Phyllis Maxine Ager: 1934 – 2023
Phyllis Maxine Ager, 89, of Cheyenne, died November 9, 2023 in Cheyenne.
She was born on September 9,1934 in Levant, Kansas.
Phyllis was an amazing woman. She was a very loving, kind, caring, compassionate and giving mother, grandma, great grandma and friend. There wasn’t anything she wouldn’t do for her family and friends if she could.
Phyllis was the oldest of six kids and grew up on a farm in Kansas. From Kansas she moved to Ohio where her family grew. She lived in Ohio for many years then moved from Ohio to Colorado to take care of her mom until her mother passed. She moved from Colorado to Cheyenne, Wyoming in 1979 where she decided to stay.
Phyllis was the hardest working women anyone could ever meet. She did waitressing and janitorial work in Ohio. Then she was a caregiver for her mom in Colorado. Her passion was taking care of others, which led her into working at a nursing home (Eventide/CHCC) in Cheyenne. She worked there for 34 years. She started out as an NA and then challenged the test to become certified. She worked as a CNA for 17 years, and when she could no longer work as a CNA she continued to care for them by doing their laundry or cleaning their rooms for the next 17 years, until she retired at the age of 79.
Phyllis loved animals and always donated to humane society. She also donated to the March of dimes, and girls and boys home.
In Phyllis’s spare time she loved reading, putting puzzles together, crocheting, shopping, playing on her piano and accordion, and loved spending time with family.
She is survived by her son, Mark Jordan; daughter, Lesia Jordan; granddaughters: Amber Meehan Zwiefel ( Troy Zwiefel) and Chairrity Meehan; grandson, Levi Jordan (Julie Jordan); and great grandkids: Jacob, Paxton, Skylar and Josiah; three sisters, Jenny Mae, Kathy, and Pat.
Phyllis was preceded in death by her father, Gus Miller (Vi Miller); mother, Dorothy Harris; brothers, Don Miller ( Mary Lou Miller) and Willy Miller; and a great grandson, Gunner Joseph.
Phyllis was loved by all and will be greatly missed by those who knew her.
Celebration of life will be at the end of May.
In memory of Phyllis Ager, please donate to the Cheyenne Animal Shelter or Humane Society.
Barbara June Byrd: 1930 – 2023
Barbara Byrd, 92, formerly of Cheyenne, died on November 10, 2023 in Utah.
Barbara was born in Sapulpa, Oklahoma, to Floyd Henry Hammond and Nancy Catherine (Creps) Hammond.
Barbara was a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, serving in Cub Scouts, Relief Society, Single Adults and Family History.
She lived in Oklahoma, South Carolina, California, Minnesota, Wyoming and Utah.
Barbara worked as a Legal Secretary for numerous judges and Attorneys General in California and Minnesota, as an insurance agent in Wyoming, and owned several businesses including Just Investigations, a private investigator service, in California; Survival Four, an emergency preparedness store in California; and Just Secretarial in Minnesota. Her speed and accuracy in shorthand and typing were unmatched.
She is survived by sons, Carl (Linda) Byrd & Hank (Josette) Byrd; 12 grandchildren: Nathan (Ariel) Byrd, Andrew (Kimmi) Byrd, Joel (Holly) Byrd, Stephen (Emma) Byrd, Sarah (Khris) Memmott, Hattie (Trent) Graff, Hamilton Byrd, Albert Byrd, Patrick Byrd, Jennie Emerson, Seth Emerson, Sarah (Zachary) Hulslander; and 18 great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by Floyd Hammond (father); Nancy Hammond (mother); Floyd Hammond (brother); Helen Sperling (Sister); Kathleen Pierson (sister); Albert Byrd (Husband); Haakon Lovik (husband); and Robert Emerson (son).
Services will be Monday, November 27, 2023, at 2:00 p.m., at Wiederspahn Radomsky Chapel.
David Cudmore: 1962 – 2023
David Cudmore passed away on November 17, 2023. David was born on January 4,1962 in Davenport, Iowa. There are no services at this time.
Paul Frederick Gilbert: 1938 – 2023
Paul F. Gilbert, 85, of Cheyenne, passed away at home on November 3, 2023. He was born on May 2, 1938, in Beach, North Dakota to Harold and Edna Gilbert. Paul started his career as a secondary math teacher in Hettinger, North Dakota and Worland, Wyoming.
He joined the Civil Service in 1963 where he served as a geodesist/mathematician in St. Louis, Missouri and at F. E. Warren Air Force Base until he retired in 1986.
Paul attended Meadowbrooke Church in Cheyenne; he gave of his time serving as a judge for the school district’s Science Fair, volunteering with Boy Scouts, and teaching the occasional Sunday School class.
He was an avid tennis player and a formidable opponent at horseshoes, racquetball, and bowling. He enjoyed sharing hiking, fishing, and model trains with his family.
