Health
Years ago, my daughter, Corrie Petersen found herself in a decent job, but it was a dead-end job when it came to promotions and such. While she was already doing the job that would have been a promotion, they said she needed a college degree to be considered. Well, she got that degree, but not in that field. She chose, instead to take a different course of action. If they didn’t see her value, she would go into a field where her value would be appreciated. So, after years of being out of school, Corrie went back to college to become a nurse, and she has never looked back.
It has been two years since Corrie graduated from nursing school and passed her NCLEX test to become a (BSN RN) registered nurse with a Bachelors Degree. That is amazing to me…and to her. The time has literally flown by. She is in her dream career and is quickly becoming the go-to advisor for our family concerning all things medical. Corrie works at Elkhorn Valley Rehabilitation Hospital and is well liked and respected. Her life now is a “far cry” from that old dead-end job she bailed on years ago, when this journey began. The nursing degree, according to the Guiness Book of 
World Records, is the hardest degree to obtain, and I totally believe that. I don’t know of anyone who has gone through that program without shedding many tears and dealing with a “boatload” of anxiety. There is so much information to commit to memory, and even the best students struggle. Nevertheless, all the struggle is worth it when they hold that degree in their hands and know that they made it.
The entire time that Corrie was in nursing school, she was also gaining two daughters-in-law, and six grandchildren. Life doesn’t stop just because you are in nursing school, or any other course of study for that matter…even if we sometimes wish it could. You have to buckle down, and hit the books hard, while still trying to keep up with the rest of your life. Of course, she would tell you that she couldn’t have done it without her husband, Kevin Petersen, and that his support was a vital part of her success. Kevin was there for her every step of the way, through every teardrop she shed and every anxious moment, and for his support, she was so grateful, as am I. Today, all that schooling is behind her, but that doesn’t mean that the learning is behind her. 
Nursing is not a “one and done” kind of career. Every year she must do continuing education, and every advancement comes with study and testing. Right now, she is studying for her test to become a Certified Rehabilitation Registered Nurse. I am confident that she will pass the test with ease. As with everything else, Corrie faces each new challenge with determination and confidence. I am so proud of her achievements. Today is Corrie’s birthday. Happy birthday Corrie!! Have a wonderful day!! We love you!!
In life, there are things you never expected to live through, and your younger sister going to Heaven before you, is one of those things. Nevertheless, that is what happened on April 23, 2025, when my sister, Alena Stevens went home to Heaven. I know where my sister is, because she was a strong spirit-filled believer, who knew Jesus as her Lord and Savior, but for those of us left behind, every day is a challenge, with memories of her, texts we don’t get from her now, the sister dinners without her, the holiday parties now one short, the sister prayer warriors and the sister birthday greetings, also now one short. And her family now must go forward without wife, mother, and grandmother. It is so very sad for us, but for Alena, life goes infinitely forward, and it is amazing…a life we can only imagine.
Alena was a cute little girly girl, and we always knew that she would have a flare for the beautiful. She loved cutting hair, especially her own. Mom was not always a fan of that, because it meant fixing Alena’s “new do” that was invariably very short. Alena’s hair was fine, so shorter cuts worked on her, and really helped to thicken it, but since all the rest of us had long hair, Alena’s short haired look was a sure sign that she had managed to get a hold of the scissors again. While her personal cuts were a trial for our mom, Collene Spencer, Alena was also Mom’s personal hair stylist, cutting her hair and always making Mom’s hair look beautiful for her. Alena never went to cosmetology school, but rather she became an amazing educational support member. Instead, she passed that hair talent, on to her youngest child, daughter, Lacey Killinger, who did go to cosmetology school and now owns her own salon. I know that was a proud moment for my sister. Lacey’s marriage to Chris, also brought Alena two treasured grandchildren, Brooklyn and Jaxon. She loved them very much.
Alena always had a flair for decorating too. Her home is beautiful, and her style always shines through. I never thought of her as an artist, but I think she was to a great degree. Some of the ideas she used on things were stunning. She just knew what colors would look well together and she could mix design styles and have it come out beautifully. I always thought Alena’s daughter, Michelle Miller got her artistic ability from our mom, but when I think about it now, I can see that it was from her mom. Michelle went on to college and got her degree 
in art and education. I know her mom was very proud of her. When Michelle married her middle school sweetheart, Matt, it was such a happy day for Alena. She always knew they were perfect for each other.
