The following obituaries appeared in the September 26, 2018 edition of the Star Valley Independent.
For more local obituaries, please visit Schwab Mortuary.
Our beloved father and grandfather, Billy Bruce Cowser, passed away peacefully on September 18, 2018, surrounded by loving family members. After a lifetime of service to others, he is now reunited with his eternal companion and other loved ones beyond the veil. Bill was born on October 22, 1924, in Winnsboro, Texas to Sam and Vera Cowser. After high school, he attended college at Texas A&M where he later earned his degree in Electrical Engineering. Bill met and fell in love with Shirley Healey during WW II, and they corresponded until he came home from the war, having served in the Pacific in the US Navy. They were married in Salt Lake City in 1946. They are the parents of five children. Bill worked as an engineer and a manager for Union Carbide for over 30 years, working in Texas, California, Australia, Sweden, Belgium, and Brazil. He enjoyed living in foreign countries, endeavoring to learn the language of the country wherever he lived.Bill served his Church in many capacities throughout the world, and was loved everywhere he went. He served in many local callings as well as in the Provo MTC Presidency, and as Regional Representative in Australia and in the US Central States area. Natural missionaries wherever they lived, Bill and Shirley also served two full-time missions together for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints — first presiding over the Auckland, New Zealand Mission and then in Recife, Brazil. Another passion Bill had throughout his life was family history and temple work. He was a temple ordinance worker in the Provo and Mt. Timpanogos temples and spent countless hours serving as a patron in the St. George temple. Bill is preceded in death by his parents, his beloved wife, Shirley, and his sister, Elizabeth Chitsey. He is survived by his brother, Jack Cowser, and his five children, Cathi Stewart (Val), Jane Bunker (Phil), Bruce Cowser (Teresa), Linda Patch (Mike), and Steve Cowser (Kelly). Bill has 22 grandchildren and 56 great grandchildren.Funeral services were held at 11 a.m., Saturday, September 22 at the Lindon 9th Ward meetinghouse at 325 E. Canal Drive, Lindon, Utah, with a viewing from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. The interment were at the Alpine, Utah Cemetery. Condolences and memories may be shared with the family on www.walkersanderson.com. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the General Missionary Fund of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Richard Kent Wessman beloved by all died peacefully surrounded by loving family September 19, 2018. He had no fears of passing on and felt it the greatest step in the eternities. The atonement of Jesus Christ in his mind was the greatest gift given to mankind. He had a firm testimony of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Rick was born July 30, 1949, in Salt Lake City, Utah to Beverly Glade Wessman and John Wessman. The third child to the oldest he came from a loving family. He received his Eagle Scout award as a young man, graduated from Highland High School in Salt Lake City and served a mission in the Southern States. Married to his first wife Karen Meredith for 24 years, they had five children Rachael, Kari, Matthew, Bryan and Carli and later divorced. His training and career were spent as an auto mechanic. However he tried his hand at many things in his lifetime. He left retirement to take a dream job with Jackson Hole Mountain Resort working on vehicle maintenance. He had many adventures in life including skiing, soccer, golf, rock climbing, volleyball, coaching Little League, fishing in the moonlight, looking for gemstones, gardening, playing guitar, singing and dancing proficiently. He sang in many LDS choirs and developed art and photography as talents. He liked to study the scriptures, history, science and Ancient America. Later in life he met his second wife Rebecca Motsch at an LDS singles dance. He often said that God brought them together. They were sealed in the Salt Lake Temple September 26, 2006. He served in many capacities in the LDS church. In particular he was known for his lessons taught on Sunday as they were inspirational and helped others to make changes in their lives for the better. Most recently he served in the Afton Wyoming Second ward Bishopric as second counselor with Lance Oviatt as Bishop and Nohl Sandall as first counselor. Rick and Rebecca Wessman settled in Star Valley Wyoming remodeling a 1925 Arts and Crafts home in Afton. It was their desire to create a loving home for children and grandchildren to visit. Rick was happy to attend the Star Valley Temple just miles from their home. He is survived by his sister Ann Tanner, Provo, Utah; Roger Wessman, Salt Lake City, Utah; Dave Wessman, St, George, Utah; Craig Wessman, Mark Wessman, Salt Lake City and Marie Goddard, Salt Lake City. Rick was preceded in death by his sister Patti Wessman and parents Beverly and John Wessman.Rick was a kind, generous and thoughtful man with bright intelligence. He has gone on to our Heavenly Father’s mansions to prepare a way for those that follow. We love him and feel it a choice experience to have walked with him in this life.
