The following obituaries appeared in the December 4, 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.
Jerry Hart
Jerry Edward Hart was born in Riverton, Wyoming on August 25, 1944 to Clarence Otto Hart and Edna Pearl Hornbeck. He passed away after a long illness on Sunday, December 1, 2024.
He attended schools in Shoshoni, Wyoming, and was an outstanding three-sport athlete in high school.
Jerry was recruited by Lloyd Eaton to play football at the University of Wyoming in 1962. His career was cut short by an auto accident and knee injuries. He graduated from UW in 1966 and went on to coach and teach in Goshen Hole, Wyoming. He accepted a position at Green River, Wyoming High School. There he met his future wife, Margaret Moffitt. They were married in 1968 and moved on to Kelly Walsh High School in Casper and then to Star Valley in 1969 where he coached football, basketball and track. His football team won state championships in 1972 and 1980.
Jerry loved his family and the beauties of Star Valley. He was accomplished in Dutch Oven cooking and loved cooking soup for friends and family.
Jerry is survived by two sons, Brett (Amy), Keith (Kari), and daughter Allison. Also 13 grandchildren and one great-grandchild due in January 2025. Also surviving is his brother John of Riverton, Wyoming.
He is preceded in death by his parents, a brother Robert, and two sisters Francis and Donna.
Funeral services will be held Thursday, December 5, 2024 at noon in the Bitter Creek Ward chapel. A viewing will be held at Schwab Mortuary on Wednesday, December 4 from 6-8 p.m. and from 10:30-noon prior to the service at the church.
Tennille Erickson
Tennille Jenkins Erickson was born January 17, 1978 to Barbara and LaVor Jenkins. She was welcomed by siblings, Rilianne and Matthew. Tennille was a joyful baby and toddler..very easy disposition and always happy and smiling. Later brothers, Josh and TJ would join the family.
Tennille was a farm girl..she learned early the workings of farm life..starting by picking up strings from bales, then onto the family’s dairy where she milked cows. The whole family worked the farm..the kids earned money to buy school clothes and other thing they wanted..she changed sprinkler pipes, she ran tractors and swathers..she grew up with a good work ethic that served her well during life. She always got a job when the prospective employer saw she had grown up on a dairy farm. The kids all worked hard and developed strong bonds with all the crazy things kids do and think they can get away with, which seldom happened with her sharp eyed dad.
Tennille went to the Star Valley schools, graduating from SVHS in 1996. She got good grades especially after the teachers would split her and best friend, SueAnn Roberts up because they talked too much. After graduation, Tennille spent a year in St. George attending Dixie college and working in a Bagel shop. She then went to Bozeman, Montana where she got her cosmetologist license and began practicing in Jackson and then in Star Valley with a shop Jared built for her in the garage. She worked up until the time of her death..her clients loved her..she was a good listener.
When she worked in Jackson..she met James Mazzarisi..they married in July 2004 and had three children, Kayli Ray, Nathan James and Jakson Thomas, they later divorced but Tennille always stayed on good terms with the Mazzarisi family. She married Jared Erickson September 24, 2004 in Afton Wyoming….with this marriage came two children, Kylee Elizabeth and Riley Jared. Tennille later officially adopoted them. It was a crazy household with five small kids. Tennille was very organized and that helped..she made good meals for her family , she loved to cook and try new recipes from Pinterest.
Tennille and her family loved summers…camping, going to the Lake..just being together. She was also an avid gardener…she was always very proud of her harvests. The weekend before she died her family all went to State Football to watch SVHS and Riley play…this was a great time for them to all be together as a family..a lasting last memory for all.
Tennille will be missed..her family is heartbroken but we know she was welcomed into heaven by her sister and other family members..we take comfort in this..and that she is whole and well again.
Tennille is survived by her husband, Jared Erickson, children Klylee, Kaylie, Nate, Riley and Jaks, along with her precious pups Indy and Murphy. She is also survived by her parents Barbara and LaVor Jenkins brothers Matthew (Jen), Josh (Tiffany) and T.J., grandparents, Darrel and Magdalene Jenkins, and Burton and Della Bagley.
Thanks to all who loved our girl..soar high sweet Tennille.
A.Z. O’Dell
It is with deep sadness that we announce the passing of AZ Earl O’Dell on November 28, 2024 at St John’s Hospital in Jackson, Wyoming after fighting a long medical battle.
AZ (Butch or “Uncle Bootsie”) was born on July 24, 1944 in Laramie, Wyoming to Lucille and AZ Ned O’Dell.
After graduation from high school in Laramie, he joined the army and spent four years proudly serving his country, while stationed in Germany. After returning home, he met Darla Lee at Woolworths where she and AZ’s mother worked. They were married in Laramie on April 11, 1969, and they welcomed their son Danny, born October 24, 1982.
AZ loved people and always enjoyed visiting with friends. He was one of those “never met a stranger” guys! Even if it was someone he just met, he considered them a friend and remembered their name. He would often tell stories that began with: “My friend,_______ told me about – – – – – ”
In his earlier years, he enjoyed fishing, hunting, camping and anything that involved family. In recent years, he enjoyed camping, family bonfires, playing corn-hole, visiting with his Afton neighbors, taking care of his lawn, and riding his zero-turn mower.
He considered his wife Darla and son Danny to be his greatest accomplishments and did everything he could to make their lives better.
He retired from the Monolith/Mountain Cement Plant in Laramie after 25 years. AZ held many part-time and short term jobs over the years: delivering candy, selling tickets at the ski area near Laramie, sales clerk at Murdochs and at Bomgaars. He and his family moved to their current home on Allred Road in Afton in the summer of 2018.
He is survived by his wife, Darla and their son, Danny, his in-laws Slim and Lila Lee of Laramie and in-laws Karla and Rick Jaques of Auburn. Also nephews Dustin Lee (and children Kadi and Braxton), Jason (Lindsey) Lee (and children Lewis and Joey) and nieces Lindsey Jaques and Devin (Colton) Wright (and son Cydon) and also his nephews Mark, Greg and Rod Eike. Plus several cousins and MANY great friends.
He was preceded in death by both of his parents and sister Jean.
Funeral services will be held on December 3rd (his mother’s birthday) at Emmanuel Bible Church 53 Tyler Lane, Thayne, Wyoming. Internment will be in the Afton Cemetery with military honors.
Paul Jones
Delbert Paul Jones at the home of his daughter, Laura Lechner, in Freedom, Wyoming, on December 2, 2024 at the age of 86. Paul was born on June 7, 1938 in Lovell, Wyoming to Delbert Dalley and Louise Jensen Jones and raised in Otto, Wyoming. He was the oldest of eight children. In 1957 he married Isabell Horton and they had six children. Later he married Ruth Bush who had four children and Paul and Ruth had two more daughters. Paul married Vaunda Horton whose six children gives them a total of 14 children and 46 grandchildren plus numerous great-grandchildren.
Paul enjoyed learning and earned three degrees in agriculture, social work, and education. He was a hard worker who farmed, ranched, built hundreds of miles of fence with his family as crew, was a social worker, and a maintenance man. Paul enjoyed music, writing, gardening, hunting, boating, fishing, and trips to Yellowstone Park with his family and cousins Myrtle Rae and Howard Allen. He is a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day, Saints and enjoyed writing family histories and serving as a temple worker.
A Graveside Service will be held at 11 a.m. on Monday, December 9, 2024 at the Freedom cemetery followed by a luncheon provided by the Relief Society. During the meal, there will be a short family program to honor Delbert Paul Jones. Dress will be casual.