While Alena was never a welder, and like her sisters, would have no clue how to begin, her son Garrett followed in the footsteps of our dad, Allen Spencer, and became an excellent welder. I know that was a proud moment for Alena. She thought it was very cool that Garrett took to welding just like Dad. Garrett has not only excelled in welding but is now a trained inspector too. Alena was so proud the day he passed that really tough test. When Garrett and his wife, Kayla began having children, Alena graduated to the rank of “Grandma” and she was delighted beyond words. The time she spent with Elliott and Maya was absolutely wonderful for her, and she gloried in it.
While Alena was mom and grandma, and treasured both roles, it was the life she and Mike created that was absolutely blissful. Alena and Mike were perfect for each other from the very start. Anyone who knew them could easily see how much they loved each other. Theirs was a marriage made in Heaven, and a love that will last forever. The love and kindness they showed each other was the glue that sustained them through more that 40 years of marriage. Their Christian faith flourished through the years too, and they brought their children up to love the Lord too. That is an accomplishment to be very proud of. The last few months that Alena was with us, were the hardest we have ever faced, but Mike carried the heaviest load. Since they were both retired, Mike was home with her, and he was her main support. My sisters and I were so pleased and impressed with the care that Mike gave her. Of course, I’m sure Mike would just say something like, “of course I did, I love her,” but we have all been caregivers, and we know what it entails. No matter how much a caregiver loves their patient or loved one, caregiving is not easy. Mike didn’t care about how hard it was. Alena was the love of his life, his world, and he gave her the very best care, love, and attention we have ever seen. For that we are both proud of Mike and thankful to him. We couldn’t have asked for a better brother-in-law.
Today marks Alena’s 64 birthday, and the first one in Heaven. None of us can believe this is real, but we are 
slowly facing the finality of it. The entire Stevens family is in my thoughts and prayers today, as they face the first of many of her birthdays without Alena. Happy first birthday in Heaven, Alena. I know the party there will be way better than any we could put on here, but we sure wish you were here anyway. We love and miss you very much.
Anyone who has spent much time in Los Angeles through the years can tell you that it didn’t take long for the smog to get bad. All it took was for the morning commute to get started, and very quickly the two million automobiles on the roads would do their dirty work of turning the sky into a “flat canvas of smog haze” as Helena Maria Viramontes, author of Their Dogs Came with Them would say.
For years everyone thought that air pollution was seen as thought to be an inevitable part of industrialization. If we wanted progress, cars, factories, and refineries, then we would just have to deal with the air pollution that came with it. In 1943, Los Angeles, which we all know as LA, was hit with some of the worst air pollution in history. The first big “smog scare” sent residents running from what they assumed was a Japanese gas attack. Soon, what was once a clear, beautiful city, with wonderful coastal air, became a tear-inducing haze. No one knew what was causing it. Some even thought that it might be an anomaly of geography. That wasn’t it, of course. The real cause of the problem, while actually attached to the industrial revolution, was directly caused by the fact that the number of cars in LA had doubled from one to two million in a relatively short time.
At the time, scientists were just beginning to understand the impact of industry and development on the 
environment, so the smog was initially misattributed to chemical plants and backyard trash fires. These days, we would have laughed at the idea of “backyard trash burning” being the cause of the massive amount of smog in LA, but they just didn’t know. Then, in 1948, a Caltech biochemist named Arie Haagen-Smit finally made the connection with car exhaust. Even after his discovery, Haagen-Smit had to fight the oil-industry backed researchers who attempted to disprove his ideas. I’m sure the oil industry could see dollar signs flying out the window.
The reality is that while we all want the economic engine that produces smog, no one wants to live with the consequences of that engine. Finally, after much research, the study resulted in an understanding of the correlation between pollution and income levels. Now, more than fifty years since Angelenos began demanding better protection from bad air, the heaviest levels of pollution still seem to concentrate in low-income communities. Eventually change began, but it was slow progress. Congress passed the Clean Air Act in 1963. Still progress was slow. It took a little more than a decade before national laws began to require catalytic converters for new automobiles. Eventually, the new laws helped roll back the LA haze. Unfortunately, the legislation came too late for the millions of people who had grown up under that dangerous smog. By 1987, an estimated 27 percent of Angelenos were living with “severely damaged” lungs. Across California, almost 10,000 
people continue to die each year from sickness resulting from air-pollution. We don’t always think of air pollution as being so deadly. Today, ozone levels in LA are 40% of what they were in 1970, and that’s with double the cars. But on a bad day the air in LA is still pretty rough, which is most likely what brought LA its nickname…Smell-A.
