Judith Yelton

Judith Ann Barrett Yelton (Judy), 75, died of respiratory complications at the Wyoming Medical Center in Casper, Wyoming on January 17, 2020.  Judy was born on December 23, 1944 in Denver, Colorado at the Presbyterian Hospital.   She was born the youngest of three children to Viola Mae Knight Barrett (of Iowa) and Homer Riley Barrett (of Oklahoma).

She grew up in Sheridan County Wyoming and graduated from Big Horn High School.  Soon after graduation she married Dale Yelton of Glenrock, Wyoming.  They moved from Wyoming to Texas to Kansas and to Alaska following the oilfield.  After their divorce, she moved to Gillette, Wyoming with her two children.  Her primary occupation prior to retirement was as a bookkeeper.

Judy enjoyed a variety of friendships.  She looked forward to meeting up with her friends at the Campbell County Senior Center, The Red Hat Society, The American Legion Auxiliary, even her social engagements with the personnel at Public Health.  She especially enjoyed going to breakfast and luncheons at the local Perkins and Lariat Cafe.    She loved using her cooking skills taught to her by her mother on their farm growing up.   Canning and pickling vegetables was her specialty.  She was nicknamed the “Pickle Lady” and her pickled asparagus was in demand.   She was never too far away from the cooking channel on her television.  She began collecting cookie jars and cookbooks in her early twenties.  Over the years she always had a rescued cat as a cuddly companion.

Judy was preceded in death by her parents, her brother (William Barrett), her sister (Nola Stephano), her niece (Connie Barrett), her niece (Anna Stephano) and her nephew (Michael Rotolo).  She is survived by her sons, Joe (and Tonya) Yelton and John (and Jody) Yelton; her grandchildren,  Jacob Yelton, Nick Yelton, Jarrod Yelton, Courtney Yelton, Joshua & Elizabeth Yelton and Benjamin Yelton; her great-grandchildren,  Azariah and Caleb Yelton; her nephew, Doug (and Sheila) Barrett, her nieces, Diane Fagerli, Kristy (and Ed) Bruns, and Natalie Stephano-Anderson; numerous great-nephews and nieces.

The family will be having a spring memorial service for Judy and her name will be shared with her brother’s  on a plague at the Legacy Park in Gillette, Wyoming.  The family would like to welcome her friends in Gillette to join them at the Lariat Cafe on Saturday, January 25, 2020 at 10:00 AM to share a good-bye brunch with them.  The family will be holding a private burial service at Mt. Hope Cemetery in Big Horn, Wyoming this coming summer.

No flowers are necessary.  We would like to encourage everyone in the community to support the No Place Like Home – Cat Rescue Program -Judy would love that!!  Thank you to bustardcares.com for assisting us with our loved one.

Services are entrusted to the care of Bustard & Jacoby, Funerals, Cremations, Monuments and Receptions, 600 CY Avenue, Casper, WY 82601.