Obituaries

May 6, 1930 - Feb. 9, 2021

Lauriena Ann Lemieux Curtiss, 90, was born on May 6, 1930, to Frank and Maria Lemieux. She was the youngest of 15 children. The family moved to Circle, Mont., where she met her husband DuWaine Curtiss; they married in 1949. They then moved to Lovell, Wyo., and then to Basin, Wyo., where he was a lineman for the REA. To this union, four children were born: Roger, Vickie, Connie and Sheri. 

Feb. 17, 1929 – Feb. 3, 2021

Virginia Murray, 91, a resident of Bonnie Bluejacket Memorial Nursing Home in Basin, Wyo., formerly of Lead, S.D., passed away peacefully on Feb. 3, 2021.

She was born Feb. 17, 1929 in Chicago, Ill., the daughter of Swan and Alice Loften.  The Loftens moved to Lead, S.D., where Virginia attended school, graduating in 1945.  She then worked as a deputy in the Lawrence County courthouse, when she met, dated and married Leslie Murray of Belle Fourche, S.D., on Sept. 22, 1949.  They lived in Lead where they raised their six children: Corky, Terry, Jenny, Melody, John and Mary.

Virginia loved her family and enjoyed spending time with them.  She very much enjoyed reading her Bible, sewing, embroidery, quilting and misc. hobby and craft projects.  Her ability to do these dwindled as her vision was failing in her later years.

June 6, 1945 – Jan. 18, 2021 

Longtime Cody, Wyo., resident Johnny H. Lewis passed away from heart complications in Bozeman, Mont., on Monday, Jan. 18, 2021, with his family at his side. 

Johnny was born on June 6, 1945 in Greybull, Wyo., where he graduated from high school. He moved to Cody in 1965.

He said it was “love at first sight” when he met his high school sweetheart and future wife, Anna A. Schmidt, in grade school. They married in 1965, sharing almost 56 years together. He affectionately called her “Annie.” 

She resides in Bozeman with their golden-doodle dog Lynse Ann. Their children are G. Shane Lewis (Beth) of Bozeman and M. Shauna Shaw (Lance) of Cheyenne, Wyo.  Grandchildren are Lars, Gregory, McKethen, Marshall, Meghan, Amy, Cole and Jenny.

April 17, 1943 – Feb. 2, 2021

Edward Charles Brayton, also known as “Eddie,” was a longtime resident of Basin, Wyo. He lived a life of love for the outdoors, beautiful classic cars in his earlier years, ranching and riding horses, riding dirt bikes and motorcycles. He was a self-taught musician who mastered numerous musical instruments he played while singing and performing for close friends. Eddie operated a ham radio, having earned his professional licenses from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in 2009 and 2020.

He was known for his great smile, which was why his friends nicknamed him “Smiley” so many years ago. Everyone that knew him could count on his good-heartedness, compassionate nature, loyal friendship, appreciation for all goodwill efforts by others, and never-ending willingness to lend a helping hand to those that needed him.