The following obituaries and death notices appeared in the July 29, 2026 edition of the Star Valley Independent.

Ella Lou Lancaster

Ella Lou Allred Lancaster passed away on July 22, 2026, in Brigham City, Utah. She was born on 3 March 1945, in Afton, Lincoln, Wyoming. Her parents were Paul W. and Vera Haderlie Allred. They lived in Osmond, Lincoln, Wyoming.

When Lou was old enough, she went to school in Osmond. Just four houses from her home. Then when she was in the fifth grade she went to Smoot, Lincoln, Wyoming. Then for the sixth grade she went to Afton, Lincoln, Wyoming. When Lou was a Junior in High School her family moved to Brigham City, Box Elder, Utah, finished her junior class and Senior class graduating from Box Elder High school in May 1963.

On 25 August 1964 Lou married Layne Crook Lancaster in Idaho Falls Temple in Idaho Falls, Bonneville, Idaho.

She spent her free time embroidering, knitting, crocheting, making and painting ceramics, doing photo albums and family history.

Lou spent her life in Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah, Benson, Cache, Utah before moving to Brigham City, Box Elder, Utah where they raised their family.

She worked as a checker at Smith’s Food King, a florist for Brigham Floral, Drews Floral, and Afton’s Floral.

Lou was kept busy by her Church callings. She was a Cub Scout Leader, Primary Teacher, and Relief Society Callings, and worked for the Family History Center.

She was preceded in death by her husband Layne Crook Lancaster, her parents, baby sister, sisters Sandra Allred Ammons, Janice Allred, and Paulette Freeze, sister-in-law Connie Allred, and grandsons Samuel Lancaster and Dominic Lancaster.

Surviving are her sons, Randal (Janette), Boyd (Sharon), Scott (Nicole), Kirk (Laura) and Gary (Kate). Brothers Brent Allred, Eric (Elaine) Allred, Blair (Chris) Allred, and sister Peggy (Val) Lindley. Nine grandsons, two granddaughters, three great-grandsons, and four great-granddaughters.

Viewings on Thursday, July 30, 2026, from 6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. and on Friday, July 31, 2026, from 9:00 a.m. – 9:45 a.m. at Aaron’s Mortuary.

Funeral Service will be at 10:00 a.m. at Aarons Mortuary, 888 S Main Street, Brigham City, Utah.

Interment will be in Afton Wyoming Cemetery at 2:30 p.m.

Condolences to the family may be expressed at: https://www.aaronsmortuary.com/obituaries/ella-lancaster.

Services entrusted to Aaron’s Mortuary, Brigham City.

Ron Stoltenberg

Ronald (Ron) Hans Stoltenberg was born on April 20, 1937 in Idaho Falls, Idaho. He was the youngest of 10 children and spent his childhood years on the family farm in Swan Valley, Idaho. Ron graduated from Idaho Falls High School and attended Utah State University but decided he did not need to attend college to “learn how to feed chickens”, so he returned to the family farm. Ron worked on the road crew that built the existing road around the Palisades Reservoir. Ron married the love of his life, Marilyn Kay Reed, on May 31, 1957. The couple spent the first few years of their marriage working on a ranch in the Swan Valley area. In the Fall of 1960, Ron and Marilyn moved to Thayne, Wyoming to work on the Glen Miller Ranch. It was here that Ron and Marilyn started their purebred Hereford herd. After the Miller Ranch sold, Ron and Marilyn and their three young daughters moved to Auburn, Wyoming, an area and community that they loved, and which became their treasured home. The Stump Creek area became Ron’s heaven on earth, and he spent endless hours horseback in that area. Ron raised Herefords, Red Angus, and range cattle. He also had draft teams, and ranchers sought him out for the teams that he broke. Ron loved his horses and cattle, but also loved his tractors and raising hay crops, a lot of which he contracted to the Game and Fish for the elk feed grounds.

Ron was a member of the Southwest Hereford Association and was their president for several years. Ron was also a member of the Star Valley Cattlemen’s Association which had range permits in the Stump Creek area. Ron was a 4-H leader, volunteered at the local rodeo working rough stock before the rodeos were sanctioned. Ron was inducted into the Wyoming Cowboy Hall of Fame in 2018.

Ron loved adventure and living on the edge. There was never a horse ride, hunting trip, pack trip or snow machine ride that did not involve some type of test or adventure. He took this attitude into the hay field as well and was well known to his family about some of the situations he could get himself into.

Ron never met a person who did not become his friend. Ron was well known for his humor, smile, and work ethic. Ron’s heart was big, but that big heart became tired and he passed away at home on July 16, 2026. Ron was laid to rest with his boots in the Auburn Cemetery.

Ron is survived by Marilyn, his wife of 69 years, his daughters, Cindy Olsen, Heidi Brown, and Jayne Filibi, four grandchildren, and seven great-grandchildren. He is preceded in death by his infant daughter Holly, his parents, and his siblings.

The family will host a pasture party to celebrate Ron’s life at a later date.

Dan Patterson

Funeral Services for Dan Patterson will be Saturday, August 1, 2026 at 11 a.m. at the Salt River Ward building.

A viewing will begin at 10 a.m. prior to the service at the church.