Betty Louise Lighthall Pellatz, 82, passed away on July 4, 2013, in Casper, after suffering a stroke followed by a heart attack.
Betty was born on July 14, 1930, to Wilfred and Iva Burchett Lighthall in Clinton, Ill. She had two older brothers, John and Richard, and benefited from a traditional small-town childhood in the midst of a large and tightly woven extended family.
While in high school, she worked in a flower shop. After graduating from high school in 1948, she worked as an executive secretary for Revere Copper & Brass in Clinton. She had fond memories of both jobs.
Betty’s great-aunt and great-uncle (Auntie and Uncle Jim Fackler) lived on a ranch south of Douglas, and she enjoyed visiting them and experiencing the west. On July 4, 1951, Betty met her future husband, Donald Pellatz, at a rodeo in Fort Laramie. Betty and Don were married on Nov. 4, 1951, in Clinton and moved immediately to the Rollie Sadler ranch 75 miles northeast of Douglas where Don was employed.
In 1954, Don and Betty moved to the Ray Henry place in the Dry Creek Community 50 miles north of Douglas. They were still ranching there at the time of Betty’s death. Betty and Don had five children: Nancy, David, Carl, Charles and Jane. Betty’s family and extended family were always important to her, and she could be counted on to organize regular family reunions and get-togethers.
In her later years, she devoted many hours to crocheting afghans for her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. She loved dogs, football, picnics and crossword puzzles.
Betty enjoyed and valued people and had a way of turning acquaintances into lifelong friends. She also loved to go to new places and do new things. She eagerly traveled when opportunity allowed, making friends wherever she went. In 1971, Betty added a guest ranching component to the family ranching business, and, for almost three decades, the family hosted guests from all over the world for ranch stays and, later, trail drives. She had a gift for hospitality.
Betty also saw the value and potential of working together for the larger good, and she invested much of herself on volunteer boards. During the 1980s and 1990s, Betty served on the Converse County Tourism Board and on the Governor’s Tourism Council. She also helped organize and maintain WHOA, Wyoming’s bed and breakfast and ranch recreation organization. After retiring from the guest ranch business, Betty became involved in starting and nurturing to maturity a new organization, the Thunder Basin Grasslands Prairie Ecosystem Association. She served as chairman of the board for TBGPEA from 1999 until the time of her death.
In the mid-1950s, Betty chose to submit her life to the Lordship of Jesus Christ, and this was an important turning point in her life. Betty sought to spend her days in activities that had spiritual, as well as earthly value. She was a devoted supporter of numerous missionaries, a mainstay of the Dry Creek Sunday School, and for 20 years was co-head cook for the American Missionary Fellowship’s week at Camp Grace. She was always ready to tell anyone about the hope she had in Jesus.
Betty was preceded in death by her parents and brothers.
She leaves behind her husband of 61 years, Donald Pellatz of the Dry Creek community, and her children and their spouses, Nancy and Lee Lane of the Shawnee community, David and Karla Pellatz of the Dry Creek community, Carl and Ronda Pellatz of Gillette, Chuck and Danette Pellatz of the Dry Creek community, and Jane and Drew Woodward of Casper. She is also survived by 18 grandchildren, six great-grandchildren, extended family members, and numerous friends to whom she became like family.
© Douglas Budget July 10, 2013
Betty was born on July 14, 1930, to Wilfred and Iva Burchett Lighthall in Clinton, Ill. She had two older brothers, John and Richard, and benefited from a traditional small-town childhood in the midst of a large and tightly woven extended family.
While in high school, she worked in a flower shop. After graduating from high school in 1948, she worked as an executive secretary for Revere Copper & Brass in Clinton. She had fond memories of both jobs.
Betty’s great-aunt and great-uncle (Auntie and Uncle Jim Fackler) lived on a ranch south of Douglas, and she enjoyed visiting them and experiencing the west. On July 4, 1951, Betty met her future husband, Donald Pellatz, at a rodeo in Fort Laramie. Betty and Don were married on Nov. 4, 1951, in Clinton and moved immediately to the Rollie Sadler ranch 75 miles northeast of Douglas where Don was employed.
In 1954, Don and Betty moved to the Ray Henry place in the Dry Creek Community 50 miles north of Douglas. They were still ranching there at the time of Betty’s death. Betty and Don had five children: Nancy, David, Carl, Charles and Jane. Betty’s family and extended family were always important to her, and she could be counted on to organize regular family reunions and get-togethers.
