Merle L. Wolfskill

Merle Lucille (Durham) Wolfskill, age 90, of Hulett, Wyoming passed away Saturday, August 29, 2009, at Spearfish Regional Hospital in Spearfish. The funeral service will be held 10am Friday September 4th, 2009 at Funeral Home of the Northern Hills in Belle Fourche with Rev. Pete Bonnichsen officiating. Visitation will be held 5 to 7 PM Thursday at Funeral Home of the Northern Hills, and one hour prior to the service. Interment will be held in Mt. Moriah Cemetery in Sundance, WY. Merle was born May 4, 1919 to Thomas Roy and Laura Ada (Bear) Durham at their homestead near Seeley, Wyoming as it is now known. She graduated from Hulett High School and then taught school in a one room schoolhouse on Blacktail near Hulett, Wyoming. June 8, 1938, Merle married John (Jack) F. Wolfskill, her high school sweetheart. They made their home on the Whispering Pines Ranch in Barlow Canyon where Jack was raised. To their union was born five children, all raised on the ranch. Merle and Jack were married for 65 wonderful years. She enjoyed family, music, reading and writing. Merle kept journals of daily life for many years. One of her greatest disappointments in her older years was her failing eyesight because she could no longer see to read and write. Merle is survived by her children, Robert (Carol) Wolfskill of Bend, Oregon; John Roger (Marilyn) Wolfskill of Sundance, Wyoming; Beverly (Allen) Readd of Rapid City, South Dakota; Sheri (John) Tracy of Belle Fourche, South Dakota; David (Linda) Wolfskill of Hulett, Wyoming; fourteen grandchildren; thirty-two great grandchildren and 5 great, great grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her husband (John Wolfskill in 2003) parents (Thomas and Ada Durham), brother (Gail Durham), and two grandsons.