He is survived by his loving wife of 64 years, LaDonna; his daughters, Starla Mason (Thomas) and Vondelle Hebert (Rick); and grandchildren: Camden Robbins (Andrew), Colin Mason, Hillory Bennett (Richard), Samuel Trefren, Frederick Hebert, Elena Ray (Phil), Jack Hebert; and several great-grandchildren; nieces; and nephews. He is also survived by a sister and brother in North Dakota.
Paul was preceded in death by his parents, Harold and Edna Gilbert.
A celebration of life will be held at Wiederspahn-Radomsky Chapel of the Chimes on November 27, 2023, at 10:00 a.m. Contributions can be made to a children’s charity of your choice.
Alfred C. Soto: 1931 – 2023
Alfred C. Soto was born on July 14, 1931, in Alliance, Nebraska to Concepcion and Mary Isabel Soto. He was the youngest of five children. Al lost his father at an early age but was always close to his mom. He couldn’t finish his education because he had work to help support the family. As a young man, he enjoyed playing sports such as football and baseball. He had a passion for cars that would become the base of his chosen profession.
He met his wife Jayne though his mom. Jayne would often visit Al’s mom and it was during one of those visits she met him. Eventually he asked her out and they dated a couple of years. Al joined the Army for two years. Al and Jayne decided to get married during his furlough and were married on August 26, 1954 in Alliance, Nebraska. They traveled to different Army bases during that two-year period.
His last Army assignment was at Fort Belvoir Virginia, just outside Washington D.C. He was assigned to the Pentagon where one of his duties included being a driver for some high-ranking officers. Corporal Soto was consistently requested because his car was always the most impeccably maintained automobile in the motor pool! It was there that their first child, Jeanne was born in 1955.
After receiving an honorary discharge from the Army, he thought he would like to live in northern California near where he had been stationed at Fort Ord, California. Al decided he wanted to be an auto body mechanic, so he enrolled in auto body school in Omaha under his GI bill. He drove to Alliance where his wife & daughter could stay with his mother while he went to school. While they were in Alliance, their second child, Randy, was born in 1957.
After Al completed auto body school, he found a job as an auto body mechanic in Cheyenne, Wyoming, where he lived and worked the rest of his life. He worked for Tyrrell’s Chevrolet for 25 years where he was laid off. Al decided to go into business for himself and Magic City Auto came into existence for over 30 years. He was an artist and perfectionist in everything he did, especial auto body work. He was one of the few mechanics in the tri-state area to work on corvettes when they were actually fiberglass. He was known for his attention to detail, fairness, and honesty. People from the tri-state area would bring their cars, trucks, motorcycles and boats for him to customize or repair. They would wait weeks for him to have an opening and he never advertised. He is one of the few people that truly loved what he did for a living and it showed in his work.
During that time, the Soto family continued to grow and another son, Rob was born in 1962 and a second daughter, Terri was born in 1966. In 1962, they purchased a new home where they raised their four children and lived for 62 years. Al and his wife Jayne continued to reside in their home until his passing on November 15. In the final years of his life, Al and Jayne took care of each other, not wanting to leave the home they built.
Al was a hard-working man who labored long hours to provide for his family. He showed that love by giving them the best he could provide for them. Almost everything he knew or did was self-taught. He was a true Do-It-Yourselfer, whether it was repairing a car, water pipe, carpentry, fixing a toy or building a go-cart for his son.
Al was a family man who believed in his Catholic faith, God, and his devotion to the rosary and Blessed Mother Mary. He deeply loved his wife, children; and grandchildren, and they loved him. Al will be exceedingly missed by his family and friends.
He is survived by his wife of 69+ years, Jayne; his adult children: Jeanne Soto, Randy Soto and wife Valarie, Rob Soto and wife Tina, and Terri Wessenberg and husband Rich; his grandchildren: Gina Griego and husband Steve, Sarah Wessenberg, Stephen Wessenberg and Matthew Soto; his great-grandchildren Brenden Griego and Brianna Greigo; and his oldest sister, Margaret Sanchez; and several nieces and nephews.
Al is pre-deceased by his parents, Concepcion and Mary Isabel Soto; sisters, Helen Vallejo, Mary Vallejo; and brother Albert Soto Sr.
In lieu of flowers the family requests donations to the Veterans Administration or Davis Hospice Center – Cheyenne.
Betty Lou Williams: 1943 – 2023
Betty Lou Williams, 80, of Cheyenne, passed away on November 11, 2023, at home surrounded by family.
She was born August 23, 1943 in Monterey, California to Louis and Helen Toczek.
She is survived by sons, James, Ronald, and Kevin Williams; daughter, Lori Howell; nine grandchildren; and many great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Carleton on August 3, 2023; her parents; and an older sister, Louise when she was a child.
