Passings

Jerry L. Ellerman

Jerry Lee Ellerman, 67, of Hermosa, South Dakota, died Sept. 18 as a result of injuries from a car accident.

Ellerman was born Dec. 27, 1952, in Portland, Oregon, to Mary Belle Rittberger Ellerman and Roy LeVere Ellerman. He grew up in Portland, the second of four Ellerman children, with two brothers and a sister. In 1963, he moved with his family to Edmonds, Washington, where he attended primary and middle school. He returned to Portland in 1967 and graduated from James Madison High school in 1971. In 1972, he moved to the family farm outside of Spearfish, South Dakota, to work with his grandfather Rudolph Rittberger. He attended Black Hills State College, where he met Linda M. Hasselstrom.

He graduated from the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology as a civil engineer and started work with the Wyoming Highway Department, WYDOT’s predecessor agency, in Cheyenne, on May 2, 1978. He retired in 2008 after thirty years working in various capacities including Bridge design team leader and Bridge operations engineer.

During that time, he belonged to the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, Lodge 660 in Cheyenne from 1981 to 1986 – appropriate for a man who was always benevolent and protective.

Upon retirement in 2008, Ellerman moved – or as he put it on his Facebook page – “accepted new employment,” with Linda M. Hasselstrom on her family ranch near Hermosa. He built a woodworking shop with an attached garage for his vehicles, including his beloved 1947 Diamond T milk truck. He also adapted an already-existing building as a blacksmith shop and did considerable woodworking and blacksmithing for his family and friends with only the occasional loss of part of a finger.

As a consultant to Michael Baker International, Ellerman kept his acquired engineering knowledge current. He also headed the Building Committee for the Hermosa Arts and History Association, helping the organization advance rapidly with refurbishing the exterior of the building with new soffits and repaired stucco, and finalizing plans for the interior layout so that the building – constructed in 1889 as the Hermosa school – can be used for museum displays, meetings, research and archival storage.

He had not done nearly as much fishing as he intended, but recently he enjoyed a day catching nothing in his favorite spots near Hill City.

Halloween was Ellerman’s favorite holiday, so a celebration of his life was held during that week. When he lived in Cheyenne, he always wore a costume to answer the door, and would devise elaborate decorations to surprise trick-ortreaters, including a display in the garden gazebo he built at his home.

Contributions in his honor may be made to Hermosa Arts and History Association, PO Box 175, Hermosa, South Dakota, 57744.

George A. Farrington

George Allen Farrington, 79, of Medicine Bow, died Sept. 9 at Ivinson Memorial Hospital. He was born Aug. 28, 1941, in Lusk, to George Earl and Eva Grace (Pfister) Farrington.

On June 23, 1962, he married Lorene M. Prelle in Alliance, Nebraska. Farrington

He worked for the Wyoming Highway Department, WYDOT’s predecessor agency, as a heavy equipment operator in Medicine Bow from 1968-1995.

Farrington was an old car enthusiast, particularly regarding the Model A, and loved to go camping and fishing in the mountains. He was also a great storyteller, always recounting family history and connections. He was also a huge animal lover and advocate.

After retirement, he enjoyed socializing at the Senior Center in Medicine Bow, which led him to competing in Wii Bowling.

Farrington was known as the “bikeguy” by local children, as it was his hobby to repair old bikes, fix, sell, or give away as the need arose.

Memorial contributions can be made in Farrington’s name to the Medicine Bow Volunteer Fire Department or a charity of your choice.

Family services will be planned at a later date.

Wendel E. Jones

Wendel Edward Jones, 71, passed away Oct. 3 at the Platte County Memorial Hospital in Wheatland, Wyoming.

Jones was born April 18, 1949, in Wayne, Nebraska, the son of Theodore Wendel and Wilma Louise (Meisner) Jones.

Jones was raised and educated in Sidney, Nebraska, and Medicine Bow, Wyoming. In 1968, he graduated from Medicine Bow High School.

Following high school he enlisted in the U.S. Air Force. Jones made the decision to enlist in order “to sleep on a cot” rather than to wait to be drafted and “sleep in a foxhole.”

Jones was a good ranch hand – his passion was ranching which he did in some form or other throughout his life. However, he usually had a government job to support his ranching habit.

In the 1980’s, he drove school bus and worked as a custodian for the Medicine Bow/Shirley Basin schools. In 1988, he moved to Muddy Gap and began his career with WYDOT, retiring in 2016 after 34 years of service.

Jones then moved to Wheatland and fell right back into ranching, farming and tinkering on old tractors with his brother, “Uncle Terry.”

In addition to working, Jones made time to be a rural firefighter. He was a member of the Carbon County Volunteer Fire Department while in Muddy Gap. He also became a member of the Palmer Canyon Fire Department.

Services were held at Oct. 10 at the Wheatland Cemetery in Wheatland. Military honors were accorded by the Laramie Peak VFW Post #3558 and Ora Call American Legion Post #10.