Merna Rierson

Services for Merna Rierson, 69, of Casper, WY, will be held at the Newcomer Funeral Home in Casper at 1:00 on Saturday, Jan. 11. She died on Dec. 19 at University Hospital in Denver after a long struggle with systemic lupus.
Merna was born on June 3, 1950, to Jorgen and Gerda (Dahlgaard) Christensen. One of five daughters, she was raised on a farm south of Dagmar Montana. She attended a country school and graduated from Medicine Lake High School and Eastern Montana College with a teaching degree.

On August 15,1971, the world went off the gold standard and Merna traded bands of gold with Greg Rierson of Plentywood, Montana, entering into a marriage that flourished until her death. In that time she worked at several secretarial jobs including secretary to the Casper Assistant City Manager. She moved to Fenix and Scisson Oil Company as personnel manager. Later she moved to her true passion of politics, becoming the Executive Director of the Wyoming Democratic Party. She later served several terms on the Wyoming Women's Commission.

Merna was proud to be a liberal and a Democrat championing human rights, particularly equal rights for women. Her beliefs had deep roots from her upbringing in the Danish Lutheran Church of America. She and Greg travelled extensively in the United States and Europe, with many trips to Denmark and they formed lifelong friendships with wonderful people in Denmark, Norway, and France. She was also an avid knitter and stitcher enjoying her friends in the knitting club and the needlework guild.

Merna was preceded in death by her parents, her in laws George and Adeline Rierson, and two brothers in law, Kirt and Ron Rierson.

She is survived by her husband, her four sisters, Amy Christensen, Leila (Butch) Michels, Gail (Jim) Eamon, and Anita Pritchard, sisters in law Lynette Dye and Virginia Rierson, 12 nieces and nephews, and 15 great nieces and nephews. Merna is also survived by her cherished friends Lowell Stephens and Stacy Martinez and her family.

Despite her illness she led an active and wonderful life, and will be greatly missed by all who knew her. In the tradition of her ancestors, Merna would like to express her gratitude for the wonderful world she was privileged to live in for 69 years with the old Danish phrase "Tak for Alt" or Thank you for everything!

If you'd like to place a donation in Merna's name please feel free to do so to the charity of your choice.

Interment with services will be held later in the spring at the Volmer Lutheran Church in Dagmar Montana.