Weldon Ray Borgaard: 1934 – 2024
Weldon Ray Borgaard, 89, passed away peacefully in the early dawn January 1, 2024 at Davis Hospice Center in Cheyenne with family members by his side.
Weldon was born April 7, 1934, in Beloit, Kansasx to Ray and Ethel Borgaard. He graduated with honors from Cheyenne High School in 1952, from Phillips University in Enid, Oklahoma with a Bachelor’s Degree, and from UNC in Greeley with a Master’s degree.
In high school he was active in student government, music, drama, and sports. He was President of the Student Body, was in the school musicals and dramas, was a member of All State and All District Choruses, as well as All State Basketball. He continued the similar activities during his college years. He received the “Outstanding Athlete Trophy,” was crowned “King Phillip,” and was Class President and Student Body Officer.
He was a teacher, coach, and administrator in Laramie County School District #1 for 37 years. As a classroom teacher for five years, he was an active member of C.T.E.A. and served as President of the organization. He was an Elementary School Principal for 32 years of his career in education at Pioneer Park, Arp, Churchill, Bain, and Anderson Schools.
During those years he supported his students by trying to attend all the school and outside activities of his students, in music, sports, theater, etc, while encouraging them to be involved in their communities.\
When he retired in 1993, the street in front of Anderson School was designated as Borgaard Road.
He was presented the American Educator’s Medal from the Freedoms Foundation of Valley Forge, was recognized many years as an Outstanding Volunteer at the VA Hospital, was a part of the Interfaith Hospitality Network and involved with Jail Ministry. He served on the Special Friends Board of Directors for 12 years, serving as Chairman of the Board for two of those years.
He was an ardent sports and University of Wyoming fan. Weldon was quite an athlete himself. He was a High School All-State Basketball Player, on State Championship BB Teams, and on Legion Baseball Championship Teams. He played basketball at Nebraska University and Phillips University in Oklahoma.
He began announcing basketball and football for all the high schools with the opening of Okie Blanchard Stadium in 1958, at Okie’s request! He continued announcing East High basketball and football games for 58 years. In 2002, he was recognized by Laramie County School District #1 and East High School for his 44 years as PA Announcer for Cheyenne High School athletics and had the Press Box at the original Okie Blanchard Stadium named the “Weldon Borgaard Press Box.”
In 2008, Weldon was inducted into the Wyoming Chapter of the National Football Foundation and Hall of Fame for Outstanding Contribution to Amateur Football.
Music was also a passion for Weldon. In addition to singing for weddings, funerals, and community events, he was a part of the Wyomingaires Barbershop Chorus since 1960, performed and sang with the City Sounds for 15 years, and sang with the Cheyenne Capital Chorale. The number of weddings and funerals for which he sang was enormous. His biggest joy was singing with his family as they performed together for many years.
He was active with the Melodrama at the Atlas Theater as an emcee, in olio acts and serving on the Melodrama Board of Directors. He appeared in many Cheyenne Little Theater and LCCC Theatrical and Musical Productions and was honored as a Lifetime Member of Cheyenne Little Theater. Weldon was a part of the Civitan International Community Service organization.
With the exception of the years he was attending college, he has been an active member of First Christian Church since 1943. Through the years, he wore every hat conceivable at the church, except pastor, and was the choir director there for 59 years. In September of 2019, following an illness and retirement as director of the choir, he was awarded the title of Choir Director Emeritus for decades of faithful service, as he continued to sing with the church choir.
Weldon was preceded in death by his parents, Ray and Ethel Borgaard; and his brother and sister-in-law, Kent and Mary Borgaard.
Surviving Weldon is his wife of 67 years, Martha; children: Keri Rizley (Kelly), Kathy Borgaard, Kurt Borgaard (Tina), and Krista Williams; grandchildren: Karson (Rachael), Jordan, Christian, Hunter, Kassidy, Kora, Kailey, Kolby, Tori, and Alexis.
