The following obituaries appeared in the August 14, 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.
Maggie Ellis
Margarita Condas Ellis (92), known to friends and family as Margaret, Mag, or Maggie, passed away on July 21, 2024 after a brief illness. She had a zest for life, shown mostly by her love of people and enjoying their company.
She was born in Salt Lake City in 1931 to Peter and Frieda Condas. After graduating from Cyprus High School, Maggie held a variety of jobs, as she accompanied her first husband on his Air Force assignments. She was particularly proud of her work as a secretary at the Bank of America. She later married Jack Ellis, settling in Star Valley, Wyoming where they founded Ellis Big Game Realty, from which she later retired as a real estate broker.
Maggie loved all her families: Relatives, Baja, Weight Watchers, water aerobics, e-mail friends, neighborhood, community living, and breakfast group (the Renegades).
Maggie is survived by her brother George (Mary Ellen) Condas, her sister Tessie Condas, stepdaughter Kittie (Frank) Borden, of Afton, Wyoming, grandchildren Bart Merica, Bret (Debbie) Merica, Cinta (Robert) Roberts, two great-grandchildren, and five great-great-grandchildren, all of Star Valley, Wyoming, and many nieces and nephews.
She was predeceased by her husband Jack Ellis, her parents, her brothers John (Marilee) Condas and Harry (Rena) Condas, her fiancé Bill Blain, stepdaughter Terri (Ross) Merica and great grandson Patrick Merica. Funeral services were held on Saturday, July 27, 2024. In lieu of flowers, Maggie would want donations to be made to the Huntsman Cancer Institute, honoring her zest for life.
Ed Smith
On Tuesday July 30, 2024, Ed Smith, loving husband and father, passed away at the age of 92. He leaves behind his wife Loretta of 58 years, son Eddie (Cheryl), daughter Sandra (Jason) Kestner, son Ryan (Chayo), and seven grandchildren. Ed was preceded in death by his mother Viola (Damm) Smith, his father William Wallace Smith, and his brother William Wallace (Skip) Smith Jr.
Ed was born and raised McKeesport Pennsylvania, then received his Industrial Engineering degree from Lafayette college in Easton, Pennsylvania. In 1953, he started working for Westinghouse and was a 2nd Lieutenant in the Army. He met the love of his life Loretta at Seven Springs Mountain Resort, and they married in 1965, then moved to Idaho Falls, Idaho to ski, start raising their family, and work at the Idaho National Laboratory. In 1972 they joined the Star Valley Ranch (SVR) Association in Wyoming and shortly thereafter built their cabin. In 1979 they moved to Kennewick Washington, where Ed continued to work for the government at the Hanford Project. Ed retired in 1994 after 41 years of service, inspiring all three children to become Engineers. After retirement, Ed and Loretta began living most of the year in SVR when they were not busy travelling.
Ed loved life and always had a positive attitude. He loved traveling, water sports, skiing, golf, tennis, singing, and was an avid Pittsburgh Steelers fan. He was President of the Idaho Falls Ski Club, President of the Star Valley Ranch Association, loved to play card games and started the Hand and Foot club at SVR.
We will not have a service. Ed will be buried at 3pm, August 15, at the Thayne cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, please consider donations to Lucky’s Place Animal Shelter, 134 Country Rd 126A, Thayne, Wy, 83127.
Andy Stewart
A Celebration of Life for (Andy) Anna Dee Stewart will be held September 7, 2024 from 11 am to 1 pm at the Star Valley Ranch R.V. Park Barn, 3552 Muddy String Road, Star Valley Ranch, Wyoming.
Philip M. Wanek
Sadly, Deacon Philip Wanek passed away on August 3, 2024 in Star Valley, Wyoming. Deacon Phil came into this life in Billings, Montana. He was a beloved figure in his community and among his friends and family.
