The following obituaries appeared in the November 1, 2023 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.
Joyce Brown
Joyce Passey Brown was born on June 25, 1936, in Lanark, Idaho, to Newell Beck Passey and Mary Olive Smith Passey. Joyce passed away on October 22, 2023 at the age of 87. She was the eighth of eleven children. Four brothers and six sisters. When she was 11 months old, her father bought a farm in Georgetown, Idaho where she resided until 1954 when she was married.
To earn a little money in the summer, Joyce would pick strawberries and raspberries. Sometimes, it would be from 6 am to 6 pm.
Joyce met Wynn Brown the summer she started high school. They started writing each other, but didn’t see much of each other. When Joyce was a junior in high school, there was a girl’s choice dance, so she wrote and asked Wynn if he would go to the dance with her. They started going steady after that and were engaged in December 1953. Joyce graduated High School in May 1954 and was married on May 28, 1954 in the Logan Utah Temple. They were married for 69 years on their way to eternity.
Two weeks after they were married, Wynn received his greetings from Uncle Sam and had to report to California for Basic Training and then was assigned to Ft. Eutis, Virginia for two years. Joyce insisted on going with him. That was the furtherest from home that she had ever been. To Joyce, home was still the most beautiful place to be. They lived in LaBarge at the guard station where Wynn was the fire guard and Joyce was the radio operator. They moved to Kemmerer, Wyoming, to Salt Lake City, Utah and then back home to Fairview, Wyoming, where they have lived every since.
Wynn and Joyce are the parents of four children, Luann, Jana, Dahl, and Brenda. Joyce worked for 35 years at Nield’s Market. First in the meat department and then later as the Deli manager.
Joyce was an avid reader. She loved reading, especially her scriptures, word puzzles and walking.
Joyce was a devoted member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and had a strong testimony. She served in various callings.
Joyce served others quietly and without fanfare. She did not seek worldly recognition. Joyce was not afraid of hard work. She enjoyed a clean and orderly home. Joyce was an excellent cook and many were the recipients of her cooking.
Joyce is survived by her loving husband Wynn, her four children, nine grandchildren, fourteen great-grandchildren, two great-great grandchildren and two sisters, Edith Matthews and Doris Rogers.
A graveside service was held on October 27, 2023 at the Fairview, Wyoming cemetery at 12:00 pm
Gary Holsan
Gary Holsan’s journey came to end on October 25. He was 81 years old. He leaves behind a legacy of love of family, kindness and cherished memories.
Gary was born in Clifton, Colorado to Robert and Edna Holsan. He had two brothers, Richard and Kent, and one sister, Myrna. Often referring to his childhood as a “Tom Sawyer” way of life, he had a happy childhood filled with fun and adventure. He greatly enjoyed baseball, always playing catcher. He was an avid lover of the outdoors and spent his time camping, hunting, hiking, fishing and picking fruit in the local orchards. A favorite family activity in his youth was hunting for arrowheads in the Grand Mesa.
In keeping with his passion for the outdoors, Gary received his Bachelor of Science from Colorado State University in Forest and Range Management. His first job was with the U.S. Forest Service, and he was assigned to the Idaho Falls Ranger District, which also coincided with the military draft for the Vietnam War. Thus, he subsequently enlisted in the Army and was assigned to Fort Belvoir in Virginia, where he taught Combat Engineering.
Following his time in the Army, Gary was eligible for the Reemployment Rights Act and returned to a career in the Forest Service. Fate intervened, and he was assigned to the Thayne, Wyoming Ranger District where he met Linda (Hebdon), his loving wife of 53 years.
Gary spent the next 13 years laying out timber sales, fighting forest fires and working hard to manage and maintain Wyoming’s beautiful forests. While serving as the Assistant Ranger, an opportunity came up to leave the Forest Service and he set out to start his own business as an environmental consultant. He was a pioneer in his profession, recognizing the need to help protect the environment while still utilizing the land, he created a successful business as a result. He made countless lifelong friendships during his career – all of which had a positive impact on his life.
Gary contributed to several community service organizations, including the Thayne Volunteer Fire Department, Lincoln County Planning and Zoning and gave many years of service to the Lost Creek Irrigation System. One of his favorite hobbies was horse racing, as an owner and handicapper, traveling around the country visiting racetracks.
Beloved by many, Gary was most known and loved for his wit and keen sense of humor. He had the ability to bring a laugh and smile to anyone he met. He had a never-ending positive attitude and found the good in everyone and in all things. Gary’s ability to provide levity to any situation, along with his sensible advice and cheerful smile, will be greatly missed.
Together Gary and Linda created a family foundation built on unrelenting love and support for their children and grandchildren. Nothing brought him more joy than following the adventures and achievements of his grandchildren. The family takes comfort in knowing his kind and loving spirit will live on through his family. Gary and Linda have three children and seven grandchildren: Jade (Kirsten) Holsan – Emily and Brayden; Nikki (Ron) Johnson – Jada (Grant), Addie and Dane; and Holli (Pete) Kana – Atlas and Poppi.
At Gary’s request, a celebration of life will be held at a later time.
Should friends desire, donations can be made to the Wyoming Stock Growers Land Trust in Gary’s name.