In her later years, she devoted many hours to crocheting afghans for her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. She loved dogs, football, picnics and crossword puzzles.
Betty enjoyed and valued people and had a way of turning acquaintances into lifelong friends. She also loved to go to new places and do new things. She eagerly traveled when opportunity allowed, making friends wherever she went. In 1971, Betty added a guest ranching component to the family ranching business, and, for almost three decades, the family hosted guests from all over the world for ranch stays and, later, trail drives. She had a gift for hospitality.
Betty also saw the value and potential of working together for the larger good, and she invested much of herself on volunteer boards. During the 1980s and 1990s, Betty served on the Converse County Tourism Board and on the Governor’s Tourism Council. She also helped organize and maintain WHOA, Wyoming’s bed and breakfast and ranch recreation organization. After retiring from the guest ranch business, Betty became involved in starting and nurturing to maturity a new organization, the Thunder Basin Grasslands Prairie Ecosystem Association. She served as chairman of the board for TBGPEA from 1999 until the time of her death.
In the mid-1950s, Betty chose to submit her life to the Lordship of Jesus Christ, and this was an important turning point in her life. Betty sought to spend her days in activities that had spiritual, as well as earthly value. She was a devoted supporter of numerous missionaries, a mainstay of the Dry Creek Sunday School, and for 20 years was co-head cook for the American Missionary Fellowship’s week at Camp Grace. She was always ready to tell anyone about the hope she had in Jesus.
Betty was preceded in death by her parents and brothers.
She leaves behind her husband of 61 years, Donald Pellatz of the Dry Creek community, and her children and their spouses, Nancy and Lee Lane of the Shawnee community, David and Karla Pellatz of the Dry Creek community, Carl and Ronda Pellatz of Gillette, Chuck and Danette Pellatz of the Dry Creek community, and Jane and Drew Woodward of Casper. She is also survived by 18 grandchildren, six great-grandchildren, extended family members, and numerous friends to whom she became like family.
© Douglas Budget July 10, 2013
Betty Louise Lighthall Pellatz, 82, passed away on July 4, 2013, in Casper, after suffering a stroke followed by a heart attack.
Betty was born on July 14, 1930, to Wilfred and Iva Burchett Lighthall in Clinton, Ill. She had two older brothers, John and Richard, and benefited from a traditional small-town childhood in the midst of a large and tightly woven extended family.
While in high school, she worked in a flower shop. After graduating from high school in 1948, she worked as an executive secretary for Revere Copper & Brass in Clinton. She had fond memories of both jobs.
Betty’s great-aunt and great-uncle (Auntie and Uncle Jim Fackler) lived on a ranch south of Douglas, and she enjoyed visiting them and experiencing the west. On July 4, 1951, Betty met her future husband, Donald Pellatz, at a rodeo in Fort Laramie. Betty and Don were married on Nov. 4, 1951, in Clinton and moved immediately to the Rollie Sadler ranch 75 miles northeast of Douglas where Don was employed.
In 1954, Don and Betty moved to the Ray Henry place in the Dry Creek Community 50 miles north of Douglas. They were still ranching there at the time of Betty’s death. Betty and Don had five children: Nancy, David, Carl, Charles and Jane. Betty’s family and extended family were always important to her, and she could be counted on to organize regular family reunions and get-togethers.
In her later years, she devoted many hours to crocheting afghans for her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. She loved dogs, football, picnics and crossword puzzles.
Betty enjoyed and valued people and had a way of turning acquaintances into lifelong friends. She also loved to go to new places and do new things. She eagerly traveled when opportunity allowed, making friends wherever she went. In 1971, Betty added a guest ranching component to the family ranching business, and, for almost three decades, the family hosted guests from all over the world for ranch stays and, later, trail drives. She had a gift for hospitality.
Betty also saw the value and potential of working together for the larger good, and she invested much of herself on volunteer boards. During the 1980s and 1990s, Betty served on the Converse County Tourism Board and on the Governor’s Tourism Council. She also helped organize and maintain WHOA, Wyoming’s bed and breakfast and ranch recreation organization. After retiring from the guest ranch business, Betty became involved in starting and nurturing to maturity a new organization, the Thunder Basin Grasslands Prairie Ecosystem Association. She served as chairman of the board for TBGPEA from 1999 until the time of her death.
