilma Flyr of Las Vegas; four grandchildren, Kristi of Cheyenne, Katreena of Huntsville, Ala., and Jonathan and Janell of Las Vegas; and one great-grandchild, Timothy of Huntsville, Ala.; and several nephews and nieces.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Roy and Lillian Feusner of Basin; two sisters, Grace Feusner of Craig, Colo., and Ellen Rice of Alliance, Ohio; and three brothers, Dale Feuser of Billings and Carroll and Lloyd Feusner of Basin.

Burial was in Crown Hill Cemetery, Powell.

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