Faculty/Staff Obituaries

Rosemary Ann Shober

June 9, 1931 — July 17, 2023

Gillette

Rosemary Shober spent her last hours on earth surrounded by loving friends as they recited the rosary together. She was ready to “fly away” as she had told her many friends and family. She peacefully passed away on July, 17th 2023 at Legacy in Gillette, Wy.

Rosemary was born to Martin and Rose Janousek on June 9th, 1931 in Gregory , South Dakota. She grew up as the apple of her family’s eye as Martin was 60 and Rose was 40 at the time of her birth. She was surrounded by her adult half siblings and older parents and freely acknowledges that she was hopelessly spoiled rotten as a child. She was raised during the depression thus bringing her a unique upbringing. Her father Martin, a Czech immigrant, brewed beer in his basement through prohibition to make extra income. This developed Rosemary’s fine appreciation for a cold lager which she enjoyed for the rest of her life. Martin taught her traditional Czech folk songs and she spent her young childhood standing on the bar in pigtails belting out songs to a throng of adoring South Dakota Czech farmers. Her reward for singing was a shot glass full of beer, which she chugged happily while smiling at her dad. She never over indulged, but she remained a fervent admirer of beer throughout her life, especially her beloved Bomber Mountain Ale from Black Tooth brewery in Sheridan.

Rosemary moved to Gillette in 1946 and graduated a proud Camel in 1948. She was soon off to nurses training at St. Joseph’s in Denver, Colorado. She had dreams of joining the Navy after graduation and traveling the world. She graduated in 1952 and returned home to Gillette to help her mom take care of her dad, and she never left Gillette. She started dating a handsome WWII veteran, Richard Shober in 1953 and she foiled his many engagement advances until he finally put a ring on her finger in 1954. It’s certain he didn’t get it done by challenging her to a beer chugging contest! They were married on a glorious June 9th day (also her birthday!) in 1956 in Gillette at St. Matthews Catholic Church. They had a long, loving marriage of 64 years. They had a wonderful life in Gillette but as with all lives there were peaks and valleys. They had four children, but buried two sons. They survived these tragedies by leaning on their Catholic faith and with the help and support of the St. Matthew’s parishioners and many friends.

Rosemary worked as a nurse for numerous Gillette doctors in the 1950s and 1960s, but her life and career really took off in 1967 when she started working for the Campbell County School District as a School Nurse. Rosemary absolutely adored working for the CCSD and she had a great career spanning over 20 years. She was especially proud of her stint as the school nurse at Campbell County High School starting in 1973. She loved being a Camel and really loved patching up and mentoring Camels. In the 1970s there was a famous Fritos television commercial involving a school nurse and the students at CCHS extended the commercial to their own nurse. If you needed a snack and some encouraging words, Nurse Shober’s office was the place to go to spill your worries and have a handful of Fritos. If you were a student in the Gillette schools in the 1960’s, 70’s and 80’s, Nurse Shober was your mom, too.

Only her retired husband and grandchildren pulled Rosemary out of CCHS. She doted on her three grandchildren, traveling to their homes and caring for them in her own special way. She was always game for some type of activity, baking cookies for a tea party, watching them play sports or assembling a Lego set. In 2014, Richard was ready to retire from home ownership and they moved into the Primrose Retirement Community in Gillette. Rosemary was not so keen on this at first, but as always she quickly made new friends, endearing herself to the residents and staff at Primrose. Just like her high school kids, she gravitated to younger people as it kept her young. She especially liked the Friday “Happy Hour” at Primrose, where she could enjoy her cold lager and sing many songs from her jukebox-like memory. She had a knack for lyrics and songs and loved singing them.

After Richard passed in 2020, she moved into Legacy Gillette. The days at Legacy were not easy, as she lost her eyesight. Rosemary’s family would like to thank the dedicated staff at both Primrose and Legacy for taking such great care of “Nonni”.

Rosemary had many hobbies and interests in her long life, including her great pie and holiday bread baking, reading and singing, and going on adventures. She was very active in Community Theater after she retired, performing in many plays and musicals with her sidekick Richard. Richard and Rosemary were also excellent dancers; they took lessons throughout the 1960s and 1970s and they could “cut a rug” at dances, receptions and the occasional night out. But perhaps Rosemary’s greatest hobby and skill was her amazing ability as a conversationalist and listener. She was a professional, and her friends and family knew if they were driving somewhere across the USA, and needed to talk with someone to keep them awake, Rosemary was the one. She could easily talk to you for 5 hours and you didn’t need to do much, just let her go. She loved her iPhone as it kept her in touch with the many people in her life.

