In memoriam: Cheyenne writer Mary Hartman

Writer Mary Hartman passed away June 24 in Cheyenne. She was the author of "Texas Granite: Story of a World War II Hero," part-memoir and part-history about World War II Medal of Honor recipient Jack Lummus, and co-author (with historian Elmo Ingenthron) of “Bald Knobbers: Vigilantes on the Ozarks Frontier.”

Mary grew up in Nebraska, spent the World War II years in L.A., and later worked as a newspaper reporter. After moving to Cheyenne in the early 1990s, she co-founded Southeast Wyoming Writers and was a member of the Cheyenne Area Writers Group. She was the program chair for SEWW and brought a number of well-known poets and writers to Cheyenne for presentations and workshops. She was on a “memoir writing” panel at the Wyoming Book Festival in October 2001 in Cheyenne.

Mary was producer for a World War II oral history video sponsored by the Cheyenne Family YMCA’s Writer’s Voice Project. This video is now part of the U.S. Library of Congress’s World War II oral history collection. 

In Memoriam: Harry Jackson

Always supportive of the arts community, Harry Jackson attended an artists’ reception at Stone Soup Studios in 2007 with (from left) Janet Bedford, Melodie Ferri, Stephanie Hedrick, Sybil Hedrick, the Rev. Daphne Grimes and Lura Brewes. Cody Enterprise photo.

From the Cody Enterprise:

Cody lost a living legend and the art world an icon when Harry Jackson died Monday, April 25.

The internationally-renowned artist, who turned 87 on April 18, passed away at the V.A. Hospital in Sheridan. He finally succumbed to the life-long effects of head wounds he suffered as a front-line combat marine and combat artist in the Pacific Theatre of World War II.

Read entire obituary here

In Memoriam: Locke Hamilton

Locke Hamilton (photo by Earl Sampson)

It is with sadness that the Wyoming Arts Council notes the passing of musician Locke Hamilton of Dubois. Audiences throughout Wyoming and the West know her as a member of Prickly Pair & the Cactus Chorale. The group has been on the Wyoming Arts Council artist roster for many years. Here is the notice about Locke's death as it appeared on the Davis Funeral Home web site:

Locke Hamilton died at her home in Dubois on April 7, 2011. She was 58.

Cremation has taken place. A celebration of life will be held this summer.

Locke Hamilton was born June 16, 1952 in Philadelphia, Pa. to Joseph and Charlton Corson.

She married Les Hamilton on Dec. 31, 1996, in Lander, Wyo.

Mrs. Hamilton was a world class equestrian trainer and competitor.

She performed with her husband, Les, and Norman Winter as the Prickly Pair and the Cactus Chorale. Musical achievements include winning the Western Music Association’s Marilyn Tuttle Best of the Best 2009 Harmony Award and the 2010 Award for Best Traditional Album by a Duo or Group for their album “Romance With the Range.” Six of the trio’s eight albums charted nationally on Americana Folk Radio and were rated in the top 10 for well over a decade in the Western Music genre.

She also won the Christian Music Association’s Album of the Year award for her mid 90s release “God’s Country.”

Her family said her whole life was music and horses.

She is survived by her husband Leslie Hamilton of Dubois; daughter Tara Golliher of Dubois; her father, Dr. Joseph Corson of Pa.; brother Bill Corson and sister Dr. Ann Corson, both of Pa.; stepson Shad Hamilton and his wife Amanda and their children of Lander; stepdaughter Hope Hamilton of Va.; close friend and band member Norman Winter of Dubois.

She was preceded in death by her mother, Charlton Corson, and brother Ted Corson, both of Pa.

Memorial donations to help offset medical costs may be made to Les Hamilton, 605 East Fork Road, Dubois, WY 82513.

In Memoriam: Catherine E. Mealey of Laramie

Catherine E. Mealey was a person who cared deeply about her community of Laramie and the community of writers and books. Her Second Story Books hosted many literary readings, often accompanied by goodies from her kitchen.