Kenny Hurd
Kenneth “Kenny” Hurd was born on June 11, 1940 in Grover, Wyoming to parents Laverne and Serell Hurd. He grew up on the family’s farm, milking Holstein cows and helping his parents and two brothers harvest hay and raise sheep, cattle, and pigs. His fondest childhood memory was hauling bricks in his little red wagon when he was just 3 years old to be used for the chimney in their new house. His favorite grandmother, Sarah, helped him with the project and he always remembered her kindness and care of him. At age 11, Kenny was put in charge of caring for the farm by himself for more than a week, while his parents attended her funeral. He was always proud of the responsibility he was given at such a young age, including milking the dairy cows before heading to school each day. Though he did not attend church for much of his adult life, Kenny held fast to his family’s generations-long faith in Mormonism.
Kenny graduated from Afton High School in 1958, and the following year he married Judy Kae Whitney of San Diego, who had relatives living in Star Valley, Wyoming. They started a family soon after and together raised three children – Tim, Holly, and Scott. During their 14 years of marriage, Kenny and Judy resided first in California, where Ken worked at San Diego Gas and Electric. Later, they lived in Grover and Burley, Idaho, before settling in McCall, Idaho. When Judy’s younger half siblings Kris and Doug Ford lost their mother to cancer, Kenny again proved his responsible nature by taking them in and helping to support and raise them along with his own children.
Kenny was a character with a good sense of humor who was well-known and well-liked in town. A visit to the post office or grocery store was never short, as he loved to chat with everyone he saw along the way, sharing a joke or funny story told with his trademark dry wit. He worked on the road crew for the Forest Service in the summer and at Brundage Mountain during the winter, often taking his kids to ski for the day. Kenny was later employed at H&W Hardware and he also served as a reserve policeman. He enjoyed playing catch, sledding, playing cards, soft serve ice cream at the Red Steer, and a western film at the theater in Cascade with his family.
In 1978, Kenny married Nancy “Jo” Jenkins with whom he shared 45 happy years together. They enjoyed making painted wooden decorations and homemade brandy, canning fruit, and creating other delectables to share with their family and friends. Later in life while living on “mini farms” in Lucille and Pollock, he and Jo raised miniature cows and goats. He liked having a large lawn to mow, which made him feel the peaceful expanse of the farm life he loved.
Kenny lived his life the way he chose, surrounded by the things he loved—a tractor, a dog here and there, grass, cows, sheds, tools, a firepit, pear and apricot trees, and a fishing pole. He was preceded in death by his beloved parents Serell and Laverne; brother Devon; stepson Mike Jenkins; and two grandsons. He will be missed by his wife Jo; children Tim (Alan Herring) Hurd, Holly Hurd, and Scott (Rebecca) Hurd; brother Dale; step-children Terri (Bruce) McLean, Chris (Nedra) Jenkins, and Mark Jenkins; his 6 grandchildren; and 7 great-grandchildren.
The family would like to thank the staff at McCall Rehabilitation and Care Center for their kind and compassionate care of Kenny. He passed away peacefully on October 22, 2023. At Kenny’s request, there will be no service. The family will have a graveside gathering in Grover in the spring of 2024.
David Lemmon
David (Dave) Lemmon, age 81, of Las Vegas, Nevada, passed away peacefully on October 22, 2023, surrounded by his family.
He is survived by his beloved wife of more than 63 years, Diane Lemmon, daughter Julie Wallick, and sons Jody Lemmon, Darren Lemmon, Jason Lemmon, and Jeremy Lemmon. He is also survived by 13 grandchildren and 16 great grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Arthur Lyle Lemmon and Martha Ruth Lemmon, sisters Hortence Hovey and Peggy Roberts, and granddaughter Carissa Wallick.
David and Diane married in December of 1959; their marriage was solemnized in the Salt Lake City Temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on June 12, 1961.
David was deeply devoted to his family and unwavering in his commitment to his values and faith. He will be remembered for his optimism, his desire to have deep and direct conversations, the integrity with which he conducted his business and personal affairs, and the deep love he had for his children and grandchildren.
David was born in Star Valley, Wyoming, and was raised on his family’s farm, where he learned the value of hard work. David was active in the Boy Scouts of America and achieved the rank of Eagle Scout at age 12. He also played varsity football for Star Valley High School. David earned a bachelor’s degree in accounting in 1965 from the University of Utah, completed postgraduate work at Governors State University and Northwestern University, and completed executive studies in transportation at Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management.
He joined Amoco Oil Company in Salt Lake City, Utah in June of 1965 and thus began his lifetime career in the oil, refining, and transportation industry. After two years there, Dave accepted a position at Amoco’s headquarters in Chicago, Illinois, which was a major turning point in his life. Dave advanced through executive management positions, ultimately serving as the President of Amoco Pipeline Company. He concluded his professional career as the Chief Executive Officer of Colonial Pipeline Company. Following retirement, he served on several boards, including Deltic Timber, Kirby Corp., Pacific Energy, and Teekay Offshore.
As a result of his industry experience, he advised the Bush Administration on energy policy and was invited by various other corporations and governments to share his knowledge and expertise. He also served on the boards of American Petroleum Institute and the National Council of Economic Education, and further contributed by serving as a member of the Northwestern University Business Advisory Committee and as a guest faculty member at Northwestern University’s Kellogg Graduate School of Management.
Funeral Services will be held Saturday November 4, 2023 at 11:00 a.m. at Lindquist’s Layton Mortuary, 1867 No. Fairfield Rd., Layton, Utah. Friends may visit with family Saturday from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. at the mortuary prior to the service.
A viewing will be held at 9:00 a.m. and a memorial service will be held at 10:00 a.m. on October 28, 2023 at 10550 Alta Drive, Las Vegas, Nevada 89144.
Interment, Elysian Gardens, 1075 East 4580 South , Salt Lake City, Utah.
Condolences may be sent to www.lindquistmortuary.com