After spending the majority of her life as a Labor and Delivery nurse, my sister-in-law, Jennifer Parmely retired from Wyoming Medical Center in Casper, Wyoming on Feb 23, 2023. Jennifer decided to keep her license until the next time it came up for renewal, and then let it go. She would no longer be a registered nurse. Of course, that doesn’t change the fact that she is still and always will be a nurse, but she wouldn’t be licenses to practice anymore. Still, she is available for her family is any of them need any nursing insight, but she couldn’t act in any official capacity. Her niece, my daughter Corrie Petersen decided to follow in her aunt’s footsteps and be a nurse too. Jennifer definitely inspired her.
That makes no difference, really, because these days her life revolves around her physical activities, such as 
activities such as hiking, skiing, biking, and any number of other sports. She and her partner, Brian Cratty own a cabin on Casper Mountain, and they love to spend time in the solitude of their land. There are a number of trails on the mountain that she enjoys hiking on, an d it keeps her in tip top shape.
But her physical activities aren’t the only things Jennifer loves to do. She is Oma to four beautiful grandchildren…three girls and one boy. They and her children are truly her world. Each year on their birthdays, they get to have a special day with Oma, just them. They get to pick out the kind of birthday cake she will make for them, and the often get to spend the night with her too. She always makes their day a super special one. They are all getting so grown up these days, and I suppose those days might one day come to an end, but I think Jennifer will keep up the tradition for as long as she can.
Jennifer and her daughter-in-law, Kelli Schulenberg both like to hike, and love spending time on the mountain in the summer walking the trails. Sometimes the grandchildren, her boys, and her other daughter-in-law, might join them too, but often it’s Brian who has been her hiking partner, as well as her life partner. They also like to bike the trails, and so they make use of the trails that way too. I know that while she doesn’t mind the Winter season, Jennifer always looks forward to the Summer’s warmth and the many hours she will spend on the mountain. Today is Jennifer’s birthday. Happy birthday Jennifer, Have a great day!! We love you!!
Over the years I have been called many names by my grandchildren. Names like grandma, gma, granny, graham cracker, gram, and one of the most common…the shortest name, G. So, it really stands to reason that some of my great grandchildren should call me GG. And it is a name I love because it’s endearing, but also because it reminds me of the original GG…my mom, Collene Spencer.
Mom got her cute little moniker from my grandniece, Aleesia Spethman. They were best pals, and Aleesia loved her GG. Whenever she came over to the house, she would call out, “GG!!” It was as much to call for her GG, as it was to announce that she had arrived to see GG. She spent as much time on GG’s lap when they were together, as she did on anyone else’s lap. They were best friends, and they loved spending time together. Mom always loved being a grandmother and considered it one of life’s greatest blessings. She was a great mom, and always kept our life light and happy, even if she had to act a little bit crazy to make us laugh. Being a mom was all she ever wanted to do, but being a grandmother topped being a mom…mostly because she considered grandchildren as the blessing that came from motherhood. So great grandma, was an even bigger blessing, because it was the blessing that came from the blessing that was motherhood and grandmotherhood. It doesn’t get any better than that.
Mom loved being GG. It made her feel special. Before my mom, I never heard anyone called GG, which of 
course stands for great grandma. I’m not sure how Aleesia came to call her that, but she called her GG from the time she could talk. I have always loved that Mom was called GG, and I consider it an honor to be called the same thing. She was the original GG, and it is quite a title to live up to. I don’t know if I will ever be as great a GG as she was, but I will gladly spend the rest of my life trying to be. Today would have been my mom’s 89th birthday. Happy birthday Mom in Heaven, Mom. Have a great Heavenly birthday party. We love and miss you very much, and we can’t wait until we meet again.
Our uncle, Eddie Hein, was always a man you could count on. He was hard working and always willing to help someone in need. He would even travel to help. When my in-laws, Walt and Joann Schulenberg, were building their house in Homa Hills, Eddie came down from Forsyth, Montana to Casper, Wyoming to help lay the cinder blocks. It was a big job, and while the whole family helped out, we didn’t really know how to lay brick. My father-in-law and his brother, Eddie did. I suppose we would have finished the house one way or the other, but it would have taken a lot longer.
Eddie was that way with everyone. If people called, he did his best to help. I’m certain that when he passed 
away, on October 16, 2019, the loss to the town of Forsyth was deeply felt. I know it was deeply felt in our family…not because of what Eddie might do for us, but for who he was. Eddie wasn’t just the guy who could get the job done, he was kind and caring, a friend to all who knew him, and a wonderful family man. He was very close to his children, Larry Hein and Kim Arani, his grandkids, Dalton Hein and Destiny Wallace, and of course, his loving wife, Pearl, of 52 years at the time of his passing. His family always knew that they were his priority.