A celebration of life will be held on January 10, at 11:00 a.m., First Christian Church in Cheyenne.
Cremation has taken place. The service will be live streamed by the church at cheyennefcc.org and the church’s YouTube channel for those unable to attend the service in person.
In Lieu of flowers, donations may be sent to First Christian Church or East High School Athletics.
Elenora Espinoza: 1929 – 2024
Antonia Elenora Sanchez died peacefully on January 2, 2024 at Davis Hospice Center in Cheyenne, Wyoming with her children Tim Espinoza and Doris Sena at her side.
Eleonora was born April 4, 1929 in Ledoux, Mora County, New Mexico. She married Timoteo Espinoza in New Mexico. After their marriage, they moved to Cheyenne.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Leandro and Adelina Sanchez; her brothers, Joe T., Lino, and Eliud Sanchez; her husband, Timoteo Espinoza and son Lino James Espinoza; and grandson Marcos Sena. Eleonora had four grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.
Howard Max Hill IV: 1955 – 2023
Howard Max Hill, IV, 68, of Cheyenne, died on December 20, 2023 in Cheyenne.
He was born on October 2, 1955 to Howard and Catherine Hill in Powell, Wyoming.
Howard graduated from Powell High School in 1974, after which he enlisted in the U.S. Air Force and served for three years.
He was in long haul trucking for nearly 33 years before retiring in 2013 due to health reasons.
Howard is survived by one sister; one brother; several nieces and nephews; and one great nephew.
He was preceded in death by his mother and father; and two sisters.
Services will be announced at a later date.
Lillian Arias Matteson: 1917 – 2023
A few days after celebrating her 106th birthday, Lillian Arias Matteson peacefully reunited with her heavenly family on December 23, 2023.
She joins her parents, Rosalio and Josefina Ronquillo Arias; brothers: Frank, Carlos, Chris, and Ruben with their spouses: Nettie Garcia, Lupe Serrano, Aurora Lujan and Lily Korte; brother, Albert; sister, Rosemary Weible; nieces: Rita Arias Herra, Carmen Arias Tenorio, Rosalie Arias Maestas Cisneros; nephews: David Arias and John Arias; son-in-law, Jerry Waggoner; grand and great-grand nieces and nephews, Alicia, Dominic, Mak and Mary.
Left to remember and celebrate her long and interesting life, noted sense of humor and style, and her zest for adventure and travel are her daughters, Carol Matteson Pascal and Glenda Waggoner; sister-in-law, Bertha Castaneda; grandchildren: Branda Ely, Neal Waggoner and Troy Waggoner; three great-grandchildren: Kathleen, Zachary and Dylan; and numerous nieces, nephews, grand nieces and nephews and great-grand nieces and nephews.
A celebration of life will be scheduled at a later date in Cheyenne.
Shirley Colleen Marsh: 1934 – 2023
Shirley Colleen Marsh, 89, of Cheyenne, passed with the support of her family in the care of Davis Hospice Center on December 29, 2023.
She was born in Mesa, Arizona on November 22, 1934, to George and Grace Prince. Shirley C. Prince married Francis (Frank) E. Marsh on June 22, 1954; they were married for 51 years. Shirley was an Air Force wife and homemaker with PT work at Pioneer Printing. She loved camping and was long time member of the Red Dale Cheyenne Jackalopes. Throughout her life she enjoyed bowling, square dancing, snow birding to Arizona, horseshoes, bean bags, reading mysteries, her swim group, playing pinochle, tending her tomato garden and let’s not forget her favorite Taco Tuesday to meet friends. She loved to travel with family and made it to many National Parks, Hawaii, BC Canada, and Mexico.
She is survived by a daughter, Susan Carleen Piper; and a son, Charles Emory Marsh (Tana); three grandchildren: Andrea L. Buckles (Lilah), Jessica L. Marsh and Phillip C. Marsh. She has a niece, Alicia Heady; nephew, Dwain Heady; and five grand-nephews-and-nieces. Also, Rick and Kathy Eckhardt, who she has always considered family.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Frank Marsh; her parents, George and Grace Prince; sister, Lawauna Heady; brother-in-law, Hickson Heady II; two nephews; and son-in-law, R. Douglas Piper.
