Vera "Jean" Shelsta, 89, of Sundance, WY, formerly of Casper, WY, died Thursday, September 17, 2009 at Crook County Long Term Care Facility in Sundance, WY.
Memorial services will be at 2:00p.m. on Monday, October 19, 2009 at Grace Lutheran Church in Casper, burial will follow at Casper Cemetery. Memorials may be made to the Crook County Long Term Care Facility in Sundance or to Grace Lutheran Church in Casper.
Mrs. Shelsta was born October 6, 1919 to Pierre and Vera Page Cosgrove in Henry, South Dakota; she was the 4th of 6 children. She attended school in Henry and Hazel, SD, where she excelled in her academic work, sang in the choir and played the trombone in the band. She graduated from Hazel high school in 1937. She was employed in a federal government office until 1941.
Jean married S. Raymond Shelsta on September 1, 1941 and the couple moved to Washington D.C., where she worked at the National Red Cross headquarters. Two sons, Rodney and Stephen were born there. In 1946 the family moved to Casper, Wyoming and except for one year in Salt Lake City, Utah, she resided there until 2008. In Casper two more children were born, Linda and Jerald. Jean worked at several secretarial jobs, including the Grace Lutheran Church office for 25 years, retiring in 1984. In 2008 ill health necessitated her moving to a care center closer to family.
While living in Casper, Jean was a member of several vocal organizations, including over 50 years in Grace Lutheran Church choir. She also served as a Sunday school teacher, leader of church youth groups, director of Junior Choir, Girl Scout leader and 4-H leader. She was an active member of Lutheran Church Women's organization and RSVP (Senior Citizens Volunteer Program). For eight years she lived at Garden Square Assisted Living Facility and enjoyed being a guest reader at Sagewood School.
Jean's hobbies included baking cookies, making hooked rugs, reading, spending time with her grandchildren and great-grandchildren and traveling with her husband Ray, who passed away in 1994.
Jean is survived by her daughter, Linda (Jerry) Bush of Beulah, WY, her sons; Rod (Joan) Shelsta of Napa, CA, Steve (Nance) Shelsta of Riverton, WY, and Jerry (Stephanie) Shelsta of Broomfield, CO, 13 grandchildren: Allison Bush-Forsberg, Jeremiah Bush, Erin Bush, Adam Shelsta, Erica Hissong, Nate Shelsta, Garret Shelsta, Jared Shelsta, Cassidy Shelsta, Brenna Shelsta, Taylor Shelsta, Jenny Neely and Sarah Westmont and 7 great grandchildren. She was also preceded in death by all of her brothers and sisters.