All Obituaries

Frances May Rhodes Lass, passed away Tuesday, December 10, 2019 at Worland Healthcare.  She was 87.  She was born at her Aunt Florence Robertson’s farmhouse South of Worland on May 4, 1932 to Mayben and Bessie (Reed) Rhodes.  The family lived on a farm North of Worland near the Washakie County-Big Horn County line.  She attended school in Manderson until her freshman year when the family moved to a farm near Cody, WY. Frances graduated from Cody High School in...

Wilbert Daniel Hoppe, 85, passed away November 22, 2019 at his home in Worland, WY. Wilbert was born in Miltona, MN on February 7, 1934 to Leopold and Mabel Hoppe. He was one of ten children. Wilbert grew up in Miltona, MN helping on his mom and dad’s family farm. He graduated high school in 1952. Wilbert enlisted in the United States Army on August 13, 1954 and honorably served three years. He was discharged on July 24, 1957.  Wilbert married the love of his life, Janeal Lynette...

Roy Wayne Phillips longtime Worland Resident passed away on November 6, 2019 at home.  He was born August 9, 1939 in Billings, MT to Orville and Muriel Phillips. Roy graduated from Billings Senior High School in 1957.  He served in the US Navy from 1957 to 1959. He worked many places over the years, the first was alongside his dad building homes in the greater Billings area. It was a job that brought him to the Big Horn Basin where he resided until his passing. He mentioned that...

Bernice Lucille Stine, 89, went to be with the Lord on Wednesday, October 23, 2019 at the Washakie Medical Center in Worland, Wyoming surrounded by family. Bernie was born in Worland, WY on June 25, 1930 to Adam and Elizabeth Lungren. She was the eighth child out of ten children. She grew up milking cows and bucking hay on the family farm and enjoyed hunting and fishing with her dad when she wasn’t doing chores. She graduated from Washakie County High School in 1948 and married Robert...

John Roland Venell Jr., 90, passed away in his sleep on October 9, 2019 at the Worland Healthcare and Rehabilitation Center.  John was born December 6, 1928 in St. Paul, Minnesota to John Sr. and Pearl Venell. He was raised in Baker, Montana where he graduated from high school in 1947. His father with family, mother and brother, were transferred to Worland, WY by Montana Dakota Utilities in the fall of 1950. John was drafted into the army in 1950. He served in the 24th infantry...

Isaac Andrew Leyva, 60, died at the Washakie Medical Center on September 30, 2019 surrounded by his loving family. Isaac A. was born on May 1, 1959 in Worland, WY. He was the first born son of Isaac and Josie Leyva. He grew up in Worland and did yard work to save up money for his piano lessons. He started at the early age of 8; working to achieve his ultimate calling of a professional pianist. He graduated from Worland High School in 1977. He married Natalie Alcaraz in 1983. They had two...

               Dee Melin, born Jacquelyn Delores Anderson, died on September 15, 2019 at Worland Healthcare Center.  She was 89.                She was born on November 2, 1929 in Oregon City, Oregon to Myrtle Mae (Grisham) and Chester Elvin Anderson.  She lived in many places growing up as her father was in construction.  She finished...

Rebecca Whittemore Edwards, 65, passed away on Sunday July 21, 2019 in Worland WY from pancreatic cancer. Becky was born in Davenport Iowa on July 22, 1954. She moved to Wyoming in the early 70s then to Texas in the late 70s. She retired from the Department of Justice and moved back to Wyoming in the summer of 2018 to get back to the mountains. She loved going to church and singing. Among a few of her favorite things was enjoying ice cream with her kids and grandkids and watching old...

James Patrick Fassler was born June 15, 1934 in Canon City, Colorado, to Joseph and Frances Konty Fassler, and died July 3, 2019, in Worland, Wyoming.  Jim grew up in a house built by his father and surrounded by his mother’s prodigious garden.  His family taught him to work hard and eat well.  After a stellar athletic career at Holy Cross Abbey in Cañon City, he went on to Regis (Jesuit) College, Denver, where he stumbled into English and Secondary Education, and...

Neil S. Wetherbee passed on June 24, 2019 after a short battle from a heart attack. Neil was born in Ashton, Idaho on June 4, 1925 to Lester and Fern Wetherbee. Neil graduated in 1942 from Powell High School. After graduation Neil joined the Navy and served in the South Pacific in WWII. Upon being discharged Neil began a 34 year career with Mountain States Telephone and Telegraph. Neil’s first job was on a line crew constructing long distance lines across the state of Wyoming....