Elaine Carol Meeks

Elaine Carol Meeks, 80, formally of Gillette and Worland, died Monday, Feb. 4, 2013, at Hillcrest Nursing Home in McCook, Neb.

Mrs. Meeks recently moved to Culbertson, Neb., to be near her family.

She was born Dec. 26, 1932, in Gennesse, Wis., to August William and Olga Wilhelmina (Freudenstein) Bahr Sr. She graduated from high school in 1949 in Waukesha, Wis.

She married William Meeks on Jan. 30, 1954, at Mount Calvary Lutheran Church in Waukesha. They had two daughters.

The couple moved to Gillette in 1968 and she went to work at the Gillette News-Record as a proof-reader and later as a typesetter. Upon leaving the newspaper, she joined the library staff at the Campbell County School District schools as the bookmobile librarian. She traveled to all of the county’s rural schools providing library access to the children attending small country schools. She became close to several of the students and many have stayed in touch with her through the years. Mrs. Meeks joined the Gillette offices of the Federal Land Bank Association of Wyoming transferring in 1985 to the Worland offices, where she worked for several years before becoming a medical transcriptionist for Washakie County Hospital until her retirement.

She enjoyed working crossword and jigsaw puzzles and playing cards and table games with her grandchildren. She and her husband spent many hours over the years dancing to their favorite polka music.

Mrs. Meeks is survived by her two daughters, Carol Varilek of Culbertson, Neb., and Patti Westre of Aurora, Colo.; brother August Bahr Jr. of Sussex, Wis.; seven grandsons; and four great-grandchildren.

She is preceded in death by her parents and husband, William, who died March 1, 1994.

Memorials are suggested in Mrs. Meeks name. No memorial services will be held in accordance with Mrs. Meeks wishes.

Carpenter-Breland Funeral Home of McCook is in charge of arrangements. Condolence may be attached to the obituary at www.gillettenewsrecord.com.