Obituaries

Madge McWilliams

Madge Mc-Williams was born in her father’s house on July 6, 1923, at a place she called “the forks of the river” near Big Piney. She was the fourth child of John and Mattie Wardell.  She has three sisters and two brothers. Madge was very proud of her heritage.

Early family members made the trek to Utah with the handcart companies. They later migrated to the Green River Valley; the ranch where she was born is still a working ranch operated by family members. The ranch is where the Wardell Buffalo Jump was discovered. 

Madge was a ranch woman throughout her life. She was adept in all jobs required on a working ranch. She worked in the kitchen or in the field and was a wonderful cook for her family, hired hands and at the school lunchroom. If you were at her door at mealtime, you were invited to sit down and eat.

Madge married Jack McWilliams in Randolph, Utah, on Nov. 18, 1940.  They raised three children on the Muleshoe Ranch south of Big Piney before purchasing the Clow desert land entry and establishing their own ranch in 1964. During her lifetime, she rode in a pung across the snow to the Murdock school on the river and later watched space ships land on the moon and Mars.

For the last nine years , Madge lived in an apartment in the Sublette Center, where she made many friends. She looked forward to card games, road trips and shopping trips to Rock Springs. 

She died on Oct. 15, 2005, in Las Vegas, Nev., after a wonderful trip exploring the Oregon Coast with her daughter and granddaughter, Tracy Hunt.

Her greatest joy was her great-grandchildren, who visited her often and kept her busy going to their activities.

She is survived by her children Jacklin (Dean) of Midland, Texas, and Daniel; Vern (Kay) of Buellton, Calif.; Joleen (Earl) Big Piney; four grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren with one on the way. 

The family expresses gratitude to the Sublette Center, the Pinedale Medical Clinic, the Pinedale emergency medical technicians and Rendezvous Pointe for the care and friendship she received the last nine years.

Jack French service set

Pinedale resident Jack French passed away suddenly Friday morning Nov. 4, in Pinedale. He was 65 years old. Jack was born on Dec. 10, 1939, in Longview, Wash., the son of John M. and Georgia L. French.

A memorial service in his honor will be held Thursday Nov. 10, at 11 a.m. at Hudson’s Funeral Home in Pinedale.

A full obituary will be published at a later date.