From her obituary:

Her love of find food and books led her to many places. She was influential in the redevelopment of the 100 block of Ivinson Avenue in the early 1970s and some of her many inspirations were the Tuesday Tearoom, The Scoop, Gallery 121, The Deli on the Tracks, The Rose Door, the First Story Café, The First Street Gallery and Cooking School, to name a few. Planning for retirement, she opened the Second Story Bookstore in 1988

Catherine E. Mealey obit in the Laramie Boomerang

In memoriam: Faye Snyder of Cody

A number of people in Wyoming have sent donations to the Wyoming Arts Council in memory of Faye Snyder of Cody. The WAC thanks you for your generosity.

Faye was a folk artist, art teacher and was very involved in the local arts community. She passed away on Nov. 15. Here's the obituary that ran in the Billings Gazette:

CODY, Wyo. — Faye Snyder, 97, Cody, passed away at home on Nov. 15, 2010.

She was born May 15, 1913, in Belle Plaine, Iowa, the single child of Enoch and Lettie Davies. She moved to Cody at age 10, riding much of the way from Iowa on the running board of her dad's Model T, and lived here the rest of her life.

Faye held a Bachelor of Science degree in Home Economics, Nutrition, and Institution Management from the University of Wyoming. For 77 years, she was a member of Alpha Chi Omega Sorority. Her management skills stood her in good stead when she and her husband Don owned Sunlight Ranch. They delighted in providing their legendary hospitality to generations of dude ranch guests.

Like her father, Faye was an accomplished artist. She was a decorative folk artist and art teacher. Her interest in Rosemaling took her to the back country of Norway to study the folk art painting in historic homes and churches. Because of her interest in art, Faye welcomed the opportunity to volunteer as a docent during the developing years of BBHC.

Faye delighted the women of the community with beautiful clothing from her dress shop, Bustles and Bows. She taught knitting and quilting and started a knitting store. Cody knitters made a path to her door for help with unfinished projects.

She was proud of her family and enjoyed the company of her friends. She loved playing cards and trading recipes and stories over coffee at the kitchen table. She loved her country and enjoyed decorating her home and planting her flowers.

A lifetime member of the Cody United Methodist Church, Faye also gave her time to women's service organizations, AAUW, PEO, and United Methodist Women. She was a true practitioner of Christian good works.

Faye was preceded in death by her devoted husband of 64 years, Don Snyder.

She is survived by her daughters, Sue LaFever of Seattle, Sally (Birney) Holberg of Cody; grandchildren Kate Holberg of Cody, Kirsten (Jerry) Rief of Cheyenne, Lukas (Amber) Holberg of Billings, Cresta Faye LaFever of Seattle; and great-grandchildren Kiana and Jeremy Rief of Cheyenne, Lilly, Lucy and Jack Holberg of Billings, Simon Obrzut of Cody; and her beloved Welsh Corgi companion, Davey.

Memorials may be sent in Faye's honor to The Morris Animal Foundation, 10200 East Girard Ave., B430, Denver, CO 80231; The Wyoming Arts Council, 2320 Capitol Ave., Cheyenne, WY 82002; or the Park Co. Library (Cody Location), 1500 Heart Mountain St., Cody, WY 82414.

Memorial services will be held at Cody United Methodist Church on Thursday, Nov. 18, at 11 a.m., with Rev. Dan Wanders officiating. Friends and family are welcome to join in a time of lunch and fellowship following the service in the church's fellowship hall. An online guestbook is available at http://www.ballardfh.com/.

Funeral details for Karol Griffin

Thanks to Riverton writer Carol Deering for this info:

Karol Griffin’s funeral will be Friday, March 12, at 1 p.m. at the Davis Funeral Home, 2203 W. Main St., Riverton. Visiting hours will be 6-8 p.m Thursday, March 11, at the same place.

FMI: 307-856-3217 or http://www.thedavisfuneralhome.com. Also see previous Wyomingarts post.

In memoriam: Karol Griffin, writer

Writer Karol Griffin of Riverton passed away March 4 due to renal failure.

No details yet about a memorial service.

