Toula Anest

Toula Anest was born October 10, 1932, in Kakouri, Tripolis, Greece to Kostadinos and Kostadina Sioles. After enduring WWII and the subsequent Greek Civil War , Toula immigrated to the United States. Traveling first to Ellis Island in New York City, she then initially settled in Cheyenne, WY where she lived with her uncle and aunt, who sponsored her immigration to the United States. Later she met Theodore J. Anest and was married on June 28, 1953. They moved to Casper, WY in 1956. Her greatest pride was in becoming a citizen of the United States on March 4, 1959. 

In 1968 she and her husband purchased the Western Grill Restaurant with her brother, George Seoles, and operated it for many years. She was extremely well known in the Casper community from the many patrons that visited her at the Western Grill. She and her husband also owned and operated Ted’s Texaco, Casper Tire Sales of Casper, Wyoming and Douglas Gulf of Douglas, Wyoming. Toula was an accomplished and phenomenal Greek cuisine cook and baker! She enjoyed making elaborate and voluminous dinners for friends and family. Her cooking was legendary! Toula loved taking long walks around the neighborhood, appreciating the outdoor spaces of her home, the flowers, wildlife, and the beauty of nature. Toula taught herself the English language and in turn she taught the Greek language to her children and to her friends that caught her slipping in a Greek word from time-to-time. She was a long-time member of the Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church in Casper, and her family was one of the original founding members. 

Not being able to attend formal education in Greece due to the wars, she cherished the importance of education, and she emphasized to her four children the importance of education as something that could never be taken from you. All of her children attended and graduated with degrees from the University of Wyoming Laramie, WY. 

Toula was preceded in death by her husband Ted, in 2009 and soon thereafter she moved to Alcova, Wyoming where she lived out her life with daughter, Stella. She then became well known in the Alcova community. She is survived by her four children James (Vaso), Connie (Bruce), Gus (Diane) and Stella (the late Joe Burn) as well as 6 grand-children and 4 great-grandchildren. She was an adoring and loving grandmother of Theodore, John, Michael, Toni, Callie and Teddie. Her grandchildren have numerous substantial memories of her kindness and attentiveness to them. She relished her role in life as yiayia to her grandchildren. 

She is also survived by her brother, George Seoles (Maria) of Casper WY.

Trisagion services will be held at Bustard Jacoby Funeral Home on September 23, 2024 at 6 pm and funeral services at the Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church at 1350 East “C” Street in Casper on September 24 at 10 AM. A luncheon to celebrate her life will be held immediately after graveside services at the church fellowship hall.

Our mom and yiayia will be deeply missed and her memory will be everlasting with us all! She was the best!

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church P.O. Box 1465 Casper WY 82601.