The following obituaries appeared in the October 9, 2024 edition of the Star Valley Independent.
For more area obituaries, please visit Schwab Mortuary.
For more resources including headstones, please visit the Star Valley Historical Society.
Bob Hokanson
Bob Hokanson, 64 years young, died October 2, 2024, unexpectedly at Star Valley Health. He was born in Afton, Wyoming on December 24, 1959 to Dee and Ida Hokanson of Freedom, Wyoming. He grew up in Freedom with six siblings.
Riding horses, fishing, hunting, fast cars, Harley’s and the outdoors are what Bob lived for.
Bob served a mission in Florida for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. After returning from his mission, Bob married Sandi Martin and together they lived in Logan, Utah for a duration while Bob completed some college courses. Together they had three children, Camron Hokanson, Tawni Wolfley (Rick) and Aaron Hokanson (Josi). They were later divorced.
Bob made his home on the west hills of Afton. Bob worked in many places through his life but ended his working career at JR Simplot Smoky Canyon Mine.
Bob has nine grandchildren.
He is preceded in death by his brother LinDee, his dad Dee and mother Ida.
Graveside services were held on Saturday, October 5 in the Freedom Cemetery.
Carol (CJ) Warren
Carol Joan (CJ) Warren, beloved mother, sister, and community servant, passed away peacefully at her home in Star Valley Ranch, Wyoming, on September 25, 2024, at the age of 84. Born on June 18, 1940, to Thelma and David Nein, Carol grew up in Colorado, where she spent her early years working on the family farm. This upbringing instilled in her a strong work ethic, a love for nature, and a deep sense of responsibility to her family and community.
Carol had a remarkable career at the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory, where she served as a computer programmer and administrator. She later moved to Star Valley Ranch, where her passion for service continued. Carol dedicated much of her life to serving others, both as a member of the Star Valley Ranch Town Council and as an active participant at Star Valley United Church in Thayne. She was not only a member of the church council but also the dedicated organist for many years, filling the sanctuary with music that brought peace and joy to those who worshiped there.
Her love for Star Valley was evident in all she did. She found great joy in the beauty of her surroundings, especially in the many trees and hollyhocks she nurtured around her cabin; her mini-gardens where petunias bloomed, and hummingbirds visited. Carol’s heart was as warm as the melodies she played and as colorful as the flowers she adored. Carol is survived by her loving family, including her sisters Myra Stutzman and Norma Seltz, her brother David Nein, her daughters Helen Kenney and Brenda Bowlby, her grandchildren Cameron and Kyra Bowlby and Sydney and Savannah Kenney, her “adopted daughter” Jackie Logan, and her sweet little dog, Bodee. Her presence will be deeply missed, but her legacy of service and love for her community will continue to inspire those who knew her.
A funeral service to honor and celebrate Carol’s life will be held at Star Valley United Church in Thayne, Wyoming, on Saturday, October 12, 2024, at 10:30 am. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made in Carol’s memory to the Humane Society.
Carol’s spirit will forever soar with the hummingbirds she so cherished, her music echoing through the hearts of all who were fortunate to know her.
Joe Powell
Charles Joseph Powell (Joe) was born on February 15, 1945, in Riverside, California, to Helen Clevenger and Joseph Rueben Powell. His family later moved to a ranch surrounded by orange groves in Rialto, California, where he spent most of his childhood. He spent his adolescence in Yucaipa, where he graduated from high school. Joe was the oldest of five children: Delbert, Susan, Rod and Robert.
Following in the footsteps of his father and grandfather, Joe served in the US Military and became a Marine, beginning his service as a forward observer in a Marine Corps artillery battery. His training and experience helped give him a strong sense of direction, a powerful character, and healthy tenacity. His military background taught him that the human body can push beyond the mind’s limits, and he inspired those around him to reach their fullest potential.
Later in life, Joe served many years as a scout master, molding young boys into confident and resilient men. The adventures he took his scouts on became rites of passage, teaching them they could overcome any challenge and to dig deeply to find strength. Now, as adults, these young men continue to speak about the lasting impact that Joe had on their lives.
Joe always strived to connect with the divine. He served a mission with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in southern Argentina. He found some of his closest connections with the divine through his experiences in nature, always seeing the deep beauty in both order and chaos. Later, Joe became a member of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers).
Joe was called to create. His art and poetry were thought-provoking and inspiring. He taught his children and students Haiku poetry and the unique art of Batik. He was always proud of his children’s creations and fully supported their creative endeavors. Joe loved the art of the world and how it reflected and shaped history, often focusing his travels on the art of specific regions.
Seeking knowledge and meaning was a lifelong journey for Joe, and it surely continues beyond. He had a deep passion for geography and history and was a voracious reader. He loved sharing knowledge and stories, knowing they would expand the minds of others. Joe always sought truth, beauty, and goodness. Joe understood that true learning is self-realized, requiring space and experience for personal growth.
Joe achieved two undergraduate degrees—one in anthropology and another in primary education—and two master’s degrees in Instructional Development and Instructional Design. He proudly taught for 35 years in elementary education, covering every grade except first. He also taught night classes for college students, stood as community judge, and volunteered his time in the community. Many people have repeatedly said that Joe was one of the most intelligent people they knew and one of the best teachers they ever had.
Joe married his first wife, Bari Trunnell Olson, on August 12, 1969. Over the next 15 years, they moved 12 times, a result of Joe’s military service, their shared careers as educators, and a good dose of wanderlust. Together, they raised seven children and shared 32 years of marriage. His children are Madoc, Bronwyn, Meredyth, Caitlyn, Dylan, Rhiannon, and Brecon. Joe also leaves a loving legacy of 20 grandchildren and two great grandchildren.
Joe fulfilled a life-long goal of creating his dream home – a magical off-grid, timber-framed, straw-bale home in the middle of 35 acres of Wyoming sagebrush with the Wind River Range visible in the distance. It was his haven for many years.
Joe met his second wife, Sharon Terhune, in 2005. They married in 2008. They shared a mutual passion for the outdoors, travel, and art. Together, they embarked on adventures across much of Western Europe, and they hiked the entire length of the Wind River Mountain Range. One of their greatest joys in life together was hiking the trails in Sinks Canyon with their dogs, Jack and Teague. However, the most challenging journey they faced together was Joe’s battle with Parkinson’s disease. They navigated those trials as a beautiful team, with love and humor.
Of all Joe’s accomplishments, his greatest was his seven children. He was an exemplary father, never missing a chance to support his kids in their activities and successes. He led by example, showing the importance of kindness, ethics, integrity, and grace in his interactions with others. His children have all become genuinely kind and good people, continuing the ripple effect that Joe started. On the evening before his final decline, he was moved to edit his obituary to let his children all know how much he loved them and was proud of them. His children are so very grateful to have had such a brilliant, loving, kind man as their father, and they will miss him immensely.
“Forward toward the western mountains,
The Great Divide between endings and beginnings
Ascending and descending
Ridge beyond ridge
Until we reach that final
Ridge which we
Must pass over alone.”
-Joe Powell
A memorial service will be held on Saturday, October 12, 2024 at 3:00 p.m. in the Hudson’s Funeral Home in Lander (680 Mount Hope Dr., Lander, WY 82520)
