The following obituaries appeared in the December 13, 2017 edition of the Star Valley Independent.
William “Bill” Parsons passed away on November 28, 2017 at his home in Albany, Oregon at the age of 95. Bill was born on September 7, 1922 in Smoot to Thomas Bear and Leona Jane Allen Parsons.
Bill is survived by his three sisters, Ione Helm (Dick), Denna Lee Fluckiger (Jack) and Renee Stones (Rocky), his two sons, Doug Freeman of Virginia and Gary Freeman of Oregon, and seven grandchildren. He is preceded in death by his father, mother, sister Norene, brother Teddy, step brother Walter Potter, stepsister Margaret Potter Daugherty and his wife Hazel Sessions Freeman Parsons.
Earl Coziah passed away at his home in Smoot on Nov. 11, 2017. Earl was born July 3, 1975 to Jim and Colleen Clark Coziah. He was the third of four children. Earl loved the outdoors and hunting and fishing. He hooked a big trout when he was two years old. That hooked him and from then on he spent a lot of time on the creek bank. The family said he could have caught a fish in a mud puddle. Earl will be remembered most for his big heart. He always wanted to help someone. In fact two days before he died he wanted to haul wood to someone he thought needed it. Earl spent a lot of time with his Dad cutting firewood to sell. They also cut a lot of wood for family members who needed it. After he graduated he worked at Teton Truss for a few years. He then moved to Jackson where he worked for Creed and Clarene Law for quite a few years. He then moved back home where he worked for Clark Brothers Drywall. He is survived by his mother, sisters Julie Coziah and Brandy Gates, and a brother Will Coziah. He was preceded in death by his father and his grandparents. He has left a big hole in our hearts.
Frank Evan Hoopes, age 90, passed away Dec. 9, 2017 in Afton. Frank was born May 29, 1927 in Fairview, to Riley W. Hoopes and Della Rigby Hoopes. He came from a large family of eight siblings and spent a happy childhood on the family farm. During high school, he met the love of his life, Madalyn McNeel. They were married in the Logan LDS Temple on April 9, 1946 and are the parents of 4 beloved children. Frank served in the U.S. Navy and was honorably discharged after his 2 year enlistment. Until 1959, Frank and Madalyn lived in Star Valley where he farmed, was on the rodeo circuit and artificially inseminated cows for local dairy farmers. He later studied at the University of Wyoming and ultimately graduated from Colorado State University in Fort Collins, Colo., as a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine.
Frank soon took a position as part of a joint program between the University of Wyoming and USAID. This assignment sent the Hoopes family to Kabul, Afghanistan for five years where Frank was a professor of Veterinary Medicine at Kabul University. Frank loved both the opportunity and the adventure. His family traveled throughout Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asia and made many happy, lasting memories together. Upon returning to the United States, the Hoopes family moved to Buffalo, where Frank was employed by the U.S. Government. Several years after retirement Frank and Madalyn decided that it was time to move back home to Star Valley. Frank had a keen mind and a very quick wit. He enjoyed reading and learning, country music, and was a great collector of guns, clocks, and Persian rugs. He loved horses and shot prairie dogs by the thousands. However, his greatest treasures were his wife and family, including his grandchildren, siblings, nephews and nieces. He had many dear friends whose association he cherished. As an active member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Frank has a deep and abiding faith in His Savior Jesus Christ. Both he and Madalyn were deeply pleased with the new Star Valley LDS temple. There Frank was able to attend the temple on a regular basis and found great joy and peace in that service. He touched so many hearts and lives and will be terribly missed. We look to the blessed day when we will be reunited with him once again. Frank is survived by his wife Madalyn, children: Connie (Terry), Ronald (Merlynn), Gene (Jennifer), Joe (Jodi), 18 grandchildren and 29 great grandchildren and his dear sister, Lenore Clark. Funeral services will be held on Saturday, Dec. 16 at 11 a.m. in the Third/Fourth Ward Chapel at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Viewings will be held Friday, Dec. 15, 6-8 p.m. and Saturday, Dec. 16 from 9:30-10:30 a.m. Both viewings will be held at the aforementioned chapel. Burial will follow in the Fairview Cemetery with full military honors.
Stephanie Burton’s life of adventure ended unexpectedly on Saturday, Dec. 2 due to injuries sustained by being struck by a car while walking to see the Festival of Trees in Sandy, Utah. Stephanie Jean Burton was born on Aug. 8, 1971 to Jamie Hinck Burton and Lois Elaine Burton in Afton. She grew up working hard on the family ranch raising and milking cattle and hauling hay. Stephanie was very intelligent and quick: she mastered several musical instruments, she excelled in school and was named Salutitorian of her graduating class in Star Valley High School. She attended both Ricks College (now BYU-Idaho) and Utah State University on an academic scholarship, studying Human Resource Management, which she utilized as head of human resources for Snowbird Ski Resort, and the Utah Olympics Parks Recreation Board. She left work in human resources and became a nurse to pursue the one hobby she held above eating candy and listening to Donny and Marie Osmond and traveling. Fearless and full of energy, Stephanie did more than see the sights – she biked, camped, motorcycled, ATV’d, rafted, zip-lined and scuba dove her way through many exotic locations including, China, Spain, Mexico, Aruba, Chili, France, Peru, and dozens of U.S. National Parks and camping sites. Her latest adventure was a trip to Fiji where she went scuba diving with sharks! As a nurse, Stephanie cared for patients as though they were her own family. She was always willing to mentor a nursing student or take on a difficult case or an extra shift. Doctors respected her. Coworkers were delighted that she was always ready with a smile and a good story. She spent seven years on Floor West caring for cancer patients, surgical patients, and medical patients. After also caring for her best friend of ten years, Glenae Turley, who lost a battle to liver cancer in 2015, Stephanie worked in labor and delivery, caring for high risk and low risk pregnant mothers and babies. Stephanie adored and was adored by children and youth. She was a popular swimming teacher in Star Valley. She was “the favorite aunt” and her nieces and nephew would wait anxiously for her to visit with her bag of candy and wonderful, infectious laugh. Stephanie was a loyal, inspiring friend. She was more than the life of the party, she was the axis the fun revolved around. She served everyone, including and especially God, generously and with full purpose of heart. As a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, she had a deep understanding of her beliefs and lived them with complete integrity, serving at times as Gospel Doctrine instructor and Relief Society President and perhaps most memorably, as Emergency Preparedness Coordinator. Stephanie is survived by her father, Jamie Hinck Burton (Angela), sister Andrea Lee Burton, brother Clint Fielding Burton, brother Todd Rulon Burton (Alisha), nephew Andrew and nieces Elise, Everlyn and Isabella, step-siblings Chad Buchanan, Cameron Buchanan (Jenilyn), Trevor Buchanan (Misty), Tyson Buchanan, Emily Jenkins (Tod) and Hillary Kilroy (Levi), as well as scores of friends. Stephanie was preceded in death by her mother, Lois Elaine Anderson Burton, and her grandmother, Verna Graham Anderson Kennington, grandfathers Rulon Anderson and Glen Richard Kennington, grandmother Laura Jensena Hinck Burton, and grandfather Fielding Call Burton.
