Elsie Wagler, 90, of Cody passed away on November 4, 2021, under the loving care of her family.

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She was born in Washington, Iowa in 1930, the daughter of Peter and Bertha (Blum) Jessen. While spending her younger years in Pulaski, IA she married her high school sweetheart Vernon who complained that Iowa was becoming too crowded resulting in the family moving to Cody in 1967. Elsie is preceded in death by her husband, her son Stewart, parents, 3 brothers, Ronnie, Richard, Harold, two sisters, Martha and Sharon, and grandson Joshua. Survivors include three children, daughter Cindy Alberts (Jay), of Kingston NH, son Kim, (Trudi Clark), of Cody and son Bradley, (Erin) of Wapiti.  Eight grandchildren, Aaron Alberts (Erinn), Amy Alberts (Glenn Buswell), Farrah Smolinsky, Chad Wagler, (Cassandra), Teresa Merager, (Kelly), Brittany Wagler, Casey Wagler, and Nicole Wagler. Eleven great-grandchildren, Asher, Liam, and Sadie Alberts, Clash and Mighty Buswell, Laurel, Georgia and Lulu Alberts, Ryan, Tyler, and Spencer Decker, Mason and Mali Merager. Also, surviving are three sisters, Gwendlyn Foster Bates of Huntsville, Texas, Evelyn Wells of Amarillo, Texas and Shirley Schmidt (Bob) of Mundelein, Illinois, also one sister-in-law Dorothy Jessen of Billings, Montana, and brother-in-law Wayne Norton of Milton, Iowa and eleven nieces and thirteen nephews.

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Elsie graduated from Pulaski High School in Iowa to begin her career at Mountain Bell Telephone in Ottumwa until marriage on October 15, 1950. She soon became a farm wife while working for the Davis County Farm Bureau Office as a secretary in the town of Bloomfield, IA. The family relocated to Iowa Falls in 1964 where her husband became the field director for Forney Arc Welders. Not one to remain dormant for an extended period of time as anyone who knew her can attest, Elsie worked at National Farm Lines until the family relocated to Cody, Wyoming in 1967. She was employed by Huskey Oil Company until 1969. From 1986 thru 2004 she was employed by Park County, working for the County Clerk and the County Commissioners.

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Elsie was an active member of Trinity Lutheran Church, was active in WELCA, and served as officers on several local and district boards. Her faith was a very important part of her life. She was a member of Beta Sigma Phi, Cody Cattlewomen, Northwest Angus Association, and the Wyoming State Angus Association.

In 1978, along with her husband, she organized the Northwest Angus Association, which is still an active organization. She served as secretary of the Wyoming State Angus Association from 1991 through 1997. She loved working with the cattle, and some of the happiest times were watching her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren show their animals at fairs, shows, and also watching them compete in different sports. Her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren were the biggest joy of her life. Until the day she passed she studied each professional football game predicting the winners and losers while competing with her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren.

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Visitation with family present will be at Ballard Funeral Home on Sunday, November 14, 2021 from 3-5pm. Funeral services will be at Trinity Lutheran Church in Cody on Monday, November 15, 2021 at 11am with graveside services to follow at Riverside Cemetery. Condolences can be sent to Elsie’s family on her memorial page at www.BallardFH.com