The family is planning to have a celebration of life in Cheyenne sometime in the spring and will post a notice.
Charles Wayne “Chuck” Palm: 1931 – 2023
Charles Wayne “Chuck” Palm, 92, died peacefully at an assisted living home in Hemet, California, November 4. Chuck had moved to California from his winter residence in Arizona a year ago to be near his daughter’s family.
Chuck was born October 8, 1931, to Charles and Hazel (Mercer) Palm. He grew up on the family wheat farm in Banner County, Nebraska, which had been homesteaded in 1896 by his Swedish grandparents. The operation continues under family ownership to this day. He graduated from high school in Albin, Wyoming, in 1949, but not before missing six weeks of school his senior year due to the famous ’49 Blizzard.
He then attended one year of advanced schooling at Bethel College in St. Paul, Minnesota, before transferring to John Brown University in Siloam Springs, Arkansas. There, he met and married Pat (Netherton) Palm. The couple returned to Albin that same fall where they raised three children and were together more than seventy-one years.
Chuck always sought innovation on his farm being an early proponent of pivot irrigation and no-till practices. He operated a fertilizer business in Pine Bluffs, Wyoming, for some years with his cousins, Donald and Pete Anderson. Pat and he later marketed “Grandma Pat’s” dried bean soup out of their garage and he served as a director for the Wyoming Farm Bureau Federation.
A christian from an early age, he was a lifelong member of the Albin Baptist Church where he served as sunday school superintendent and a trustee. He also maintained connection with John Brown University where many of his descendants attended. Pat and he also provided hospitality to many furloughed
missionaries and international students.
The couple loved to travel including a trip to Asia and Europe with extensive touring around the United States. Like his parents, he began to winter in Mesa, Arizona, around 2000 until it finally became his year-round residence in recent years.
He’s remembered for his many good sayings, time tested over a lifetime of hard work, problem solving and rural experience. Favorites: “When you’re started, you’re half done.” “It’s easy if you know how,” and “It will feel better when it quits hurting.” He related to his grandchildren as a fun, teasing grandpa, supportive in their endeavors as they grew older. Pleasant and easy going, always a good neighbor, he even made friends in his assisted living setting.
Chuck is survived by his wife, Pat; daughter, Greta (Jeff) Tabor of Hemet, California; son-in-law, Dan (Lynn) Kirkbride of Chugwater, Wyoming; daughter-in-law, Rhonda Palm of Jay, Oklahoma; 10 grandchildren and 15 great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his brother, Lloyd; his parents; his daughter, Pam Kirkbride and son, Carl.
A celebration of life and graveside service will be held on Saturday, January 6, 2024, at Albin Baptist Church at 2:00 pm.
Friends who wish may contribute to the Albin Baptist Church in honor of Chuck Palm at Albin Baptist Church, 316 Cheyenne Ave., Albin. WY 82050.
Roger William Roe Jr.: 1962 – 2023
Roger William Roe, Jr., 61, of Dundee, Florida, passed suddenly in Cheyenne, Wyoming.
Roger was born on November 10, 1962, in Cobleskill, New York to Roger William Roe, Sr. and Charlotte Jane Roe, both of Dundee, Florida.
Roger was a long-haul truck driver, employed by Moeller Trucking. He was an avid Harley Davidson owner. He loved to hop on his bike and ride for hours. He was an avid hunter and loved to fish.
Roger is survived by his sisters, Karen Petre (Roe) of Brewster, New York and Diane Bowen (Roe) of Live Oak, Florida; along with many nieces, nephews, cousins, aunts and uncles.
Roger was preceded in death by his father, mother and brother, Howard W. Roe.
