Georgia Lee Barbour

Funeral service for Georgia Barbour will be held at 2:00 p.m., Saturday, October 16, 2021 at Gillette Memorial Chapel with Pastor Gordon Harper officiating; interment to follow at Mt. Pisgah Cemetery. Visitation will take place from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m., Friday, October 15, 2021 at Gillette Memorial Chapel. Georgia Lee (Puls) Barbour, 91 of Gillette, lovingly known as Mother, Grandma, GG and Boss Lady, found her peace on angel wings Oct 3, 2021. Born to Carl F and Vernie (Marsh) Puls January 27, 1920 in Laramie, WY Georgia was the fifth of six children. Her early years were  on the old Puls place working alongside her siblings in the fields and barn both before and after school. Most of her stories weren’t about how hard the work was then…but more about how much fun they had when the work was done on the weekend. Those six kids had so much fun it usually turned into being in trouble with their parents. She’d always get a good laugh sharing some of the antics but was stern that her own kids shouldn’t try to get away with the same thing. In 1947 Georgia married Melvin E. Lynch in Laramie, WY.  To this union four children were born: Linda (1948), Billie (1950), Carl (1952) and Margie (1955). Mel and Georgia moved to Gillette in 1950 where Mel began his 27 year career as the County Agricultural/4-H Agent and Georgia was able to stay home with the kids. After they divorced Georgia married Ralph Barbour in 1973 and moved twenty-two miles north of Gillette to the country. This was the home she dearly loved. After Ralph’s unexpected death in 1990, Georgia stayed in the country and continued the work with her “other son” Jimmy Williams.  Although it broke her heart at the time, Georgia made the decision to have a farm auction and moved to town in 2005. She forever missed the ranch life but having friends and family drop by more often eventually made the move worthwhile. In 2019 Georgia made a move she wasn’t prepared for. Due to a trip to the hospital and necessary surgery a day before her 90^th birthday party, Georgia went to Legacy Living for rehabilitation. With the effects Covid-19 had on long term care facilities and other setbacks Georgia remained at Legacy Living. She made the best of her new surroundings by making new friends, joking with the staff and giving them a hard time once in a while. They became her family there but she was adamant that she would be going home….She had things to put away. Although it is difficult to say goodbye to a parent…even at 91 3/4 years old…we are grateful for the legacy and enormous amount of memories she left with us. We could write an entire book but have chosen instead to share some of those memories in short thoughts. If you were blessed enough to have had Georgia in your life, you will remember some of these qualities and reflect the time and place of the memory. When we were younger:  She made us hot breakfast every day before school, cold cereal was a weekend treat along with watching cartoons, she was an active 4-H leader who taught sewing and cooking to club members, she was a member of the Stitch and Skillet homemaker club, she went to work at the Hunter’s Drug and then Corner Drug’s soda fountain where she became a familiar face to many, our school friends became her “other kids”. What brought her joy:  singing (in the church choir, at home, for weddings and funerals, anywhere, anytime), dancing, whistling (she had the sweet sound of a bird), listening to old country songs and hymns, feeding the squirrels and birds every day, roses, keeping in touch with friends and family by sending a note or making a phone call (she had no use for computers and texting…it was to impersonal), doing embroidery work and paint by numbers on black velvet, road trips to Deadwood for an afternoon of playing the slot machines (claiming she was always playing on “their” quarters and carried them in a little bag when she went). What she loved:  all aspects of country life; hard work, long days, short nights when calving, praying for moisture without hail, the smell of fresh turned soil in the field, working beside Ralph whenever she could, the wildlife and the view from her porch. Holidays; ALL of them and she had at least one decoration for each. Christmas and Thanksgiving were her favorites as it meant family and a lot more decorating. Hunting season and hunting camp; it was a stand-alone event she looked forward to every year!  She and Ralph hosted family and friends from in and out of state every October. Whether there was good or bad luck in the field, most important were the bonds and comraderies formed on those days of hunting. Georgia knew how to cook for large numbers and always had a crowd gathered around the table for a hearty meal and lively conversation at the end of the day. If the hunt was successful we toasted with a “Wyoming Gut Shot” (peach schnapps and cranberry juice) affectionately named for those whose shot was a little off. If the hunt was unsuccessful we still toasted for better luck the next day. The finale at the end of hunting camp was a wild game barbeque in the shop. It was always a good time but bittersweet to say goodbye until the next year.  After Ralph died Georgia continued to host the hunters until moving to town.  All those hunters whether by blood or not became our family and remain family no matter where they are. They have provided an entire chapter of forever memories in all our lives.  What she treasured most in life was her FAMILY first and foremost. The love for her children was unmatched and only grew stronger and multiplied further when grandchildren and great-grandchildren were born. They filled her heart with such happiness her face would light up with love when any of them would walk in the room. The grandkids all got to experience quality time with their Grandma Georgia and especially enjoyed the adventures when she lived in the country. She was extremely proud and always supportive of all they accomplished as youngsters and as they became adults.  The great grandkids called her GG and there was no sweeter song to her ear than hearing them call her name. She loved reading and playing games with them when they were young and as they got a little older she never tired of listening to what they were doing…whether it be what activities and sports they were in currently, how school was going, what their parents were doing, or what they did on the weekend, she wanted to absorb every moment. She was their biggest fan and they all filled her with profound pride and joy. That pure joy and love was in her room when she was finally able to touch and talk to her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren…her wishes were fulfilled and she had the opportunity to say goodbye. Georgia is survived by her children: Linda Lynch, Billie Mandeville, Carl Lynch and Margie (Michael) Von Flatern. Grandchildren Mike Dorr, Travis (Sarah) Dorr, Brad Mandeville, and BJ (Brett) Mandeville. Great- Grand Children Aidan Dorr, Reese Dorr, Elli Dorr and Avery Dorr. Also surviving her are many nieces and nephews, step-children Steve (Dee Dee) Barbour and families, Gayle (Kaye) Nanneman and families, Tom (Linda) Barbour and families and Judy (Rich) Lynde and families. Georgia is preceded in death by her husband Ralph, son-in-law Bud Mandeville, Grand-daughter Dani Mandeville, step-daughter Ginny Nanneman, step-daughter-in-law Georgia Barbour, her parents, all her siblings and their spouses. In lieu of flowers the family suggest that memorials be made to benefit YES House or City of Gillette Animal Shelter. Memorials and condolences may be sent in care of Gillette Memorial Chapel 210 West 5th Street, Gillette, WY 82716. Condolences may also be expressed at www.gillettememorialchapel.com