But colleague Jeffe Kennedy wrote a fine post on her blog. Read it at http://lovepowerandfairytaleendings.blogspot.com/

Karol was awarded a 2000 Frank Nelson Doubleday Memorial Award for women writers. She was the author of the memoir, "Skin Deep: Tattoos, the Disappearing West, Very Bad Men, and My Deep Love for Them All." When she lived in Laramie, she was a member of the Silver Sage Writers Alliance. The group spawned a number of talented writers, including Jeffe, who now lives in Santa Fe, N.M.

Wyomingarts will pass on more information as it becomes available.

Other readers who've penned memorials to Karol may e-mail them (or links) to mshay@state.wy.us.

In memoriam: Sally Jo Rogers

Former Wyoming Arts Council board members Sally Jo Rogers, 61, died Tuesday, Jan. 19, 2010.

She was born Nov. 7, 1948, in Topeka, Kan., the youngest of three daughters born to Merlin Charles “Babe” and Winifred Anne “Peg” Rogers. After brief transfers to Omaha and Denver, the family moved to Cheyenne in 1951 and then to Rawlins in 1955.

During her senior year in high school, she joined the international cast of Up With People and spent the year traveling with 150 young adults from multi-national and cultural backgrounds. The group’s goal was to make the world a better place by reaching across borders with gestures of peace, love, honesty, purity and unselfishness.

Ms. Rogers attended the University of Tulsa and University of Wyoming and graduated from California State University Long Beach.

She briefly taught school and had a long career selling real estate in Jackson Hole. She was the executive director of the Silver Buffalo Club, major gifts manager at Wyoming Public Radio in Laramie and was the vice president of Business Development at Rocky Mountain Bank for the last four years.

Sally was appointed to the Wyoming Arts Council Board of Directors. She served as president of the Teton County Republican Women, secretary of the Albany County Republican Central Committee and vice president of the University of Wyoming Alumni Association. She was a member of the Off Square Theatre Board, St. John’s Hospital Auxiliary, Rotary Club of Jackson Hole and charter member of the Presbyterian Church of Jackson Hole.

She was honored by the Rotary Club as the November 2009 Citizen of the Month.

Her interests included making friends all over the world, music, her friends and family, dancing, Wyoming and being a University of Wyoming Cowboys fan.

She is survived by her son, Chris Pierce; sister, Nancy and husband Larry Harris; niece, Valorie and husband Butch Smith; nephew, Sean Harris and companion Tamar Kummel; great-nieces, Annie and husband Dylan Cooper and Erin Brown; sister, Mary Kay Carr; cousins, Mary Ann Hille, Sid Moyers and wife Lynn, Leslie and husband Mark Hamrick, Sheila and husband CJ Laquerica, Maggie and husband Kajeer Yar and Shirley Moyers; and her best friend, Donn Dorsett.

A memorial service will be conducted at 2 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 2, 2010, at the St. Thomas Episcopal Church in Rawlins. A reception will follow immediately at Rawlins Elks Lodge No. 609.

In memoriam: Anne Rognstad

Wyoming Arts Council Board Chair Bruce Richardson sends this sad news from Casper:

"On a sad note, some of you know that long-time arts supporter Anne Rognstad died unexpectedly last Sunday night in her sleep. Anne was a key person in the Chamber Music Society, sustainer and planner for many humanities festivals, famous for in-house musical and literary parties, and author of a memorable book of puns about pears. She also curated her own "pear museum." She worked with international students at Casper College and was much beloved on the campus as well as everywhere else.

"There will be a memorial event with music from her son and brother on Friday at 3 p.m. at Durham Hall. I will be one of the speakers. She is survived by her long-time companion, Rainer Schwartkopf, an architect, musician and specialist in the repair of stringed instruments. This loss rips a hole my life and all our lives here in Casper."

Condolences from the Wyoming Arts Council go out to Rainer Schwartzkopf and all of Anne's family and friends. I knew Anne for her enthusiastic support of the Casper College Literary Conference and the Equality State Book Festival. She loved books and music and life.

