Ila J. Shober

Funeral service for Ila Shober will be held at 10:00 a.m., Monday, February 7, 2022 at Gillette Memorial Chapel with Pastor Mark Stevens officiating; interment to follow at Mt. Pisgah Cemetery.

Our precious mother/grandma/great-grandma, Ila Juanell (Bussey) Shober, passed away on Saturday, January 29^th at The Legacy Living and Rehabilitation Center. She lived a long and full life and was ready to join her loving family who were waiting for her in Heaven.

Ila was born on February 12, 1926, in Ryan, Oklahoma to Henry and Cammie Bussey, entering this world just a few minutes after her twin sister, Nila. There were three older brothers already at home when “the twins” arrived and then four more brothers joined for a total of nine children! They were a close family living in and around lots of aunts, uncles, cousins, and friends. In the late 30’s, Henry loaded up his family and moved to California in hopes of making a better life. Ila graduated San Diego High School and lived and worked in San Diego, Hollywood, Modesto and Riverbank, California before making her way to Wyoming in 1948. She came to visit her favorite cousin, Cletis Johnston. It was there at Dub and Cletis’s that she was introduced to a handsome young cowboy and decorated WWII hero, Ira F. “Ike” Shober.

Ike and Ila were married in Sundance, Wyoming on September 2, 1948. They lived in Upton for a brief time before returning home to the Shober family ranch north of Weston. There they started their family, raising their four children Tanya, Micky, Ronnie, and Diane. They loved being a part of the Weston community and enjoyed the company of so many wonderful neighbors, many of whom remained friends throughout their lives. Her California family loved visiting her in the wild west and they still tell stories about it to this day. Ila often reflected with great fondness those years on the ranch, even despite some really challenging times. In addition to ranch work, housework and yard work, Ila drove the Weston mail route come rain or shine. When Tanya started high school, they moved to Gillette and Ila started working at the Gillette Greenhouse, where she discovered a natural talent as a florist. She later opened her own shop, The Flower Hut, known today as Laurie’s Flower Hut, serving Gillette residents with beautiful floral arrangements for weddings, funerals, and all occasions.

While she was quite an accomplished businesswoman, by far the greatest joy in her life was her family. She loved her children, provided a loving home, and together Ike and Ila instilled in them a moral compass to guide them throughout their lives. The Shober home was always open to a slew of friends and relatives and there are many who considered her a second mother. And as much as she enjoyed her children, becoming a grandma brought even greater joy. She and Ike were blessed with nine beautiful grandchildren, and they loved following them through their many activities as youngsters and watching them grow into fine adults. She absolutely adored her twenty-one great-grandchildren. She often said, “I love my kids and I really love my grandkids.... but I really, really love my great-grandkids!”  And they all loved her right back.

She had a such a gift for remembering life events, people and places and loved to tell stories and make everyone laugh, which she did right up to the end. She was competitive and almost always won when playing cards or Dominoes. She loved her lifelong friends, Frances Wallace and Ruth Pownall. Referred to as the “Deadwood Debutantes,” they spent endless hours playing slots and, of course, winning lots of money. Or so they said!

Ila was a strong woman, unwavering in her love of her family and her beliefs. She was a rock and at the same time, a soft place to fall. She leaves an indelible mark on all who knew and loved her.

Ila is survived by her youngest brother Wayne Bussey of Modesto, CA, her children Tanya (Larry) Suchor, Micky (Linda) Shober and Diane Shober. Her beloved son Ronnie (JoAnn) Shober passed just two days prior her own passing. Her grandchildren and their families include Michael (Barb) Shober - Nico, Anya (Daylen), Alex, Elia, Nora and Nina; Brent Shober – Emma and Sullivan; Todd Suchor, Brandee (Jon) Mau – Lena and Caleb, Kami (Bob) Baumberger – Zeli and Tilli, Ira (Melanie) Shober – Emily and Ben; Dustin Suchor – Jameson and Quinn; Sarah (Kyle) Conway – Kayson and Charis; and Lindsay (Alex) Hull – Axel, Archie and Alvin.  She also survived by many nieces, nephews, and cousins, including her close cousin Janice “Teencie” Fieldgrove of Buffalo, WY. She is proceeded in death by her husband, Ira F. “Ike” Shober, son Ronnie Shober, her parents, six brothers and her twin sister, Nila Bussey Maddox.

Our family is forever grateful for the kind and caring staff at The Legacy, especially those who work on Pine Street. We simply do not have words adequate to express our appreciation for all they did for our precious mom over the last 3 years. A memorial has been established to benefit The Legacy Living and Rehabilitation Advisory Board for their continued excellent work in caring for our communities’ cherished elderly. Memorials and condolences may be sent in care of Gillette Memorial Chapel 210 West 5^th Street, Gillette, WY 82716. Condolences may also be expressed at www.gillettememorialchapel.com