Thecla Hjelmstad Trujillo

THECLA HJELMSTAD TRUJILLO

Thecla, age 93, passed away May 22, 2024 from an extended illness in Casper. Thecla was born to Benedict and Elizabeth Walz on the family farm in Mahnomen, Minnesota. She was the eighth child of eleven in the family and was always known as Thecla or “Tex”, and is the last survivor of the siblings.

The funeral mass will be held Tuesday, July 23, at 1:30 pm at St. Anthony's Catholic Church, 604 South Center Street, Casper, WY, immediately followed by a simple reception at the church. A private burial is planned for family members only at the Oregon Trail Veterans Cemetery.

Though it was the Depression, Thecla wrote fondly of her childhood: “We had fun on the farm, playing keep-away, One-O-Cat, and tag on the windmill and barn roof. We made an igloo, made a giant snow and ice slide on which we slid down into the creek bottom, and we built a merry go round from an old wagon wheel fashioning seats on poles extending from the center, neighbors got sick riding that one but we didn’t. We rolled barrels with our feet, rode down the hill inside old tires, and, of course, argued with each other.”

After her graduation from high school in Mahnomen, she worked as a secretary and moved to Casper just before the great blizzard of 1949. She married Alvin G. Hjelmstad on May 9, 1951, and they made their lives and marriage in Casper for 50 years, having three children: Tony, Bill, and Diane. Thecla then resumed her secretarial work at Mills School in 1958 until 1967 when, after encouragement from her boss, the school principal, she entered college. After receiving her Bachelor’s degree, Thecla began teaching at Mountain View School where she taught and enjoyed Fifth grade until her retirement in 1986. During that time she obtained her Master’s degree with an additional 90+ graduate hours and sent her three children through college and graduate degrees.

Thecla and Al built their house in 1957 in Mills and enjoyed many activities. They square danced and taught round dancing for twenty years. They enjoyed many activities, mostly with their children and grandchildren including playing cards, bowling, tenting, camping, exploring on motorbikes, hunting, boating, fishing, and water skiing. Thecla was quite proud of her feats of getting two elk and two moose and learning and enjoying skiing on one and two skis.

When Al’s hearing failed too much to continue dancing, they took up and enjoyed golf using the same for exercise and an excuse to travel and visit as many golf courses as they could find. They enjoyed traveling and could be found in Europe, Australia, Russia, Africa, South America, and of course, cruising the Mediterranean and Caribbean.

After Al’s death in 2001, Thecla continued her many activities with and visiting children, taking trips and cruises with her sisters, doing volunteer work at the Courthouse and hospital. She resumed her dancing and socializing at the Eagles and senior center, and visiting and cheering the elderly.

She met Patrick Trujillo and they were married in January 2008; they had a close and supportive marriage until his death in 2020.

Thecla is survived by her children Tony Hjelmstad (Teri), Bill Hjelmstad (Jenny) and Diane McDonough (Sean); grandchildren: Andy Hjelmstad (Becky), Peter Hjelmstad (Megan), Davy Osmon, Shannon Griffin, Jennifer Glickman (Mike), Allison Snider (Justin), Meghan McDonough, and Connor McDonough (Erin); and great-grandchildren: Bella, Kaiah, Scarlett, Marie, Ethan, Erik, Maclain, Maison, Brody, Kassie, Kali, Sawyer, Luke, and Logan.

She will be fondly remembered and missed by family and friends for her chocolate chip cookies, sense of humor, creativity, positive outlook on life, and her Bundt cake with orange sauce.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorials to the Casper Senior Center or the Natrona County Brain Injury Alliance.

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