Gwendolyn June Striegel
At 8:20 a.m. on Monday, April 13, 1942 a cute little Texas Tornado blessed the home of J.V. and Donita Tynes in Littlefield, TX. Their little household would never be the same as Gwendolyn June, known mostly as Junie, would turn out to be quite a remarkable lady
Her parents moved west to Wyoming when she was just a toddler and before long they landed in the place she has called home since, Rangely, CO.
She grew up as a member of the First Baptist Church in which her parents were Charter Members, often bragging that if the Church doors were open, her mother had them inside.
As a young child she was just as content to play kickball or other games with the boys in the neighborhood as she was to have tea parties with the girls and sometimes torment (but more often take care of) her little brother, John. Various terms would were often used to describe her not only in her childhood but as an adult as well. Spunky, a pistol, fun loving, kind, full-of-life, always laughing, a great sense of humor, bubbly, social, sometimes a pillbox, firecracker, comfortable to be around, sassy with a smile, hilarious, feisty, altruistic fighter, never a dull moment, quick to laugh and always a great friend.
She was kind hearted and loved people. The more people that were around her, the happier she was. It seemed as though she had never really met a stranger.
After she was graduated from Rangely High School in May, 1960 , she married her high school sweetheart, Larry “Bud” Striegel, on October 29, 1960. During these 57 years of marriage they added three children to their home, Teri Daun, Deven Wayde and Kris Erik. She would often laugh and say she “grew up with her kids” as she never stopped enjoying adventures that some would have said she was told to do – such as Zip lining in Hawaii at the age of 70. Her annual pilgrimage to Oklahoma to visit her many aunts, uncles and cousins, usually in a motor home, was something she looked forward to nearly every year of her life.
Adding to the joys of her life were her grandkids, Kellen, Daniel, Jacob, Travis and Sarah but as much as she loved and enjoyed being with them, her great-grandkids, Aubrianna, Garrett, Kolton, Bridget, Daxton, Charlet, Cydny, Stryker and Teigan were truly the icing on her cake.
Her grandkids, nieces and nephews fondly remember her as letting them have Cheetos and Coke for breakfast and spending time with them doing many things their parents didn’t often let them do.
She was always enthusiastic about whatever profession she was currently performing – whether it was an EMT or Physicians Extender where many have said that her sense of humor often helped them through embarrassing situations, a travel agent and operating Trappers Lodge above Meeker, which are the perfect occupations for such an adventurer or her machine embroidery business. She became an accomplished quilter and was thoroughly surprised when one of her quilts was the Grand Champion at the county fair.
Although she enjoyed all of her occupations, she enjoyed being at their Campbell Creek Ranch in Meeker the most. She always looked forward to the countless weddings, family reunions, quilt retreats, class reunions and any other events She thoroughly enjoyed taking care of the many workers that she crossed paths with while building the Ranch.
In 2005 she was diagnosed with Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma and considered sending it into remission four times a great accomplishment. In keeping with her philanthropic nature, she even willingly participated in several experimental treatments in hopes of helping find a cure so others’ lives could be saved. Apparently this has paid off as it was recently announced that there has been a major break though in a cure for this disease.
On the morning of October 31, 2017 while in the arms of her husband of 57 years and two days, she peacefully passed away at their home in Rangely.
She was loved by so many including her Husband Bud, daughter Teri Wilczek (Vance) sons Deven and Erik, her brother; John Tynes (Laurel), Sister’s-in-Law; Cheryl Olson (Ralph), Diane Striegel, Merry Lynn Lifferth (Wesley), brother-in-law Randall Striegel (Sally) and many nieces, nephews and cousins.
Those loved ones that left before her include her parents, J.V. and Donita Tynes, Father-in Law and Mother-in Law Wayde and Nelma Striegel, Brother-in Law Douglas Striegel, Sister-in-Law Candy Tynes and nephew Joshua Striegel.
Arraignments were thoughtfully under the direction of the Ashley Valley Funeral Home, Vernal, UT
Funeral services will be held Friday, November 3, 2017 at 11AM at the First Baptist Church in Rangely (207 South Sunset). A viewing for family and friends will be held Friday 9:45-10:45AM at the church prior to the funeral service. Interment will be in the Rangely Cemetery under the direction of the Phillips Ashley Valley Funeral Home.
