The following obituaries and death notices appeared in the May 13, 2026 edition of the Star Valley Independent.
For more resources including headstones, please visit the Star Valley Historical Society.
Carlee Wicks
Carlee Jones Wicks, age 71, of 2169 Bittercreek Road, Afton died May 5, 2026 peacefully at home in her sleep. She was born Charlene Marie Wicks on May 31, 1954 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, daughter of the late Charles Robert Wicks and Julia Evelyn Breedlove.
Her childhood years were in Taccoa, Georgia where she graduated from high school.
Her young adult years she also lived in Fredericksburg, Maryland and Ft. Lauderdale, Florida.
She earned her Bachelors degree from Georgia Southern and her Registered Nursing degree from North Georgia College. Her final work was as an RN at the hospital in Afton, Wyoming.
She was married to Donald Lewis.
She is survived by her husband Donald Lewis, son Joe Jones and stepson Bridger Lewis all of Afton and a sister Debbie Adams and her husband Bruce Adams from Taccoa, Georgia, Lisa and Tim Cawthon, April and Chuck Kellar, Blake and Shellei Adams, Fallon and Preston Chandler.
Her wish was for a private service with family and friends in July when the flowers are in full bloom at her favorite hiking area at Sheep pass for her ashes to be scattered there.
Carlee loved nature and hiking in the wilderness. She was an avid nature photographer as a hobby. She enjoyed travel all over the world.
Her son Joe said Carlee was a very kind and strong person who loved flowers and spent a lot of time tending her gardens. She loved the outdoors and exploring the natural world. She was a good mother and made sure we were all taken care of, with unconditional love. I didn’t expect her to pass away so quickly but I know she’s in a better place now. She will be missed very much by all.
Brenda Roberts
Brenda Thurman Roberts passed away peacefully at the age of 84 on Sunday, April 26, 2026, in Gilbert, Arizona, surrounded by her loving family. Funeral services were held on May 2, 2026 in Gilbert, Arizona.
Brenda was born on April 17, 1942 in Star Valley, Wyoming as the first daughter to Melvin and Della Thurman. She was the oldest of 5 children, including her siblings Reed, Sherrill, Kirk and Nixon. As a child, she excelled academically and socially, graduating from Star Valley High School in 1960 as the class valedictorian with a full-ride scholarship to Ricks College. She married Briscoe Roberts after graduating from high school and together they had 6 children: Roby, Tina, David, Dirk, Tristi, and Shad. In addition to raising their children, Brenda and Briscoe welcomed many others into their home, including Jim, Dennis, Son Kim, Marzena, other family members, and exchange students.
Brenda lived life fully, adding beauty to everything she touched. She was known for her remarkable artistic talents, including playing the piano, painting, sewing, floral arranging, gardening and much more. When most of her children were grown, Brenda studied Interior Design at Ricks College. She graduated at the top of her class and became an accomplished interior designer. She won awards for her work and was featured in a national magazine. She had an elegant sense of style and a deep love and appreciation for the arts, especially drama and music. She shared her love of music with her children, grandchildren, and countless others. Most of all, Brenda was known for her love of her family and the Gospel of Jesus Christ, which she lived in an exemplary way. As an example of her faith, she and Briscoe served multiple missions in Mexico, where they helped implement a pilot welding program for returned missionaries. She was a loving mother and faithful wife, and beloved by her children, 24 grandchildren, and 42 great-grandchildren.
For a more details of Brenda’s life please visit the Gilbert Memorial website.