We will miss the calls from Nurse Shober and her ability to converse so lovingly and meaningfully to us all.

Rosemary is predeceased by her two sons, both named Martin Joseph. She is survived by her son Jeff and his wife, Dr. Deb Nalty, and daughter Beth and her husband Marty Huckins. She is also survived by her three beloved grandchildren, Dr. Rachel Shober, Sam Shober and Jackson Norberg.

A funeral mass is scheduled for 10am on Wednesday, August 9th at St. Matthews Catholic Church in Gillette.

To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Rosemary Ann Shober, please visit our flower store.

 

 

 

 

 

Norma Lea Lott

  • Apr 1, 2017

Norma Lea Lott, 81, passed away Thursday, March 30, 2017, at Campbell County Memorial Hospital.

Memorial services for Norma Lott begin at 1 p.m., Tuesday at Family Life Church with the Rev. Marty Crump officiating.

She was born to Nellie (McCallister) and Matthew Reak on Dec. 1, 1935, in Dexter, Missouri. She grew up and attended school in Dexter, and graduated from Dexter High School in 1953.

She married Raymond Lott on Nov. 24, 1954, and the couple raised three daugters: Deb, JoNell and Kim.

The family moved to Gillette in 1970. Norma worked as secretary to the vice principal at Campbell County High School from 1971-87, a job that she truly loved.

Later, she and her dear friend Joy Speigelmyer started an in-home day care. This led to lasting friendships between parents and children.

Norma was a very active member of Redemption Church (formerly Antelope Valley Baptist Church), where she taught Sunday School, sang in the choir and was also the church clerk. She loved the Lord with all her heart and served him.

She loved her family and friends, and enjoyed traveling, quilting, garage-saling and memorizing and sharing scriptures. She was actively involved with Relay for Life for more than 20 years with her team Friends for Life.

Norma loved seeing her grandchildren play Camel sports and watching her great-grandchildren play basketball, ice hockey and wrestle.

She also loved the Dallas Cowboys.

Norma is survived by her daughters, Deb (Jim) Cassidy, JoNell (Danny) Beck and Kim Peak, all of Gillette; sister, Beverly Guinn of Wichita Falls, Texas; grandchildren, LeAnn Beck (Angus) Ferguson of Rozet, Nathan (Ginger) Cassidy of Gillette, Jordan Cassidy of Oviedo, Florida, Daniel Peak of Gillette, Stephen (Megan) Peak of Sheridan, Chase Cassidy of Gillette and David Peak of Gillette; great-grandchildren, Ariana Proctor of New Port News, Virginia, Lane Ferguson of Rozet, Rylee Peak of Sheridan, Reid Cassidy of Gillette, Gracin Peak of Gillette, Jett Cassidy of Gillette, Avery Peak of Gillette, Leela Grace Cassidy of Gillette and Crew Cassidy of Gillette.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Joe Lott; parents; brothers, Robert, Walter and Donald; and son-in-law, Deral Peak.

The family request that memorials be made in Norma’s name to Relay for Life.

Memorials and condolences also may be sent in care of Gillette Memorial Chapel, 210 W. Fifth St., Gillette, WY 82716. Condolences also be expressed at gillettememorialchapel.com.

 

 

 

 

