Elizabeth Wigley

Thursday, March 5, 2009 2:11 PM MST

Elizabeth Sczepanik Wigley was born in Falls City, Texas on November 11, 1923. Known to her friends as "Liz", Elizabeth lived a life full of passion and vitality. Liz grew up in a very strong Polish farming community where she helped pick and bring in the cotton crops every year. After finishing her schooling in Falls City, Elizabeth moved to live with her sister in Houston Texas. While working in Houston Liz was introduced to a young and vibrant oilfield worker. John Milton Wigley asked Elizabeth out on a date and swept her off her feet with a delightfully charming and almost picturesque dinner and a movie. Romantically, on Valentine's Day 1942, Elizabeth and Milton (as she always called him) were married.

During a visit to Wyoming in 1952, Liz and Milton saw opportunity in the beautiful countryside and moved here to begin a new life. Always at the side of her husband Liz raised their three children and made a home in Casper, Wyoming. Elizabeth's husband retired in 1979 and purchased a small ranch at the base of Casper Mountain. On the ranch Liz was more than a mother to her children, she was a mother and nurse to hurt and needy animals.

While in Wyoming Liz and her husband took every opportunity to experience the outdoors. Each of them truly enjoyed fishing, horseback riding and hunting. So in love with the outdoors Liz and her husband would spend several trips in the Greybull Mountains both sleeping in a sheepherders hut and fishing for Brookies in the clean mountain streams. Even though Liz would never bait a fishing hook she was constantly trying to out-fish her enthusiastic fisherman husband. Elizabeth and her husband traveled the globe in pursuit of the perfect hunting or fishing excursion.

One of the biggest passions in Elizabeth's life was the game of golf. She golfed up to four times a week throughout her seventies. Later in life, Liz and her husband enjoyed traveling around the States in their motor home; each hoping to experience fun and laughter with new friends and not surprisingly new golf courses and new lakes.

Elizabeth was totally devoted to her children and grandchildren; she wanted them to experience all the pleasures of life. Liz enjoyed taking her kids and grandkids skiing, skating, swimming and hiking. She encouraged them to follow whatever their dreams may be and was always a supportive person. Elizabeth was completely dedicated to her family and did anything in her power to provide for them. Liz cared for her sick husband until his death in 2006.

In 2007, Elizabeth was diagnosed with a severe form of debilitating dementia called Lewy Bodies Disease. Always persistent and strong-willed, Elizabeth fought the dementia until the day she died, March 4, 2009. Liz's passion for life and her kindness towards all will genuinely be missed. Her family will deeply miss her. She is survived by daughters Dianne Wigley and Pam (Rodney) Warren and son Perry Shawn Wigley. She leaves four grandchildren Natalie Caldwell, Kimberly Raynor, Heather and Amandie J. Warren in addition to six great-grandchildren: Katie and Nathan Caldwell, Emily, Riley and Lucy Raynor and Avery John-Milton Mashek.

A mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated, today, March 6, 2009 at 1:30 PM in St Anthony's Catholic Church with burial to follow in Highland Cemetery. Newcomer Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.