Thomas Thurston “Tom” Bechtel was born in San Angelo, Texas to Evelyn Doyle Bechtel and Russell Glen Bechtel on January 3, 1935. He died in Casper, Wyoming, on November 27, 2019 at the age of 84.
He lived in Texas until 1950, when the family moved to Wyoming. Before moving, he spent most summers in the Bighorns with his grandparents in Hyattville and Tensleep.
Tom attended NCHS, graduating in 1953 and then attained his degree in architecture at Colorado University in Boulder. During college, Tom spent summers in Casper, and built his first cabin on Casper Mountain. He served in the US Army at Fort Belvoir and did masters work in Engineering Management at George Washington University.
He returned to Casper in 1962 and began architectural work under Robert Whirly and Harold Engstrom, gaining his professional license in 1962. He spent the next five years working as the Casper City Planner. During this time, he led the city’s Parks and Recreation Study, helped plan the downtown beautification project, which included the curving design on 2nd Street, led the Sandbar Urban Renewal Project, and acquired more than $6 million in grant funding for city projects.
He met Linda Thompson on a blind date in 1962, they married on June 15, 1963.
In 1970, he opened his own architectural and planning firm and continued working until his death. As an architect, he completed more than 500 unique projects. Beginning in 1970, Tom and Linda helped develop 11 different subdivisions in Casper and on Casper Mountain.
Tom and Linda had a special love for Casper Mountain, having lived for the first years of their marriage in the small cabin that Tom built during college. Later, they spent many weekends and holidays there, and were part of the close-knit mountain community for most of their lives.
He was community-minded and spent considerable energy on civic projects, including helping plan and develop city and county parks and the Casper Ice Arena and Rec Center. He was the President of the Casper Rotary Club, was appointed to the State Parks Board and was involved in several musical groups.
Tom was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 1991. Despite the challenges of having MS, his determination and infallible positive attitude allowed him to enjoy every day. Although his professional and community contributions were many, it was this determination and the kindness and respect he showed to others that will be his greatest legacy.
Tom was preceded in death by his father, mother, and sister, Diane Ready. He is survived by his wife of 56 years, Linda, his children, Leslie (Scott) Van Orman, Jeffrey (Stacey Buckelew), Steven (Ellen), two grandchildren, Samuel and Anabel and numerous close friends who are considered part of the Bechtel family.
For all of their help, special thanks are given to the staff of Intermountain Home Companions, Life Care Center, Veterans’ Administration Home Based Primary Care, Frontier Home Health, Wyoming Medical Center, Optimal Physical Therapy, and dear friend Vivian Grant.
Services are at 2:00pm, Friday, November 6, 2019 at the Oregon Trail State Veterans Cemetery Chapel. A reception will follow. In lieu of flowers, please consider contributing to the Child Development Center of Natrona County, Wyoming Medical Center or a charity of your choice.
Virginia Muriel (Byer) Beadle, 89, was reunited with her family in Heaven in the early morning hours of November 29, 2019, in Powder River, Wyoming, where she was living with family.
Virginia was born in Valentine, Nebraska on June 13, 1930, to George and Harriet Byer. She was the second of their 9 children. As a girl, growing up in Casper, a part of a large family, Virginia spent many happy years rock hunting with her parents, learning to cook under her mother’s tutelage, and sharing precious times with her siblings. It was in her childhood home that her helping heart was born, as she watched her parents help anyone in need, and never turn away a hungry person…friend or stranger. It was in this home that Virginia would learn that there is always a way to stretch the meal to accommodate more people. The depression years, into which Virginia was born, taught many people how to be generous beyond what seemed humanly possible. After attending Casper schools, she graduated from Natrona County High School in 1948.
