Joseph Andrew Drees died on May 10, 2020, at the age of 63, losing his battle with cancer, surrounded by wife, Judith Drees; stepson, Lee Barger, Jr.; stepdaughter, Lea Yurgilevich (James); grandchildren, James Cross, William Yurgilevich (Stephanie); and great-grandchild Aria.
He is survived by brother, Dave Drees (Julie); and lots of cousins, nephews and nieces.
He is preceded in death by father, Melvin Drees; mother, Marilyn Drees and sister, Laurie Miller.
He graduated high school and the Air Force Academy with honors. He worked at VAE Nortrak for 24 years and was a member of the American Legion. He retired Tech Sergeant from the US Air Force in the geodetic surveying unit and as a missile facility manager at FE Warren Air Force Base. He loved animals, beer, BBQ, country music, vehicles, his country and family. He was an avid Green Bay Packer fan and practical joker.
On May 23, 2020, we will have a gathering of remembrance around 5:00 p.m., anyone who wants to come, is welcome. Cards and flowers may send to the house, please call the house phone for address.
Elaine Fay Smith Levinson, 86, passed away peacefully at her home in Mullica Hill, New Jersey on May 9, 2020.
Born and raised in Laramie, Wyoming on June 23, 1933, she was the daughter of Sam and Fannie Smith, sister to Mona, David, Max and Edith. Elaine loved spending time alongside her father at Smith Furniture in downtown Laramie, caring for her brothers and sisters, and stirring up trouble in what was then a small town.
She graduated Laramie High School and studied at the University of Texas finishing her BA in English and Spanish at the University of Denver. She loved classical music, opera and the arts with a passion to play and listen to piano. Elaine also loved gardening and in particular flowers of all kinds.
Elaine met her husband in Cheyenne, married and moved to the east coast. She devoted her time to her family, helping her husband build his medical practice and committed herself to growing the local arts scene. She taught her children to love the arts and respect culture.
Elaine had a way of inspiring people and bringing them together for a common cause.
Elaine was a free spirit. She loved yoga, tofu, Leonard Cohen and Herb Alpert long before they were popular. She was an entrepreneur at heart, starting a street food cart business in Denver, Colorado with her son. With an empathetic and open heart she would often give away food to the people that were homeless, hungry and begging for help.
Elaine is survived by her children, Mark, Shana and Nathan; and her loving grandchildren, Alexandra, Daniel, Sam and Aaron.
“When I die / If you need to weep / Cry for someone / Walking the street beside you.
You can love me most by letting / Hands touch hands, and / Souls touch souls.
You can love me most by / Sharing your Simchas and / Multiplying your Mitzvot
You can love me most by /Letting me live in your eyes / And not just in your memories.”
In Elaine’s memory, please consider a donation to WRTI, classical/jazz radio station, which Elaine loved listening to on a daily basis. Go to the link below, click on “Give Here” in the upper right corner. You can make a one-time donation of any amount by clicking on the radio button “Make this onetime donation….” and please put “In Memory of Elaine Smith Levinson” in the comments text box. Link: https://www.wrti.org/.
The private service will be held on Wednesday, May 13, 2020 at 10:00 a.m. To attend remotely, please go to www.schradercares.com.
Services are entrusted to Schrader, Aragon and Jacoby Funeral Home, 2222 Russell Avenue, Cheyenne, Wyoming 82001.
Obituaries are a complimentary service of Cap City News. To submit an obit, email john@capcity.news.
