February 2010
Barbara Donaldson, 83, of Thermopolis,
Feb. 1.
Linda Joann Robertson
Ohrmund, 55, of Shoshoni, formerly of Thermopolis Feb. 3.
John Elmore Elliott, 80, of Casper, formerly of Worland, Feb. 6.
Verna L. Homer, 88, of Lakeside,
Ariz., formerly of Worland, Feb. 11.
Norma Tryon Clevenger, 71, of
Eugene, Ore., formerly of Worland, Feb. 12.
Zola Skidmore Van Norman, of Lovell, Feb. 14.
Melvin Roy Winterholler, 77,
of Gillette, formerly of Basin, Feb. 17.
Sarah J. Ihde, 90, of Worland, Feb. 17.
Mickie Conner Villegas, 53, of Worland, Feb. 18.
Frank F. Marcus, 87, of Hughson,
Calif., formerly of Basin, Feb. 19.
Maxine Meyer, 64, of Basin, Feb. 21.
Gayle Joyce Joyner, 67, of Kirby,
in Billings, Mont., Feb. 22.
Clara Irene Hefenieder, 89, of
Worland, Feb. 22.
Margaret (Peggy) H. Howell,
100, of Sheridan, Feb. 23.
Joanna Stewart, 28, of Worland in Sheridan, Feb. 24.
Thelma Griggs Sprague, 90, of
Orem, Utah, formerly of Powell, Feb. 24.
Dale Edward Chapman, 62, of
Basin, Feb. 25.
George J. “Junior” Havens,
88, of Worland, died in Buffalo, Feb. 26.
Leo J. “Jim” Hammond, 90, of
Thermopolis, Feb. 27.
John L. "Jack" Troseth, 84, of Worland, Feb. 27.
March 2010
Joseph “Joe” Runestad, 77, of
Buffalo, formerly of Thermopolis, Mar. 1.
Marie Louise
Leseberg-Kintzler, 49, of Red Lodge, Mont., Mar.2
WORLAND – John “Jack” L. Troseth, Sr., 84, passed away Saturday, Feb. 27, 2010.
He was born to Oscar and Elizabeth (Hahnstein) Troseth on May 19, 1925 in Worland.
Jack loved sports his entire life. In school, he participated in football, basketball and track. He was named to the all-conference teams his junior and senior years as a running back and linebacker. Jack also played American Legion baseball and was an important part of two state championships in 1941 and 1942.
He entered the U.S. Army in January 1944 and served in Italy and Europe with the 30th Infantry Division, 119th Infantry Regiment. Jack also played baseball with the 119th Regimental baseball team after World War II. He was discharged in April 1946.
Jack attended the University of Wyoming where he played on the 1946 and 1947 football teams as well as on the baseball team 1947-1950.
Jack married Patricia Smith in October 1952. They had two children, John L. Troseth, Jr. and Kathryn E. Troseth Snook. The couple later divorced. He helped in the family business, John & Oscar’s Bar, from 1950 until he sold it in 1979. He married DeLores Tolliver Elliott in January 1969. Jack and DeLores were partners with son-in-law Chris Vilos in the Ram’s Horn Café and Little Chicago for a number of years. In the early ‘90s, they sold their portion of the business and moved to Billings, Mont. In the summer of 1995, they moved back to Worland and moved into Jack’s childhood home.
Jack played many years with the Worland Indians semi-pro baseball team. During that time, they won four state championships and two Wyoming-Montana bi-state championships.
Until his final days, Jack still made “the rounds” to visit, and he loved finding a “pigeon or two” for a game of euchre. He loved to sing, talk baseball, give anyone a little ribbing, but mostly just liked people. Jack will be remembered for his sense of humor, intelligence, companion and memory. If he had any final words, they would have been to Da Bears: “Please win a championship for Tros!”
He was preceded in death by his parents Oscar and Elizabeth; his wife DeLores on Sept. 11, 2001; aunt Cecile Ludicke; and three grandchildren Paul, Chris and Sara.
Jack is survived by his son John (Georgene) Troseth of Nashville, Tenn.; daughter Kathy (Gary) Snook of Lola, Mont.; step-children Glenna (Chris) Vilos, John (Ruth) Elliott all of Worland, Melody (Dave) Koontz of Sacramento, Calif. and Patricia (Pete) Laquitara of Shamong, N.J.; 12 grandchildren; 18 great-grandchildren and one great-great-grandchild.
Funeral services will be Friday, March 5 at 2 p.m. at Bryant Funeral Home. Burial will follow at Riverview Memorial Gardens Cemetery with VFW Post 45 in charge of military honors.
Bryant Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
THERMOPOLIS – Leo J. “Jim” Hammond, 90, surrounded by his loving family, passed away on Saturday, Feb. 27, 2010 after a lengthy illness.
Jim was born Jan. 19, 1920 in Aurora, Neb., the son of Glenn and Leota (Turner) Hammond. In 1925 the family moved to Midwest and then Thermopolis on Owl Creek in 1932. It was there Jim met Jewel Ready. He graduated from Thermopolis High School in 1938 where he played football and ran track.
In 1939, he and Jewel were married. Jim served in the U.S. Army at the end of World War II. Returning to Thermopolis, he worked for various area ranches and was manager of Masek’s Auto Parts for 23 years, retiring in 1985.
A member of First Baptist Church, he was a deacon and sang in the choir. His interests included church, fishing, hunting and wood carving.
He was preceded in death by his parents; step-mother Sylva Hammond; brothers George and Curtis; and sisters Gertrude David and Jean Nielsen.
