Louella Irene (Wing) Lankford

Louella “Lou” Lankford, 91, passed peacefully into the loving arms of her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ on October 21, 2025 at the Platte County Hospital in Wheatland, Wyoming.  She was surrounded by her loving relatives.

Lou was the first of four children born to Wilber and Dorothy Wing in Edgemont, South Dakota.  She always said she had a great childhood, growing up sledding, ice skating, bicycling, roller skating, and enjoying the music and dancing (she really loved Elvis) of her era.

Her parents became business people.  Wilber operated a slaughter house just outside of town and processed farm animals and wild game.  Wing’s Cold Storage (Locker Plant) with a small grocery store was then built in town.  This was all a family business, so all four children learned a strong work ethic as well as how to deal with people kindly, firmly and fairly and to meet needs.

When Lou was about ten, she heard that some homemakers didn’t like ringing their chicken’s necks to cook a meal.  So, she would walk neighborhoods hollering that she’d ring a chicken’s neck for a dime.  It was a winning idea and an entrepreneur was born!  She and a friend started working a newspaper route.  (Many of her customers were shocked to see how well this little girl could count their change back.)  One of their bicycle stops was at the train depot.  Military troops would pay for a paper, read what they wanted, give it back and tell them to sell it again, which they did!

Louella lived a very long and interesting life.  In Edgemont, there used to be an annual Thanksgiving turkey drop.  A helicopter would fly low and drop a turkey.  People would run after it and whoever caught it could feed it a few weeks and have it processed for their holiday meal.  She was very competitive.  She said she had skinned-up knees and elbows, but turkey was enjoyed by all.

Lou had many jobs: she operated a forklift, moving live munition; had a boarding house in Paris, Texas; was a night security guard in Nevada; and finally, she was an apprentice upholsterer, opening her own Lou’s Upholstery Shop in the 1960’s.

Lou is survived by two brothers, Vernon Wing of AZ and Ron Wing of IA; three daughters, Connie (Kenny) Bordelon of Wheatland, Carla (Art) Petty of SD, Jennifer Fertig (Rudy) of OK; bonus daughter and grandson, Sue (Lankford) Bauer and RJ Bauer of Wheatland; three sons, Monte McCleery of LA, Mike (Deb) McCleery of ND, and Glen (Linda) Sands of OK. She birthed and cared for six children and was also blessed with 48 grandchildren and great grandchildren; and three great-great grandchildren; and three more expected soon.

By the time you reach 91, many people that you loved dearly have left this world before you.  But Lou Knew she was also cherished and loved.  She’ll be remembered with smiles, chuckles, and a few tears.  Try to think of her when you hear or read these words: Jesus, church, family, prayer-warrior, strong, baseball, football, cribbage, blitz, TOPS, Red Hats, family reunion, etc. She is deeply missed.

Lou’s service will be at Memorial Baptist Church, 202 19th Street, Wheatland, Wyoming on Saturday, November 8, 2025 at 2:00 P.M.  The service will be live streamed at   https://client.tribucast.com/tcid/a25116650637122  

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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