Bessie Smith

TORRINGTON, WYOMING...........Graveside services for BESSIE G. LAY SMITH 78, will be held at 2pm Thursday, May 7, 2009 at the Valley View Cemetery with Reverend Tom Kittleman officiating. Bessie died May 3, 2009 at a hospital in Gillette, Wyoming. A memorial has been established to the Guernsey, Wyoming VFW Post #4471. Visitation will be Thursday from 9am to noon. Arrangements are under the direction of the Colyer Funeral Home and friends may send condolences to the family at www.colyerfuneralhome.com. Bessie was born on March 22, 1931 in rural Goshen County north of Torrington the daughter of Ora and Grace (Wildman) Lay. She grew up and received her early education in that area and graduated from Torrington High School in 1948. She worked in nursing in Torrington for a few years in baby care. She married Ed Bower and to this union six children were born and they were later divorced. She married Clarence M. Rose in October 1966 and to this union one child was born. He died in 1970. She moved to Guernsey, Wyoming where she met Raymond Graham and they had one child. He preceded her in death. She married Vernon H. Smith in 1992 and he died in 2001. The past few years she lived with her friend Charlie Freeman until his death in 2004. She lived with her daughter Tammy in Guernsey for three and a half years before moving to Gillette, Wyoming to live with her daughter Terri. Bessie loved to play with babies. She loved to party, play the harmonica and other instruments.. She also enjoyed gardening, canning, fishing, and canoeing. She was a member of the VFW Auxiliary of Post #4471. Bessie is survived by three sons, Steve Bower of Glenrock, Wyoming, Mark Bower and his wife Suzie of Casper, Wyoming, and Brad Bower and his wife Lisa of Aqua Dulce, California; five daughters, Becky Bower and her fiancé Kurt, Debby Berry and her husband Robert of Fairport, New York, Candyce Estave and her husband Eddie of Santa Maria, California, Tammy Rose Elmore and her husband Walt of Ft. Laramie, Wyoming, and Terri Porras and her husband George of Gillette, Wyoming; three sisters, Grace Green-Tobin of California, Martha Joecks and her husband Jack and Beth Jones and her husband Augie all of Guernsey, Wyoming; four sisters-in-law Helen Lay of Torrington, Wyoming, Linda Lay and Bonnie Lay of Wheatland, Wyoming, and Estella Lay of California; twelve grandchildren; and eight great grandchildren; numerous nieces and nephews; and three grand dogs. She was preceded in death by her parents; her husbands and companions; four brothers Mike, Bill, Doc, and Jimmy Lay; two sisters, Ruth Lay and JoAnn Lemming; and one great granddaughter.

Bessie Smith

March 22, 1931 - May 3, 2009