No stranger, whether 2-legged or 4-legged, ever crossed the threshold at the Willey Ranch. No one ever left hungry. Your favorite pie was your birthday present and she remembered all the birthdays. Grandchildren were angels, the best and dearest joy and blessing. Irene Willey left an enduring legacy of family, love, cooking, gardening, hunting, and ranching that continues on through her great-great grandchildren.

Lola Irene (McAmis) Willey, the oldest of nine children, was born on June 5, 1917, to William and Hildur (Nelson) McAmis at their two-room homestead on Buck Creek, Alva, Wyoming. She died on February 28, 2015, at the Willey Ranch, on Blacktail Creek, Hulett, Wyoming. She lived 97 family-filled, celebrated, loving, hard-working, farming-ranching years.

Irene attended Belle Fourche River School in grades 1-8 and graduated from Hulett High School. She attended the University of Wyoming and Spearfish Normal College to attain her teaching credentials and taught in Crook County country schools for four years from 1936-1940. She married Lee Willey on September 5, 1937. They ranched northwest of Alva and then moved to the current Willey Ranch on Blacktail Creek in 1949. Eight children were born into this union, George E., William L. (Bill), Marlys J., Roger D., Marilyn K. (Chicken), Howard Wayne, Marshia Rae, and Calvin D. The children's resulting families were known collectively by their names and grandchildren's families by their names. Lee died on March 20, 1970.

Irene was a 50+ year member of the Rebekah's and a member of the Order of the Eastern Star. She was involved with Crook County schools' activities and 4-H through her husband, children, and grandchildren. She traveled to and attended high school and college graduations, weddings, funerals, family reunions, and took care of grandchildren often commenting that when one's family was as large as the Kennedy's something was always happening. She was community-oriented, cooking for funerals, brandings, potlucks, and bake sales. Visits over coffee or ice tea and goodies were family and neighborhood events on cold winter mornings and hot summer days. The kitchen was the happening place, the heart of the Willey home, with a bowl of popcorn most always on the table. Irene was a "history book" of family and Crook County and passionate about her beliefs and opinions. She lived the creed of the Rebekah's "I believe that my main concern should be my God, my family, and my friends. Then I should reach out to my community and the World, for in God's eyes we are all brothers and sisters."

Irene was preceded in death by her parents, William and Hildur McAmis; husband, Lee; brother, Kenneth; sisters, Beulah, Lois, Mavis, Velma, and Nina Mae; sons, George and Calvin; daughter, Marilyn and infant daughter, Marshia; son-in-law, Swede McLaughlin; granddaughters, Lisa and Brenda, her angels; and great-granddaughter, G Jaidyn and great-grandson, Ryder James Williams.

She is survived by her children, Bill (Barbara) and Roger (Donna) of Hulett, Wyoming; Marlys (Frank) Proctor of Carlile, Wyoming; Howard (Sue) of Harrison, Nebraska; daughter-in-law, Alice (Ickes) Willey of Sundance; two sisters, Pat (Roy Glenn) Julius of Wichita, Kansas and Shirley Page of Belle Fourche, South Dakota; brother-in-law, George Watts, Jr. of Hulett, Wyoming; 21 grandchildren, 52 great-grandchildren, and 4 great-great grandchildren. Honored to have been part of her life are Eva (Chatfield) Rush, Penny (Goodvin) Pudge, Donna Madia, Jerry Griffis and many, many nieces, nephews, extended and "adopted" family, friends, and neighbors…too many to name and too important to forget.

Funeral services will be held at the Greater Hulett Community Center at 3:00 p.m., on Saturday, March 7, 2015. Visitation will be one hour prior to the service. Internment will take place at the Alva Cemetery following the services. Memorials have been established for the Greater Hulett Community Center and the Hulett Civic Center.

"She is Gone" by David Harkins…"You can shed tears that she is gone or you can smile because she has lived. You can close your eyes and pray that she'll come back or you can open your eyes and see all she's left. Your heart can be empty because you can't see her or you can be full of the love you shared. You can turn your back on tomorrow and live yesterday or you can be happy for tomorrow because of yesterday. You can remember her and only that she's gone or you can cherish her memory and let it live on. You can cry and close your mind, be empty and turn your back or you can do what she'd want: smile, open your eyes, love and go on."

Arrangements are under the care of Fidler-Roberts & Isburg Funeral Chapel of Sundance, WY.