BETTY DARLENE (BREWER) BOULWARE

Betty Darlene (Brewer) Boulware, 94, passed away on Thursday, December 18, 2025, at her home in Wheatland, Wyoming surrounded by family. 

She was born on Monday, December 7, 1931, in Emporia Kansas in her aunt’s home, to William and Lela (Smith) Brewer. She lived in Hartford, Kansas until she was ten years old, and the family moved to Livermore, Colorado, where they purchased a small ranch on Mill Creek.  They raised milk cows on the ranch.  She attended school in Fort Collins, Colorado through 8th grade and later got her GED.  She tested and qualified for acceptance by MENSA. The family would stay in a hotel room in Fort Collins during the winter so Darlene and her older brother, Billie, could attend school.   Because of the isolation of the ranch that the family bought, she was boarded out to the Basher family her 8th grade year in Virginia Dale, Colorado.  During this time, her parents would take a bus to Cheyenne, Wyoming and worked at the airport.  She attended church at the Virginia Dale Church where she met her husband, Robert Boyd.  That was the beginning of her lifelong faith in God and salvation.  They were married on July 2, 1950, and to this union Barbara and Catheryn were born.  They lived on numerous ranches in Colorado, Wyoming, and Nebraska and settled in Chugwater, Wyoming on the Vowers ranch.  Other ranches were Spring Creek in Laramie, Wyoming and the CSURF (Maxwell Ranch) in Colorado.  During this time, Darlene was a rancher’s wife and enjoyed cooking for the crew.  She began selling Amway in the 1980’s and was also a highway safety flagger during the time they put the interstate in by Chugwater.

Robert and Darlene later divorced, and she moved to Laramie and worked in the nursing home and as a jail cook.  She later married Donald Dowers from the Chugwater area, and they resided in Thermopolis, Wyoming for ten years until his death in 1996.  During this time, she worked at the answering service.  They enjoyed many motor home trips including their time in Lone Tree Canyon where they would meet with all the family. 

After Don’s death she floated into Walter Boulware at the Star Plunge in Thermopolis.  Theirs was a whirl wind romance and they were married three weeks later in April of 1998.  They were married for 18 years before he passed away.  During this time, they moved from Thermopolis to Cody, Wyoming where they resided on the golf course.  They enjoyed golfing, stealing other golfers’ balls, buying artwork, and riding their motorcycle. 

Darlene then moved to Wheatland to be near family.  She enjoyed church, church activities, and time at the Senior Center where she met numerous friends.  She has a strong connection to Pearl Harbor as it was bombed on her 10th birthday.  She also had a love for family and friends, and for her jewelry. 

Darlene is survived by daughters, Barb Fletcher, and Cathy (Randy) Selby; stepchildren, Dan (Beverly) Dowers and Roger Goodman; brother-in-law, Hugh Dowers; grandchildren, Leslie (Chris) Sanderson, Crystal (Jeff) Anderson, William (Sohnytha) Penick, Flint (Cindy) Selby, Landon (Elaine) Selby, Angela Selby, Anita (David) Martin, Lori (John) Craft, Natalie Henniger, and Melaine Karp.  She was blessed with 40 great grandchildren and 21 great-great grandchildren.  

She is preceded in death by her parents; brother, Billie; sister-in-law, Bernice; spouses, Robert Boyd, Don Dowers, and Walter Boulware; daughter-in-law, Mary Goodman; son-in-law, Larry Fletcher; granddaughter, Tammy Eslick; and grandson, Clark Eslick.

In lieu of flowers, you may donate to the Virginia Dale Community Church, 30437 US Highway 287, Virginia Dale, Colorado 80536; the Chugwater Christian Fellowship Church, PO Box 62, Chugwater, Wyoming 82210; Platte Para Transit, 1863 South Street, Wheatland, Wyoming 82201; CHUG (Chugwater Historical Unity Group), PO Box 33, Chugwater, Wyoming 82210; or St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, www.stjude.org/donate.

Gorman Funeral Homes - Platte Chapel of Wheatland, Wyoming is in charge of the arrangements.

Condolences can be left for the family at www.gormanfh.com

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