--Mike Shay

Daniel Pearl World Music Days the month of October

The Daniel Pearl Foundation is honored to invite you to participate in the 8th Annual Daniel Pearl World Music Days October 1-31, 2009, a global network of events promoting peace and understanding through the language of music. This year, we already have a growing list of more than 500 registered events and we hope to add yours to this global map!

World Music Days, which coincides with Daniel's October 10 birthday, is an awareness-raising initiative, not a fund-raising program. There is no fee to participate. A simple registration of your event(s) at http://www.danielpearlmusicdays.org and the site will confirm your participation and promote your event(s) worldwide. Once you register your event(s), participation entails a shout out from the stage, or a mention in the printed program, in support of the "Harmony for Humanity" theme at your scheduled October performances.

For the past seven years, thousands of professional and amateur musicians have joined this expanding network of concerts to honor the legacy of journalist/musician Daniel Pearl, the Wall Street Journal South Asia Bureau Chief, who was kidnapped and murdered by terrorists
in Pakistan shortly after 9/11. These concerts commemorate Pearl's lifework by using music to spread a message of hope, unity and "Harmony for Humanity."

FMI and to confirm your participation, visit the website listed above. There you will find many links, one of which is to NPR where Daniel's mother Ruth Pearl reads from an essay she wrote.

LAG Membership Show & Sale

The Laramie Art Guild unanimously voted to dedicate this show to the memory of Edgar J. Lewis. Thirt-seven works of art will be on display for the entire months of September and October.

Artists' reception will be at Artisans' Gallery, 215 S. 2nd Street, Laramie, Saturday, Sept. 12, 4-8 p.m. The public is cordially invited!

FMI: http://laramieartguild.blogspot.com/

Remembering a worldly Wyoming poet

Wyomingarts, in the forms of WAC staffers Mike Shay, Linda Coatney and Marirose Morris, traveled to Laramie Wednesday evening to attend a memorial service for poet, UW writing professor and WAC roster artist Craig Arnold.

The memorial was held in the UW Art Museum lobby. Banners with some of Craig's poems flanked the podium. A long buffet table featured some dishes that even a gourmet cook such as Craig Arnold would have found intriguing.

The 41-year-old Craig disappeared during an inspirational quest for volcano poems. In April, he was hiking a rugged volcano on a remote Japanese island. Traces of his passage were discovered by search teams, but the body was not recovered.

At UW on Wednesday, we celebrated the life of a man. Poetry was obviously the best way to do this.

Several of the speakers read Craig's poems, and the rest used lines from his work. Russell Swenson from Houston, a former student of Craig's at University of Utah, read several selections, including the title poem from Craig's most recent collection from Ausable Press, "Made Flesh." Fiction writer Alyson Hagy and one of Craig's colleagues in the UW creative writing program, read "Asunder." English Department Chair Peter Parolin wrapped up the presentations with the poem "A Ubiquity of Sparrows," which was published in the summer 2009 issue of The Paris Review (read "Sparrows" and one other poem by Craig at http://www.theparisreview.org/viewmedia.php/prmMID/5922).

For a change of pace, Janice Harris read a "food remembrance" of Craig, celebrating another of the poet's passions. Janice's reading including a recipe for eggplant caponata -- she thoughtfully provided copies included with Craig's remarks and directions.

It was a somber yet celebratory occasion. Craig's father spoke of the incredible outpouring of support the family received from all over the world, but particularly from the University of Wyoming (Pres. Buchanan was in the audience) and from the state's Congressional delegation. Although Sen. Enzi, Sen. Barrasso and Rep. Lummis could not attend, all three sent staff members -- and Sen. Enzi sent a personal letter that was read aloud by Peter Parolin at the beginning of the evening.

Mr. Arnold spoke of all the letters and e-mails that came in from people they didn't know, people who had been influenced by Craig's work and teaching. He admitted that he and his wife had been a bit startled as they learned of their quiet son's influential life. He was a bit startled that the shy boy they knew, the one who wrote his first book at eight years old, would be the same one who urged other quiet boys and girls to come up and perform their work at poetry slams. As Peter said earlier, many of them would never have found their voice with Craig. "He gave those young people a gift," he said.

The ceremony ended with a wine toast to Craig.

Farewell, poet.