A Celebration of Life Service is planned for January 27, 2024 at 10:00am at the First Christian Church, Disciples of Christ in Winter Haven, Florida.
John “Jack” Allan Selby: 1948 – 2023
John A. (Jack) Selby, 75, of Cheyenne, passed away at Cheyenne Regional Medical Center on December 30, surrounded by family. He was born on August 13, 1948, in Thermopolis, WY to Keith Elmer and Delores (Allard) Selby.
Jack was a Bell System employee for nearly 40 years, retiring as a Qwest Manager in 2010. At the time of his death, he was employed at Laramie County Shooting Sports and was an NRA Certified Range Safety Officer. Jack was a long-time Cheyenne Frontier Days volunteer, serving as Parades Assistant, coordinator of CFD Mounted Marshals and a member of Heels. He served as a member of Wyoming Mounted Search and Rescue for many years. Jack was an expert horseman and owned many quarterhorses over the years. He was especially proud of his champion quarterhorse “Little Doc.”
Jack is survived by Becky, his wife of 44 years; daughter, Kylee and son-in-law, Jesse Brandt of Tigard, Oregon; grandsons, Lance Morgan and Vincent Lee; and great-grandson, Damian of Magnolia, Mississippi. He was preceded in death by his parents; grandparents; son, John Morgan; and sisters: Susan Brooksmith, Joan Selby, and Mary Selby.
Jack loved Wyoming, the Old West and rodeo. He was happiest when spending time with his family or in the saddle riding Doc or Pal. He was a quiet man of great faith who lived his life helping others. If you were Jack’s friend, you were a friend for life.
In the early seventies, Jack worked on the pioneering crew building the Alaskan pipeline. He dreamed of revisiting as a tourist, but sadly, he was unable to fulfill this dream.
In Jack’s memory, please consider a donation to the CFD Volunteer Crisis Fund at: www.cfdvcf.com or the Justin Cowboy Crisis Fund at: www.justincowboycrisisfund.org
A memorial service will be held on Friday, January 5, 2:00 p.m. at Wiederspahn Chapel. Reception to follow at The Gathering Place from 3:00-5:00 p.m.
James Smith: 1937 – 2023
James A. Smith was born March 16, 1937 in Livonia Township, Michigan to Joseph A. Smith and Irene E. Campbell. His early life was spent on his beloved grandparents dairy farm where he helped his grandpa farm with their draft horses, milk their Jersey cows, deliver milk to customers, and raise Hereford cattle. He also spent his formative years in the northern woods of Michigan where he helped his mother run her small general store at Houghton Lake, Michigan. Jim helped raise his brother and sisters, hunting and fishing to put food on the table, and working any odd job due to the absence of his father.
Jim joined the United States Armed Services in 1956; he did his basic training at Ft. Benning, Georgia before serving in the European Theater at Checkpoint Charlie where he watched the Berlin Wall being built. He traveled widely across Europe during his deployment in various E4 specialist roles including as a sniper. He saved a man from drowning while on duty one night. He served on the US Ski Patrol in Kitzbuhel, Austria that supported the Austrian Olympic team. He especially loved sharing stories from his adventurous time in the Army.
After he returned home from the service, he was on the National Ski Patrol in Michigan, spent time hunting and fishing, and worked as a carpenter and mechanic. He met the love of his life, Geraldine L. Freitag at Eastern Michigan University. They were married in 1964 and moved west to Colorado so Jim could attend Colorado State University (CSU) Forestry School where he graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Naturalist studies. He then served as a National Park Ranger at Mt. Rushmore National Memorial in Keystone, South Dakota. Jim then served at CSU in their youth programs and eventually with the Bureau of Reclamation Youth Conservation Corp in Loveland, CO. He moved to Estes Park, Colorado in 1987 where he was a hydro turbine mechanic at the Bureau of Reclamation’s Estes Park Power Plant until his retirement. He and Geri bought a small farm near their daughter Jill in Wyoming and also wintered in Arizona for a few years. He moved to Pine Bluffs, WY in 2019.