JuLan Decker

Funeral service for JuLan Decker will be held 2:00 p.m., Friday, June 2, 2017 at Family Life Church with Pastor Marty Crump officiating. A visitation will take place from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m., Thursday, June 1, 2017 at Gillette Memorial Chapel. JuLan Diane (Lloyd) Decker, age 82 died on Monday, May 29 at Close to Home Hospice after a short battle with congestive heart failure.  
She was born March 18, 1935, in Brighton Colorado to A. Keith Lloyd and Florinda Mae (Tesone) Lloyd. She spent her childhood and formative school years in Brighton and Loveland Colorado before moving to Casper prior to her sophomore year of high school. She graduated from Natrona County High School in 1953. She then attended Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri graduating with a degree in education. 
She returned to the Casper area in 1958 and began teaching. She met Clyde Decker in 1963 and married him on June 14, 1964. She began teaching in Gillette, Wyoming for Campbell County School District in the fall of 1964 and retired in 1988.  
She was a member of Phi Theta Kappa, PEO, the National Educators Association, and the Gillette and Casper Bowling Associations. In later years, JuLan served on the School Board (88-92) and on the board at the Senior Center. In her early years, she was active in various choirs, dramatic productions, and countless clubs. She wanted to pursue a career in opera in college and was also a Delta Delta Delta sorority member in college. She loved to golf, bowl, coach speech and debate, and produced many dramas and musicals over her teaching career. Her passion became watching and cheering on her children in their many sports activities. She was known as the beloved "Mrs. D" to countless students over her teaching career.
She is survived by two daughters; Darla (Jerry) Cotton of Gillette and Dayna (Rob) Berger of Cheyenne; one son, Damon (Nadine) Decker of Gillette; one step daughter, Teresa (Jay R) Smith of Stephenville, Texas; one step son, Greg (Linda)Decker of Stephenville, Texas; 10 grandchildren: Morgan Craver, Latisha Martell, Lanaya Lara, Dylon Lara, Ladayna Decker, Dymon Decker, Brielle Berger, Marc Murray, Thomas Leslie, and Monica Leslie; eleven great grandchildren and numerous nieces and nephews.  
She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband Clyde, one step-son Dennis Leslie, and one great grandchild, Tatum Marie Martell.
In lieu of flowers the family request that memorials be made in JuLan's name sent in care of Gillette Memorial Chapel 210 West 5th Street, Gillette, WY 82716. Condolences may also be expressed at www.gillettememorialchapel.com

 

Helen W Fitch

September 14, 1925 - February 27, 2012

Mass of the Christian Burial for Helen Fitch will be at 10:00 a.m., Monday, March 5, 2012 at St. Matthew's Catholic Church, Gillette, WY with Father Cliff Jacobson as celebrant. Interment will follow at Mt. Pisgah Cemetery. A gathering of family and friends will be at Walker Funeral Home, Gillette, WY, Sunday, March 4, 2012 from 6:30-7:30 p.m. with a vigil to follow at 7:30.Helen Fitch age 86, longtime resident of Campbell County, passed away on February 27, 2012, at Campbell County Memorial Hospital of natural causes. Helen was born in St. Paul, Minnesota on September 14, 1925, the daughter of Raymond E. and Mary J. (Hamilton) Wild. After Mary's death, Helen had many years with step mother Agnes (Nelson) Wild.After graduating from high school she attended the University of Minnesota earning a degree in education. She moved to Gillette in 1946 to teach at Campbell County High School. Helen met Bill Fitch later the same year and they married on June 12, 1947. They moved to the Fitch Ranch on Middle Prong where they raised three sons.Helen taught school in Sheridan County and Campbell County for thirty three years, teaching English, Journalism, Typing, Shorthand, Bookkeeping, and Spanish. While head of the English Department she taught most of the students in Campbell County between the years of 1959 and 1986, at which time she retired. Retirement from teaching was just the beginning. She and Bill traveled to many foreign countries including New Zealand, Europe, Russia, and South America. She worked relentlessly for the well-being of senior citizens. Helen was the ultimate doer with an attitude of resolution to any issue. It has been said there was never an organization she did not like. Helen became very involved in senior citizen organizations and projects, teaching seniors all over the United States how to file for benefits and deal with issues affecting them. She was instrumental in the building of the apartments beside the senior center. She was on local and state library boards and was named by President George W. Bush to the National Library Board. She was an active member of PEO and frequently read to children at the Campbell County Developmental Center and John Paul II School. Helen was truly a great and inspiring person.Helen is survived by sons, Bill (Jane) Fitch Jr. of Gillette WY; Mark Fitch (Carol Heiden) of Boulder, CO; John (Galee) Fitch of Gillette, WY; seven grandchildren, and seven great grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her husband, her parents, and brothers Jim, Paul, and Mark Wild. A memorial has been established to the Campbell County Senior Citizens Center and John Paul II School. Memorials and condolences may be sent in care of Walker Funeral Home, 410 Medical Arts Court, Gillette, WY. Condolences may also be sent via the internet at www.walkerfuneralgillette.com