Eddie worked at Peabody coal mine in Colstrip, Montana until his retirement. He was well respected and loved by bosses and coworkers alike. They always knew that if Eddie Hein was on the job, he would give it his full 
attention and full effort. He worked hard, and very much earned his retirement. Anyone who worked in mining can attest to that for sure. After his retirement, Eddie and Pearl loved to relax at their home in Forsyth, visit their daughter Kim and her husband Michael, in Texas, and I’m sure Eddie pitched in at Larry’s shop too. Unfortunately, all that was cut short by a stroke, and later the heart attack that took Eddie’s life in 2019. That was such a sad day for all of us. Today would have been Eddie’s 81st birthday. Happy birthday in Heaven, Eddie. We love and miss you very much.
My nephew, Tucker Schulenberg has had a year beyond belief. The year started off good. Tucker was in school and had a girlfriend. He was a happy uncle his nieces and nephews. Life was getting better every day. Things had been really hard for Tucker since his mom, Rachel Schulenberg passed away on January 19, 2021, following a massive stroke. Tucker was in a really dark place for a while, but he was finally on the way out of it. He will never get over his mother’s loss, but he was healing.
Then, came July 4, 2024. Tucker, his brother, Riley Birky and a couple of friends were picking up fireworks for the Independence Day celebration. Someone, no one knows who, lit a cigarette without thinking, and suddenly, 
the car was engulfed in flames. The fireworks were on the floor at Tuckers feet, putting him in the worst possible place. Riley managed to pull the car over without hitting anything and began pulling the other boys out of the car. It was a lifesaving maneuver on his part, and while all the boys were burned, they were alive. The boys would spend differing lengths of time in the hospital, and have different treatments while they were there, with Tucker’s being the longest stay. Tucker also required much physical therapy to get the strength back in his legs. It’s been a long, hard road but Tucker was determined to get his life back, and he certainly did.
Two months to the day, Tucker left the hospital…on his own steam. He was determined to come all the way back too, and so he has been working on running with those legs that no one was sure would walk again. He is back to school, and the Rocky Mountain High School and Middle School student council held a fund raiser called the T-shirt Game, and even made t-shirts that said Tucker Tuff. It was great to see everyone rallying around him like that, and I’m sure it inspired him to push forward in his healing process. Tucker is a strong guy, and I know he can do anything he sets his mind to. His future is bright, and I am so proud of him for sticking to it and making such an amazing come back for such a terrible accident. Today is Tucker’s 17th birthday. Happy birthday Tucker!! Have a great day!! We love you!!
My nephew, Riley Birky has had a rough year. Not like most people think of a rough year. He has had a really rough year. It started out good, but on July 4th, everything changed…everything. Riley; his little brother, Tucker Schulenberg; and a couple of friends, Landon and Dylan; had gone to pick up fireworks for the evening’s festivities. Little is known about wat happened from there, but it is suspected that someone lit a cigarette without thinking about the fireworks. Seconds later, the car was engulfed in flames. I read where they are crediting Riley with the saving of lives and preventing an accident, In the midst of driving a car that burst into flames, Riley had the presence of mind to pull over, even though he was being burned. He stopped safely and them assisted the other boys, so that all got out alive. Riley was a hero. 
The boys were taken to the hospital and quickly flown to Denver, where they remained for varying lengths of time, as each on had different burns. While the struggle to recover has really hard, Riley persevered and is now back home, as are the three other boys. Their story truly is a miracle. These young men were so close to death, but they had people who were praying for them. God is so good. These days all the boys are home, Tucker is back to school, and while Riley isn’t back to work yet, he is doing really well.
Riley is a great dad to his son Ryder and bonus son, Jace. He is a great fiancé to his fiancée, Sierah Martin, and he is a great brother to Tucker. His presence in their lives is not only important…it’s vital. They rely on him so much, and Riley has stepped up to be the man they need him to be. He didn’t have to be this kind of man, but 
Riley has proven himself to be just exactly that…a step up when needed kind of man!! I am so roud of the man Riley has become, and I know that he will continue to make his family proud.
