Ellen Louise Lawson

Ellen was born March 11, 1943 to Joe R. Findley and Dorothy Hansen in Sedan, Kansas. She had an older sister Shirley Jean and a younger brother Jim. They moved to Rock Springs Wyoming when Ellen was three and due to her illness the family relocated to Northern Colorado.

Ellen met William E. Whitson and they married on August 16, 1962 in LaPorte, Colorado. They had two daughters Christine and Shannon. Ellen and Bill worked various jobs to take care of their family but when possible they enjoyed working together. In 1977 they moved to Carpenter Wyoming where they worked for the school district in the cafeteria and janitorial positions. In 1979 Ellen became very ill and was eventually diagnosed with Celiac Disease. She was passionate about helping others learning to cook tasteful food on the gluten free diet.

In 1985 the family relocated to Casper. Ellen was employed by the Quick Quarter and Teton Homes. She later attended Casper College and then worked at Wyoming Medical Center.

In 1998 Ellen lost her husband Bill of thirty six years to cancer. In a bereavement group she met her current spouse Ronald Lawson. On June 24, 2000 she married Ron and they were able to travel and work as camp hosts at the State Parks. Their fondest work experience was at Falcon State Park in Falcon Heights Texas. Ellen had a love for photography and enjoyed capturing butterflies, birds, any wildlife and a bucking horse or two. Ellen loved the butterfly garden at Falcon State Park and enjoyed teaching visitors about butterflies and birds alike. Ellen loved to return to Casper in the summer. She was her grand children's biggest fan in whatever adventure they were involved in.

In the fall of 2016 Ellen had the unique opportunity to meet her daughter Laura. She gave the greatest gift of a child to Nobel and Vivian Petersen in 1960.

Ellen had a smile, hug, and conversation for anyone she met if they were willing and she kept you on your toes with her quick wit. She was energetic and a hard worker. Her first husband always said "Rome was not built in a day" and followed with "because Ellen wasn't there."

She is survived by daughter Laura (Linwood) Sealey of Raleigh North Carolina, daughter Christine (David) Sporhase of Sierra Vista Arizona, daughter Shannon (Daniel) Coursen of Evansville Wyoming, Stepdaughter Sara (James) Turman of Casper and Stepson Russell Lawson of Missouri. Ellen has nineteen grandchildren and seven great grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her parents, her first husband, her sister and a nephew.

She will be greatly missed. If you are planning to attend her Memorial Service we would encourage everyone to wear anything that has a butterfly or bird on it, or is bright in color.

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