He was a federally licensed bird bander for the Cornell University Ornithology lab and the Audubon Society. He especially loved birds of all kinds and was an exceptionally talented artist in carving birds out of wood. He showed in several galleries, including the Estes Park Art Gallery.
He served as a 4-H Leader for many years, led homeschool groups on wildlife and forestry, and helped with building projects and the security teams at church. He was a licensed gunsmith, master builder and craftsman, mechanic, and served for over 20 years at Rocky Mountain National Park on the Elk Bugle Patrol. He enjoyed hunting, fishing, hiking, traveling, camping, skiing, snowshoeing, and doing anything outdoors. He was more at home in the woods than anywhere.
He was a devoted husband to Geri for 55 years until her death in 2019. He adored his twin daughters, Karen and Jill, and especially loved being grandpa to his grandson Carl. He was known for his generosity of time, good will, and spirit. He would lend a helping hand to all who asked and always had a funny story to share. He loved kids, animals, and farming. Despite a very challenging early life situation, he was always positive and chose to make the most of every opportunity he could while encouraging others to do the same. He was creative, resourceful, and resilient.
Jim passed away December 22, 2023 and was 86 years old. He is survived by his twin daughters, Jill (Glen) Klawonn of Pine Bluffs, Wyoming and Karen Smith of Pine Bluffs, Wyoming; his grandson, Carl Klawonn; his sister, Louise (Bill) Kleinsorge of Gaylord, Michigan; brother-in-law, Stephen (Deb) Freitag of MacComb, Michigan; and numerous nephews, many wonderful friends, and his favorite cat, Murphy. He was preceded in death by his wife, Geri Smith of Estes Park, Colorado; parents, Joseph Smith of Arizona and Irene Smith of Houghton Lake, Michigan; his sister Marrilynn Burley and brother David Smith, also of Michigan; and his grandparents, Perry and Elsie Campbell of Canton Township, Michigan.
Memorial Services, Honor Guard presentation, and a time of fellowship will be held Saturday, January 6, 2024 at 1:30pm at Crossroads Community Church in Pine Bluffs, Wyoming.
Maria Florida “Flo” Valdez (Cisneros): 1931 – 2023
Florida (Flo) Valdez, 92, passed after a full life on December 29, 2023. Flo was born in Ledoux, New Mexico, in 1931, to Maclovia Trujillo and Adelaido Cisneros.
After graduating from high school in 1948, Flo went to work for the State of New Mexico in Santa Fe. Later that year, she married Ramon Valdez; and the couple started their family. In 1953, Flo and Ramon settled in Cheyenne, Wyoming. She retired in 1989, after working 32 years for the State of Wyoming, first in the Dept. of Education and later at DAFC. Flo’s retirement years were not idle as she and Ramon traveled, attended family sports events, enjoyed her flower gardens, and always helped family. Flo hosted a gambling bus to Black Hawk for many years where she developed friendships and great memories. She loved the Colorado Rockies, playing cards, video poker, checking Facebook, using the internet and was renowned for her awesome green chili.
Flo is survived by her children: Theresa Wright (Darwin), Dolores (John), Dora, Darlene Gallegos, Lori Valdez-Pasionek and Steven; grandchildren: Rudy Apodaca, Michael Apodaca (Melissa), Stacia (Tim), Hogan, Brion, Lisa Gallegos (Brian), Jenna Rhodes (Doug), and Dante Pasionek (Joe). She also has ten great-grandchildren and four great-great-grandchildren. She is also survived by her extended Cisneros family in Cheyenne.
Flo was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Ramon Valdez; sister, Beatrice Romero; brother, Maclovio Sisneros; and son-in-law, Dale Gallegos.
A funeral liturgy will be held on Thursday, January 4, 2024, at St. Joseph’s Church at 603 House Avenue, in Cheyenne at 10:30 a.m. Following internment at Olivet Cemetery, a reception will follow at St. Joseph’s Parish Hall.
