The following obituaries appeared in the October 30, 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.
Richard George Minnich
10/5/44 – 10/21/24.
Deeply beloved husband, father of five, grampa of 14, great-grampa of four, brother and friend passed away at his home in Star Valley, WY.
Richard was a gentle, nurturing and peaceful spirit; finding great joy in being outdoors in our natural world.
During earlier camping travels with his wife, Tracy, the Star Valley area hit a deep chord within him. Eventually, he and his wife relocated into the valley in 2014.
Richard enjoyed the grounded, kind people that settled in the Star Valley region, the natural beauty that fills and surrounds it and the spirit of the earth that is a foundation of this area.
His deep spiritual feelings guided his interactions with people and he offered unconditional love and acceptance to all.
Richard is deeply missed and his spirit of unconditional love remains in all those who loved him or passed through his life.
Connie Frome Merritt
Connie Frome Merritt peacefully passed away in her home on October 22, 2024 at the age of 89. She was born on June 23, 1935 in Afton, Wyoming to George Fred- erick Frome and Glena Marie Nield. She was the second child of two children, with an older brother Jay.
Connie will always be remembered for being a professional seamstress.
As a young child her mother had taught her how to embroidery but Connie taught herself how to sew. She played with her mother’s treddle sewing ma- chine with scraps of material and would make doll clothes. She later took 4- H and learned a little more and this was the beginning of her becoming the wonderful seamstress she was. Her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren as well as extended family were all blessed by her incredible talent. Connie would take best of show on nearly every article she entered in the Lincoln County Fair. Her talents also blessed so many when she started focusing on sewing humanitarian projects.
Connie attended Star Valley High School where she met her future husband. Connie married her eternal companion, Dean Joseph Merritt, March 14, 1952 in the Logan Temple. Last March they celebrated their 72nd wedding anniversary. To this union came six children: Robert, Kim, Alan, Joel, Jill and Bart. Her and Dean raised their family in Thayne, Wyoming teaching them the value of work as they worked on their dairy farm.
Connie worked at Star Valley Hospital in the lab and X-ray department for about 5 years and then a few years later worked for Dr. OD Perkes as a receptionist for over 25 years. Wanting to slow down a bit, her and Dean became “snowbirds” during the winters for 23 years. They made many good, lifelong, friends there and got out of the cold winters in Star Valley.
Connie had a strong testimony and was very active in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. She held many ward callings during her life.
Dean and Connie served faithfully as temple officiators in the Idaho Falls Temple for five years, and in St. George they served a Member Locator Mission.
Family was the most important thing to Connie. She was always putting their needs first, before her own and loving her dear hus- band, Dean. She was so proud of her posterity and always wanted the very best for them.
Connie is survived by her husband, Dean Joseph Merritt of 72 1⁄2 years, children: Robert (Tenna), daughter in law Mary Lou, Alan (Eileen), Joel (Sherry), Jill Clark (Kim), Bart (Deanna), 45 grand- children, 81 great-grandchildren, 1 great-great-grandchild, brother Jay Frome and step brother Vernon Dunn.
Connie was preceded in death by her parents, George and Glena Frome, a son Kim Dean Merritt, a granddaughter Sheena Merritt and her mother and father in law Joseph and Lera Merritt.