In the mid-1950s, Betty chose to submit her life to the Lordship of Jesus Christ, and this was an important turning point in her life. Betty sought to spend her days in activities that had spiritual, as well as earthly value. She was a devoted supporter of numerous missionaries, a mainstay of the Dry Creek Sunday School, and for 20 years was co-head cook for the American Missionary Fellowship’s week at Camp Grace. She was always ready to tell anyone about the hope she had in Jesus.
Betty was preceded in death by her parents and brothers.
She leaves behind her husband of 61 years, Donald Pellatz of the Dry Creek community, and her children and their spouses, Nancy and Lee Lane of the Shawnee community, David and Karla Pellatz of the Dry Creek community, Carl and Ronda Pellatz of Gillette, Chuck and Danette Pellatz of the Dry Creek community, and Jane and Drew Woodward of Casper. She is also survived by 18 grandchildren, six great-grandchildren, extended family members, and numerous friends to whom she became like family.
© Douglas Budget July 10, 2013
Betty was born on July 14, 1930, to Wilfred and Iva Burchett Lighthall in Clinton, Ill. She had two older brothers, John and Richard, and benefited from a traditional small-town childhood in the midst of a large and tightly woven extended family.
While in high school, she worked in a flower shop. After graduating from high school in 1948, she worked as an executive secretary for Revere Copper & Brass in Clinton. She had fond memories of both jobs.
Betty’s great-aunt and great-uncle (Auntie and Uncle Jim Fackler) lived on a ranch south of Douglas, and she enjoyed visiting them and experiencing the west. On July 4, 1951, Betty met her future husband, Donald Pellatz, at a rodeo in Fort Laramie. Betty and Don were married on Nov. 4, 1951, in Clinton and moved immediately to the Rollie Sadler ranch 75 miles northeast of Douglas where Don was employed.
In 1954, Don and Betty moved to the Ray Henry place in the Dry Creek Community 50 miles north of Douglas. They were still ranching there at the time of Betty’s death. Betty and Don had five children: Nancy, David, Carl, Charles and Jane. Betty’s family and extended family were always important to her, and she could be counted on to organize regular family reunions and get-togethers.
In her later years, she devoted many hours to crocheting afghans for her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. She loved dogs, football, picnics and crossword puzzles.
Betty enjoyed and valued people and had a way of turning acquaintances into lifelong friends. She also loved to go to new places and do new things. She eagerly traveled when opportunity allowed, making friends wherever she went. In 1971, Betty added a guest ranching component to the family ranching business, and, for almost three decades, the family hosted guests from all over the world for ranch stays and, later, trail drives. She had a gift for hospitality.
Betty also saw the value and potential of working together for the larger good, and she invested much of herself on volunteer boards. During the 1980s and 1990s, Betty served on the Converse County Tourism Board and on the Governor’s Tourism Council. She also helped organize and maintain WHOA, Wyoming’s bed and breakfast and ranch recreation organization. After retiring from the guest ranch business, Betty became involved in starting and nurturing to maturity a new organization, the Thunder Basin Grasslands Prairie Ecosystem Association. She served as chairman of the board for TBGPEA from 1999 until the time of her death.
In the mid-1950s, Betty chose to submit her life to the Lordship of Jesus Christ, and this was an important turning point in her life. Betty sought to spend her days in activities that had spiritual, as well as earthly value. She was a devoted supporter of numerous missionaries, a mainstay of the Dry Creek Sunday School, and for 20 years was co-head cook for the American Missionary Fellowship’s week at Camp Grace. She was always ready to tell anyone about the hope she had in Jesus.
Betty was preceded in death by her parents and brothers.
She leaves behind her husband of 61 years, Donald Pellatz of the Dry Creek community, and her children and their spouses, Nancy and Lee Lane of the Shawnee community, David and Karla Pellatz of the Dry Creek community, Carl and Ronda Pellatz of Gillette, Chuck and Danette Pellatz of the Dry Creek community, and Jane and Drew Woodward of Casper. She is also survived by 18 grandchildren, six great-grandchildren, extended family members, and numerous friends to whom she became like family.
© Douglas Budget July 10, 2013
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