Leola Rebecca (Kottraba) Thar

Leola Rebecca (Kottraba) Thar

Leola Rebecca (Kottraba) Thar, 96, of Gillette died Sunday, Feb. 2, 2020, at the Legacy Living and Rehabilitation Center.

Funeral services begin at 10:30 a.m. Friday at Family Life Church in Gillette with a luncheon and fellowship to follow before burial at Mount Pisgah Cemetery.

Visitation is from 5-7 p.m. Thursday at Walker Funeral Home.

She was born Sept. 20, 1923, on her family’s homestead south of Rozet to Raymond and Kathryn Kottraba. She attended Owens School in her early years and completed her education at Rozet High School.

In 1937, she went on her first date with a man who would eventually become her husband, Vincent Thar.

They loved each other fiercely. Once World War II broke out, Mr. Thar enlisted in the Army Air Corp and they eloped to Broadus, Montana, to be married Sept. 16, 1942, 10 days before he shipped out.

While he was at war, she had their first daughter, and raised her along with Mrs. Thar’s younger sisters in Rozet. Knowing she needed to provide for her young family, she took the position of U.S. postmistress at the Rozet Post Office for 37 years, and they lived and raised four children in the back of the building.

When her husband came home from the war, they got to work building their life together. Eventually, they were able to move their family to the ranch on Timber Creek Road, where they raised Black Angus cattle and watched their family grow.

After she retired from her position at the Post Office in 1980, Mrs. Thar began developing her love of art. She painted beautiful flowers and scenery and did incredible work with leather. She would submit her work to the Campbell County Fair and would come home with many “Best in Show” ribbons.

She played piano and baked the best apple pie. She had a green thumb for all flowers but grew the most beautiful roses.

She is survived by her children, Becky Trigg, Gary Thar, Sherryl Lindblom and Rochelle “Shelly” Clark; 11 grandchildren; 17 great-grandchildren; three great-great-grandchildren; and numerous nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Vincent Thar; parents; siblings, Willa Irwin, Charles “Chuck” Kottraba, Hazel Reisland, Helen Whisler and Leland Kottraba; and one granddaughter.

A memorial will be sent in her name to the Shriners Hospital for Children in Salt Lake City.

Memorials and condolences may be sent to Walker Funeral Home, 410 Medical Arts Court, Gillette, WY 82716.

Condolences also may be expressed at walkerfuneralgillette.com or attached to the obituary at gillettenewsrecord.com.