Edith Elizabeth (Zerfass) Smith, 89 went to be with her Lord and Savior on July 8, 2017 in Casper, WY. A memorial service will be held at 2:00 pm on Saturday, July 15, 2017 at Grace Lutheran Church with Pastor Brenda Frelsi officiating.
Edith was born April 15, 1928 in Mason City, IA to George L. and Florence M. (Howard) Zerfass. She moved to Casper, WY with her foster family Les and Margaret Ladd in 1944. She graduated from Natrona County High School in 1947 and always spoke lovingly about her favorite teacher Miss Kathleen Hemry.
On June 7, 1947 she married Charles D. Smith at Grace Lutheran Church in Casper, WY. He preceded her in death on February 22, 2013.
Edith (our mom) loved being a home maker. Her countless hours of volunteer work began with the school districts throat culture program. As a “Pink Lady” with the Ladies Auxiliary at Wyoming Medical Center, she logged thousands of hours over twenty five years. When she felt her health wasn’t good enough to do the patient escort any longer she then began her volunteer career at Fort Caspar Museum. She never met a stranger, and was happy to help a visiting Londoner collect all of the United States quarters and mailed them to him.
Edith often referred to the way things happened in her early days saying “that’s how we did it back in 1808”. Her sense of humor was priceless and always kept smiles on the faces of those around her. Her faith in God, integrity, stability as well as her courage and strength showed in her daily life. She enjoyed entertaining and cooking for family and friends and was known for her famous BBQ brisket.
Edith and Smith (as she lovingly referred to her husband) enjoyed traveling, spending time with their family and grandchildren.
Edith is survived by her children, Charles D. Smith, Jr. (Connie) of Casper, WY; Kim Jones (Alan) of Torrington, WY and Autumn Kiernan (Wade) of Billings, MT. Eight grandchildren, Heather Smith-Spears (Edmond); Tiffany Kellick (Bryan) all of Casper, WY; Chad Kiernan (Shalyn); Ryan Kiernan; Meghan Zinne (Jeff) all of Billings, MT; Jennifer Stahlecker (Bob) of Casper, WY; Derek Jones, of Torrington, WY; Aubree Jones of Laramie, WY. She is also survived by thirteen great-grandchildren, Trevon, D’Anthony, E.J. Jayce, Katelyn, Emya, Zakira, McKena, Levi, Maeci, Blake, Gavin and Isaac.
Preceding her in death besides her husband was son, Randy Smith, sisters, Elmina Woodrow, and Kay Cordle, a brother Robert Zerfass, several sister and brother in-laws, a niece and a nephew.
Per Edith’s request, in lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Central Wyoming Hospice.
Donna Mae Huebner-Sorseth passed away June 29, 2017 unexpectedly in Casper, WY. She was a devoted mother, grandmother and great-grandmother.
Donna leaves behind seven natural born children and a stepson and stepdaughter. They are Elizabeth, Jeff, Brian, Steve, Cynthia, Michael, Shawn, Bjarne and Brita. She was a proud grandma to 17 grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her father, Leslie (Babe); mother, Grace; brother, Wally; and sister, Sharon.
Donna was such a loving person who helped and cared for so many. She loved to travel and meet new people. Her favorite hobbies were collecting dolls and crocheting. Donna loved Casper and its community especially her customers and co-workers at Menards. She will be deeply missed by her family and friends.
A visitation will be held from 6:00pm until 8:00pm on Friday, July 14, 2017 at Newcomer Funeral Home, 710 East 2nd Street. Services will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday, July 15 at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church, 400 Country Club Rd. She loved the Black Hills where she was born and will be buried next to her parents July 17, at the Pine Lawn Cemetery, 4301 Tower Rd.
Funeral Services for Brigham J. “Bill” McCarrel will be held at 1:00 p.m. on Friday, July 14, 2017 at Restoration Church, 411 S. Walsh Drive, Casper with a reception to follow.
Bill passed peacefully of heart failure at his Alcova Lake cabin on July 7, 2017 surrounded by those he loved.
Bill, a Wyoming native, was born in Laramie in 1929 to Raymond and Josephine McCarrel. His father died when he was just a child and his mother married Siguard Swenson and the family moved to Vernal, Utah. Bill came to Casper in 1949 where he worked in the oil industry after graduating from high school. In 1949 he met and fell in love with Eileen Lybyer of Lost Cabin, Wyoming. They married in December of 1950 and were married for 66 years. In 1953 he left the oil industry and started a career as a firefighter with the City of Casper Fire Department. In 1971 he was promoted to Chief of the department, where he served until his retirement in 1983. During his 30-year career at the Casper Fire Department, he served as a fire fighter, engineer, captain, union president, training director and chief. During Bill’s tenure as fire chief, the department added 35 new fire fighters and four new stations.
Bill and Eileen, together with best friends, Chuck and Cec Gray, formed a partnership in 1973 building and leasing commercial warehouses still in operation by the McCarrel and Gray families.
Bill has been a member of the Lions Club of Casper since 1971. During his membership he was honored as Lion of the Year, 1981 Club President, Central Wyoming Fair and Rodeo Parade Chairman, and served on the Allen H. Stewart Lions Camp Board of Directors. In 1983 he was appointed as the Administrative Director of the blind camp and held the position for a number of years. Under Bill’s direction, the camp increased from a three-week summer camp for the blind to a six-month camp operation opening in June and closing in November. Because of his dedicated work, when the newest building at the blind camp was built, it was named the McCarrel Center in his honor.
After retirement, Bill and Eileen spent their summers at their home on Alcova Lake and the winter months in Yuma, Arizona. Bill and Eileen loved to travel; spending three months touring Alaska in their motorhome, traveling to Indonesia and Thailand, the Panama Canal, touring extensively in the United States and Mexico, and spending quality time with family and friends at the family timeshare in Cancun.
Bill is survived by his loving wife, Eileen, and three children – Ken (Cathy) of Thayne, Wyoming, Renee of Casper, and Duane (Dana) of Houston, Texas; five grandchildren; six great-grandchildren; and numerous nieces and nephews.
Memorials in Bill’s name can be donated to the Allen H. Stewart Lions Camp, 3325 S. McKinley St., Casper, WY 82601 or the Casper Humane Society, 849 East E St., Casper, WY 82601.