For several years after graduating from high school, Virginia worked as an accountant at the Air Force Finance Center in Denver, Colorado. Upon moving back to Casper, Wyoming, she went to work at Natrona County Memorial Hospital (now WMC). During her years at the hospital, she was introduced to William Beadle by one of her co-workers. They were married on July 5th, 1966 and happily together for 51 years until Bill’s death in January 2018.. After leaving the hospital, Virginia went to work for the Bureau of Land Management. It was Virginia, who would later recommend her sister, Sandy for a job with the BLM, thus beginning a long career for Sandy, as well. After leaving the BLM, Virginia went to work for the Bureau of Reclamation, and upon her retirement from there, she went to work at the Natrona County Fire Department as a secretary…working under Chief Clyde Young. Most of Virginia’s working life was spent as an accountant.
Virginia had a heart for kids in trouble. She loved unconditionally, and always saw the good side of people, even those in trouble. She knew that somewhere inside what seemed like a hopeless case, was a human being who was just trying to make their way in life. Virginia was a stubborn woman, according to family members, and that really helped her when it came to be able to straighten out the kids she helped over the years. There is a good way to be stubborn and a bad way to be stubborn. I’m sure that the kids she mentored would say that she was a good kind of stubborn. It takes stubbornness to see something more in a lost soul, and to be determined to help them find their way…sometimes, in spite of themselves.
She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband; infant daughter, Christy Marie and son, Forrest Beadle. Also preceding her in death were her sisters Evelyn Hushman, Delores Johnson, and Collene Spencer; and her brother, Larry Byer; as well as,brothers-in-law, George Hushman, Elmer Johnson, Allen Spencer, and Jack McDaniels.
She is survived by her sons, Steve (Wanda) Beadle and Billy (Janie) Beadle, and daughter Betsy (Delbert) Drake, all of Casper. She is also survived by her brother, Wayne; sisters, Dixie (Jim) Richards, Bonnie McDaniels, and Sandy Pattan; sister-in-law, Jeanette Byer; as well as numerous grandchildren and great grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews.
Funeral service at Christ United Methodist Church on Saturday, December 7. Service time pending at this time.
In lieu of flowers the family asks that donations be made to Central Wyoming Hospice in Virginia’s name, as they were wonderful to her in the last weeks of her life.
Dear, sweet Virginia, you will be missed by so many.
Raymond Vernal “Ray” Clark of Casper Wyoming, beloved 96-year-old husband, father, grandfather, great grandfather and decorated WW II veteran, passed away peacefully Wednesday, November 27, 2019 surrounded by his loving family.
Raymond, son of Vernal and Rubie (Nicodemus) Clark was born October 24, 1923, the second of seven children. (Ariel, Billy, Dean, Dwight, Marilyn, and Douglas.) Life began on his grandfather’s homestead in Graylin, CO. He attended school in Sterling, CO, Wheatland, WY, Cheyenne, WY, and Kimball, NE. He played football and was in the school band. His education ended with a fall term at Iowa State University in 1941. He enlisted in the Army in February 1943, attended radio school in Sioux Falls, SD, and was active in the Army Air Core until September 1945. He married Ethel May Thomson in 1944. They had four children, Linda, Polly, Randy and Jim.
Following World War II, Raymond worked for the Highway Patrol in Wyoming for two years. After his father passed away in 1956, Raymond returned to the town of Albin, WY to run his father’s International Harvester/Hardware Store with his brother Dean. He then dedicated the majority of his adult life to law enforcement, including the Natrona County Sheriff’s Office, the FBI Academy, and the Division of Criminal Investigation. He retired in 1991.
In 1963 Raymond married Dorothy “Jayne” Shoop. They enjoyed traveling, their beloved dogs and spending time with their growing family. Together they have left a legacy of love for four children, their twelve grandchildren, twenty-eight great grandchildren and many wonderful nieces and nephews.
Raymond is survived by his wife of 56 years, Jayne, four children, Linda Kersey of Anderson, SC, Polly (Don) Mosey of Sioux Falls, SD, Randy (Gail) Clark of Laramie, WY, Jim (Barbara) Clark of Casper, WY and their numerous grandchildren, great grandchildren, nieces and nephews. He is also survived by his dearest friend, Clinton D. Osborne of Golden Eagle, IL. Raymond is preceded in death by his parents, siblings, nephew Dwight Clark, great granddaughter Sarah Harpe, and son-in-law Skip Kersey.