Jim is survived by Jewel, his wife of 70 years; his two children Leo R. (Nina) Hammond of Owl Creek and Carmel Lyn (Chuck) Christensen of Helena, Mont.; five grandchildren; nine great-grandchildren; three great-great-grandchildren; brother Vern (Billie) Hammond of Flagstaff, Ariz. and sister Joanne Spear of Billings, Mont.
Memorials may be made to the First Baptist Church, Thermopolis, Wyo. 82443.
Mortimore Funeral Home is assisting with arrangements.
THERMOPOLIS – Joseph “Joe” Runestad, 77, died Monday, March 1, 2010 at the Veterans Home of Wyoming in Buffalo where he had lived for several years.
He was born in 1933 on the family farm in Bowman County, N.D., the son of John H. and Olga (Vestfos) Runestad. The family came to Thermopolis in the late 1940s where Joe graduated from high school. He joined the U.S. Army in 1952 and served during the Korean War until October 1954. Following his discharge he worked as a farm hand and carpenter in Thermopolis and the Roundup, Mont. area. He then lived in the Sheridan area until retiring to the Veterans Home.
He was a member of the Lutheran Church and the VFW. His interests included reading, writing and bible study.
He was preceded in death by his parents; brothers Oscar, Henry and Theodore and sister Ruth Shaffer.
Joe is survived by a brother John Runestad of Roundup; four sisters Mabel Bergstrazer of Little Falls, Minn., Ella Hafner of Ludlow, S.D., Olga Harvey of Thermopolis and Lillian Andreen of Casper and numerous nieces and nephews.
Memorials may be made to MAF (Missionary Aviation Fellowship) for Dennis Bergstrazer, 112 No. Pilatus Lane, Nampa, Idaho, 83687.
Mortimore Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Marie Louise Leseberg-Kintzler
THERMOPOLIS – Marie Louise Leseberg-Kintzler, 49, died at home in Red Lodge, Mont. Tuesday, Mar.2, 2010, surrounded by loved ones after a short illness.
She was born July 4, 1960 in Casper, the daughter of Jim and Roberta Leseberg. She attended schools in Lander and College in Riverton. After living in Riverton for many years working as a teller in a bank, she moved to Red Lodge, Mont. She was employed as a receptionist at resorts.
Her interests included cooking, gardening, the outdoors, family and her cats. She was a member of the Catholic faith.
Preceding her in death were her maternal and paternal grandparents. Survivors include her sons, Doug Leseberg of Great Falls, Mont. and Ryan Kintzler of Bozeman, Mont.; daughter, Ashlee Kintzler of Laramie; parents of Thermopolis; brothers, Dale and Neal Leseberg of Rock Springs; sisters, Pam Leseberg of Thermopolis and Diana (Corky) Ando of Powell; and two grandsons.
Mass of Christian Burial will be held Saturday, Mar. 6, 10:30 a.m. at St. Francis Catholic Church in Thermopolis with Father Hugo Blotsky officiating. Burial will follow at Riverside Cemetery. A parish vigil will be held Friday evening, 7 p.m. at the church.
Mortimore Funeral Home is assisting the family with arrangements.
POWELL — Thelma Griggs Sprague, 90, passed away on Feb. 24, 2010 in Orem, Utah.
Thelma was born Dec. 3, 1919 at Powell, the first of four children born to Vera Sessions Griggs and John Samuel Griggs. She was born on a homestead on the Powell Flat. Her earliest years were spend in the Powell area before moving to Chatham, Wyo. where her father worked for Marathon Oil and her mother cooked for the crew.
On Sept. 22, 1938 Thelma married Leonard Sprague in Billings, Mont. They were the proud parents of six children.
Thelma helped her husband Leonard operate the business when he established the War Surplus Store in Powell in 1958. She also worked at Gambles and Powell Valley Office Supply. She worked as a receptionist at the War Memorial Hospital in Powell and had fond memories working with friends at Linton’s Big R Store until her retirement.
Thelma had a firecracker personality and loved her years volunteering at the Powell Hospital and was proud to be a breast cancer survivor. She looked forward to her “lunch bunch” every Tuesday at the Pizza Hut. A gaggle of senior citizens met regularly for years and her attendance was an absolute necessity.
When Thelma’s health declined, she lived in the home of her daughter Debbie and Fred Newcomer in Evanston, finally moving into Summerfield Retirement Center in Orem where she enjoyed a happy, comfortable life, celebrating her 90th birthday in December 2009.
She was preceded in death by her husband Leonard on May 11, 1974; sister Florence Nalley; brother Donald H. Griggs; son-in-law Chris Haas; and two great-grandchildren.
Thelma is survived by her six children, Bonnie Haas of Cherokee, Okla., Cheryl (Charles) Cozzens of Hiland, Utah, Charlene of Salt Lake City, Charles (Alice) of Pueblo, Colo., Douglas (Marie) of Canyon Country, Calif. and Debra (Fred) Newcomer of Evanston; her brother Sam (Bud) and Edna Griggs of Lake Havasu, Ariz.; 18 grandchildren and 31 great-grandchildren.
Services will be conducted Saturday, March 6 at 11 a.m. at the Powell LDS Chapel, Ave. E St. with interment in Crown Hill Cemetery. A viewing will be held on Friday from 7-9 p.m. at the Thompson Funeral Home in Powell and 30 minutes prior to the Saturday service at the church.
The family desires memorials to the Byron Memorial Park, Byron, Wyo. or to Breast Cancer Research.
Thompson Funeral Home, Inc. in Powell is in charge of arrangements.