Riley has a long way to go in his recovery, as do Tucker, Landon, and Dylan. The boys were all blessed in that their faces were not scarred. Nevertheless, their arms and legs will have a long road to recovery. Still, these boys are fighters, and they have many people praying for them behind the scenes. I know they will recover well and lead amazing lives. Today is Riley’s 24th birthday. Happy birthday Riley!! Have a great day!! We love you!!
My aunt, Dixie Richards has always been a caregiver, in one capacity or another. She took care of a number of Uncle Jim Richards’ family members when they needed help, and his mother lived with them for a number of years. As her own parents grew older, she also took care of them, spending many hours at their home to make sure they had what they needed. She was so important to their health and happy life, because not everyone was able to be there as much as she was…and her hard work was greatly appreciated by all of her siblings. I remember my mom, Collene Spencer and aunt, Sandy Pattan telling me all about how important her loving care was to their parents and to her siblings too. A person who have the heart of a caregiver, is a precious gem indeed.
As a child, like her siblings, rock hunting was a great family outing. They all loved picking up a pretty rock and taking it to their dad to see if this one was a special one. Grandpa could look and a rock and have a pretty good idea of what the inside looked like. These family outings were the highlight of their lives. There were no computers back then, and I don’t think they owned a television set either. Nevertheless, every night all the siblings gathered around the floor of the living room, to listen to Grandma, Hattie Byer read to the family. It was the best part of the evening, but to be sure, if Grandma read anything in the book that seemed to be “off color” the offending book was never finished and never seen again. It’s possible, I suppose that the offending book became kindling for the wood stove.
For a while now, it have been harder for Aunt Dixie and Uncle Jim to get out and about, so a I decided that it’s important for siblings to see each other. With that in mind, I have been working to get Aunt Sandy in touch with 
her siblings and her sister-in-law. We have been to see Aunt Dixie and Uncle Jim three times, and everyone had a great time. We were able to get hooked up with Aunt Jeanette Byer once and look forward to going again. We are also trying to get her with Uncle Wayne Byer and Aunt Bonnie McDaniels. Time will tell on those, but we are hopeful. The visits with Aunt Dixie and Uncle Jim have been so wonderful, and the people who have joined us have really enjoyed being able to see them again. Here’s to the next visit. Today is Aunt Dixie’s 81st birthday. Happy birthday Aunt Dixie!! Have a great day!! We love you!!
My sister, Alena Stevens has had a wonderful year. In October, her daughter, Lacey married Chris Killinger, and with that union came two new bonus grandchildren, Brooklyn and Jaxon Killinger. They joined the two granddaughters, Elliott and Maya Stevens, that Alena and her husband, Mike already had. Brooklyn and Jaxon have been such a great blessing to the whole family. Elliott and Maya absolutely love their new cousins, and the feeling is mutual for sure.
The past six months, have found our aunt, Sandy Pattan needing several surgeries, and facing several crisis situations. She is doing so much better now, and that is partly due to the caregiver’s heart that Alena has. I was taking care of Aunt Sandy, when Alena came to me and said that she wanted to take several days. It was such a blessing. Caregiving is a big job. It takes a village, and having my sister there to share that workload 
has been awesome. Neither of us would consider taking care of Aunt Sandy to be a burden, because it isn’t. Aunt Sandy is a big blessing to our family, and it is very important that she be ok. Alena has been instrumental in making that happen, and now that Aunt Sandy is doing so well, she and Alena have a friendship that is very precious to both of them. They love to do jigsaw puzzles, and so they have been spending hours working on them, and Aunt Sandy has been loving it. The friendship that Alena and I had has grown much deeper too. She is a huge blessing to me as well. Of course, there are others who have helped, and their importance cannot be overstated. We have grown close to Jim and Deb Pattan, as well as Steve and Wanda Beadle, all of whom were very helpful. It truly takes a village to care for someone who has gone through all that Aunt Sandy did. Alena has always had a heart for those in need. her job as a Refocus Room teacher helped so many students who were having difficulties. Now, she is helping in a new way, and that has really presented itself in these hard days. I will be forever grateful to Alena for her help. She has been absolutely amazing.
Since her retirement, Alena has had the opportunity to spend more time in Sheridan, where her son, Garrett, his wife, Kayla, and their girls, Elliott and Maya live. Kayla has to go out of town for work periodically, and Garrett has to work. So, Alena and Mike have been going up to watch the girls for them. I can’t think of anything that Alena loves more. Spending time with her grandchildren is the top thing on her list of favorite activities. It is a win-win for everyone. Today is Alena’s birthday. Happy birthday Alena!! Have a great day!! We love you!!