Born in a succession of a long line of pharmacists, his career took a unique turn when he moved to New Mexico. He became a pioneer in the field of nuclear pharmacy while working at Los Alamos National Laboratory, and later at several biotech firms across the US, lending his unique talents and blend of expertise and innovation to cancer research and treatment.
An avid lover of the outdoors, Phil enjoyed fishing, hiking, sailing, and canoeing with his family, above all, his late wife Pat. Ordained as a deacon in the Catholic Church in 2012, he cherished his years of service to the Star Valley Community, and the Parish of Holy Family Catholic Church.
Deacon Phil’s life was enriched by his love of family. Preceded in death by his beloved wife Pat Wanek, he is survived by his children Luke Wanek, Laura Wanek and Mark Wanek; his daughters-in-law CeCe Wanek and Clara Oropeza-Wanek; his grandchildren AriAna Smith, Brandon Cummings, and Kyle Wanek; his brothers Ed and Mike Wanek; his sister Mary Sjoberg; and many cousins, nieces and nephews.
A memorial service will be held at 11:00 am on Saturday, August 17, 2024 at Holy Family Catholic Church, at 78 Friesian Circle in Thayne, WY, 83127. In honor of Phil’s generous spirit, donations can be made to Holy Family Catholic Church or St. Joseph’s Indian School in Chamberlain, South Dakota, continuing his legacy of kindness and community support.
Elcie Walker
Elcie Braley Baker Walker, 94, was born April 26, 1930, in Etna, Wyoming to William Alonzo Baker and Blanche Braley Baker. She was the youngest of eight children, six brothers and one sister. She died in West Jordan, Utah on August 3, 2024 of causes incident to age.
On July 2, 1946, Elcie married Earl T. Walker. To this union was born, four children were born, Janet, Debbie, Brad and Terri.
Elcie worked as a telephone operator, at the airplane factory and at the Lower Valley Power and Light. After she retired, Elcie and Earl traveled many places which included going on a on cruise to Aruba and driving to Alaska. They spent many winters in Yuma, Arizona.
On August 12, 1987, she lost Earl to a heart attack.
Several years later, she reconnected with an old friend, Phares Walker, Jr. They married on May 12, 1990. Elcie and Phares continued traveling and also spent winters in Yuma, Arizona. On June 1, 1997, Phares passed away from a heart attack.
Being the strong, independent woman that she was, she continued her travels alone. She loved to travel to visit family and spent countless hours on the road.
In 2001-2002, Elcie served a mission in the South Jackson Mississippi Mission. She proudly transported the elders around the area, even during a hurricane!
Elcie always enjoyed sports. She participated in many sports, as well as coaching softball, volleyball and basketball for the girls’ church teams. She was an avid fisherwoman, as well as a proficient elk and deer hunter.
Elcie was proud of her many years of participation in blood drives. As of April 2020, she had donated 20.5 plus gallons of blood.
Elcie was patriotic and loved her country. She worked at the voting polls during many elections.
Elcie was a member of the Church Of Jesus Christ Of Latter Day Saints. She served in various callings during her lifetime. In her later years, she spent many hours extracting names for temple work and working in the temple.
Elcie also had a thirst for adventure and at the age of 84, she jumped out of a perfectly good airplane, twice!
Elcie lived most of her life in Star Valley, but the last six months of her life were spent with her daughter, Debbie, in West Jordan.
Elcie will be remembered for her dedication to the church, her kind and loving heart, her joyful spirit, her wisdom, her stubbornness (which she called determination) and her devotion to her family.
Elcie was preceded in death by all of her siblings, Lloyd, Dennis, Carl, Margie, Rex, Wayne and Lester, her husbands, Earl and Phares, her children Janet Monson, Delwin Walker and Brad Walker and grandson, Geoffrey Baker.
She is survived by daughter, Debbie Mattson (Hale), daughter, Terri Call, daughter Linda Root (Stephen) and son Leonard Walker (Lori), and daughter-in-law, Julie Walker (Brad), twenty two grandchildren, thirty three great grandchildren and four great great grandchildren.
