ALICE MARIE (SMITH) WOOLSEY

A celebration of life for Alice Marie Woolsey, 86, will be held from 1:00 P.M. to 3:00 P.M. Saturday, June 19, 2021 at the First Christian Church in Wheatland, Wyoming.

Alice Woolsey passed away on Sunday, January 3, 2021 at the Platte County Memorial Hospital in Wheatland.  She was born to Robert and Martha (Mills) Smith on Sunday, August 26, 1934 in a tourist cabin at Valley Park North of Wheatland where they lived at the time, she was the first girl after thirty boys were delivered by Doc Collins that year.  She went to various country schools during grade school at ranches where her dad worked.  She persevered though she fought everything from chicken pox to measles and mumps.  She also attended school in Guernsey, Wyoming and Wheatland, and then graduated high school in Douglas, Wyoming in 1954.  Afterward, she went to Bible college in Huron, South Dakota, paying her own way by working at a laundromat.  She married Bobby Sturgeon in Douglas on May 17, 1957, and moved to Bobby’s parents ranch near Garrett, Wyoming south of Laramie Peak.  The very next day they were greeted by a foot of snow.  They summered cattle there and wintered on their place in Wheatland.  A son, William was born to them in 1962.  After Bobby died of Cirrhosis of the liver in 1965, Alice boldly took care of things herself from caring for livestock and fixing fence to milking the cow, all while caring for young William.  Then she married George Woolsey Jr. on March 19, 1968 with whom she lovingly spent nearly every waking moment with for the rest of her life.  They and William lived on the Woolsey farm until they moved to Bob Sturgeon Ranch in the fall of 1971 and two more children were born into this family – Robert in November of 1970 and Irene in October of 1975. 

Alice was no stranger to hard work, hardship, and hard times.  After Bobby died, she made a living raising 50 sheep and 25 head of cows on the Wheatland place.  She milked the cow every day, raised chickens, and grew a big garden, selling cream and eggs to supplement her income, something she did all of her life.  Then she spent much of her life helping Bobby’s parents and family on the ranch, and she spent 20 winters with George in the tough country on the ranch.  Later she and George continued to summer cows on the ranch and winter in Wheatland, in addition to running the sheep in Wheatland. 

She will be remembered for being a strong country woman who could ride a horse, sheer sheep with hand blades, and drive a hay sweep.  The day before William was born, she still was pitching hay off of the back of a truck to horses.  Likewise, the day before Robert was born, she checked the sheep on foot in a foot of snow.  She was tough but refined, and still had time for her dear family and social life such as being a member of the Dwyer Homemakers club much of her life, as well as the Toltec Ladies club of Garrett, in addition to being an election judge at Garrett.  She really enjoyed spending time with her children and grandchildren, she loved making wonderful meals for the family.  Her baked goods, home canning, embroidery, all her treasured pastimes, were entered into the Platte County Fairs and Wyoming State Fairs.  When she was younger, she also hunted deer, elk, and antelope.  She loved the Lord with all of her heart and was a faithful member of the First Christian Church most of her life. 

Alice is preceded in death by her parents; sister, Betty Hytrek in 2002; brother, Ed Smith in 2008; and son, Robert in 2006.

At the time of her death, she was survived by her husband, George Woolsey; son, William (Lori) Sturgeon; daughter, Irene (Dan) Cayton who passed away on March 17, 2021; sister, Wilma Hannifin; grandchildren, James and Matthew Sturgeon and Deven and Wyatt Cayton; and in addition to many nieces and nephews.

A memorial to the Alzheimer’s Association-Wyoming Chapter, 2232 Dell Range Boulevard, Suite 101, Cheyenne, Wyoming 82009 would be appreciated by her family.

Gorman Funeral Homes – Platte Chapel of Wheatland are in charge of the arrangements.
Condolences can be left for the family at www.gormanfh.com

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of ALICE MARIE (SMITH) WOOLSEY, please visit our floral store.