Archie Lee Fuller, 71, of Casper Wyoming, passed away on Sunday November 24, 2019, surrounded by his family. Archie was born in Lamesa, Texas. Forever a proud American, Archie served in the Vietnam war. Upon return, he worked in the oilfield for decades where his life was spent traveling from one place to another, but his stability came in the form of his family. In 1987, Archie settled in Casper, Wyoming. In his later years, he lived a quiet life and enjoyed working on cars, guns, and drinking lots of coffee.
Archie is survived by his sons Logan Fuller (Aurora, Colorado), Dillon Fuller (Casper, Wyoming), and Cody Fuller (Corpus Christi, Texas); and his grandsons Rhett and Brendan Fuller. Archie Left behind his daughter in-laws Ellen Fuller (Aurora, Colorado), and Jordan Fuller (Casper, Wyoming), who he loved dearly; and his former wife, Tracey Fuller.
A special thank you to the people at Wyoming Medical Center in Casper, Wyoming, for your care and support during his final days.
He was honored Monday, December 2, 2019, at 10:00 A.M. at Oregon Trail State Veterans Cemetery in Evansville, Wyoming.
Kathy (Katherine) Ann (Sundquist) Hildebrand, loving wife, mother and grandmother, passed away on November 27, 2019, at home after an illness.
Kathy was born January 8, 1951, in Deadwood, South Dakota. At age four, she and her younger brother, Allen, were adopted by Mervin and Bonita Sundquist of Douglas, Wyoming. They were raised in Douglas, Riverton, Gas Hills and Glendo, Wyoming.
Kathy graduated from Glendo High School in 1969 and then worked as a server at the LaBonte Motel in Douglas.
She married Carl John Hildebrand of Douglas on February 13, 1971 at the First Baptist Church of Douglas. Kathy and Carl had three boys, Carl John (the second) in 1972, Kevin Paul in 1975, and Mark Allen in 1977. In 1981, Kathy and Carl became guardians of Kathy’s niece Amy Jo Tomlinson and raised her as a daughter. They lived in Denver, Douglas, Laramie, Cheyenne, Glenrock, and Casper.
Kathy later worked as a teacher’s aide in Glenrock and legal aide to her husband Carl’s law practice in Casper.
Kathy was very involved in the Sweet Adelines choir in the 1970s and 80s. She also was a deeply committed servant in her local churches, especially Glenrock Community Baptist Church where she was an usher, led music, sang in the choir, and sat on the church council. Kathy also loved to knit and crochet and found deep community in various knitting groups. An avid conversationalist, she had many friends and kept in touch with family near and far. She passed on a love for music to her children and also loved to dote on her four beautiful grandchildren.
Kathy is survived by her husband Carl of Casper, her three sons Carl John of Minneapolis, Minnesota, Kevin Paul of Aurora, Colorado, and Mark Allen of Casper, and her niece and former ward Amy Jo Tomlinson of Casper. She is also survived by sister, Kimberly Watson of Ft. Morgan, Colorado and brothers Bill Harris of Lincoln, Nebraska and Bob McMahon of Indianapolis, Indiana. Also surviving is her sister in law Tylea Harris of Forsyth, Missouri, many nieces and nephews and cousins, and four grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Mervin and Bonita Sundquist, grandparents William and Arizona Tylee, and William and Hilda Sundquist, and brothers Allen Sundquist, Hank Orr, and Dale Harris.
A memorial service will be held at 1:00 pm, on Saturday, January 4, 2019 at Community Baptist Church in Glenrock, WY.
Condolences for the family may be left at Bustard’s Funeral Home of Casper (bustardcares.org). In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts can be directed to Central Wyoming Hospice & Transitions of Casper (cwhp.org) or The Gideons International (gideons.org).
