Colleen Rae Quast

Colleen Rae Quast, 85, of Cheyenne, passed away on March 21 at home surrounded by her loving family.
She was born February 19, 1939, in West Bend, IA, to Irvin and Geraldine Elbert.
Colleen graduated in 1956 from Rodman High School where she was active in many clubs and organizations including 4-H, band, and cheerleading.
She attended Mankato Commercial College in Mankato, MN, where she earned a medical/secretarial degree.
While in Mankato, Colleen met her lifetime love Larry Quast at a local café. They married in 1958. Early in their marriage they lived in Paxton, IL, and then moved to Champaign, IL, where Colleen took a job as a medical secretary at Carle Memorial Hospital Clinic. The couple also lived in Rantoul, IL.
Larry served in the U.S. Air Force, which brought their family to Cheyenne in 1971.
Colleen was an active member of the Cheyenne community. She was a parishioner at St. Mary’s Cathedral, a member of St. Mary’s Bishop’s Guild, and the Cheyenne Heritage Quilters.
She worked as a secretary at St. Mary’s School and then began her career at Laramie County School District 1 as a resource room aide at Deming Elementary School. Additionally, she was a secretary at the district office for the Art Department and district psychologists. She worked as a secretary at McCormick Junior High, transitioning to junior class secretary at Central High School. She finished her career at Central as the senior class secretary, retiring after 23 years of service.
Colleen was an avid quilter. She was a true artist who created prize-winning quilts along with many other beautiful pieces of art including paintings. Her oil, watercolor and tole paintings depict her love of the outdoors and life on the farm in Iowa. She enjoyed macrame, crocheting, taking photos, scrap booking, and was an accomplished seamstress. Her and Larry loved auctions, garage sales, music, and animals, especially cats.
Her love for outdoor spaces led her passion for flowers, wildlife, and gardening. She helped spread this joy by planting trees and colorful flower gardens not only at her own home but with her grandchildren whom she loved to spend time with.
Colleen loved her Catholic faith and her family most of all. Her family was her world and she always put them first. She and Larry attended their grandchildren’s soccer, basketball, volleyball, and music concerts. After retirement, she spent much of her time watching her grandchildren.
Colleen is survived by her husband, Larry, children Michelle Frank (Mark), Michael Quast (Mary), Kelly Shappell (Mike), sister Victoria Thomas (Jay), brother Kim Elbert (Kimberly), brother-in-law George Kuntz, sister-in-law Georgia Elbert, grandchildren Curran, Cameron, McKailyn and Delaeni Quast, Ryan DeVries (Brittany), Meghan and Morgan Frank, Ryan, Aaron and Brittani Shappell, great grandchildren, Nora and Valor Quast, Elena Frank, Jack DeVries, and numerous nieces and nephews.
She was proceeded in death by her parents, Irvin and Geraldine Elbert, brother Mark Elbert, sister Myra Kuntz and granddaughter McKenna Quast.
Rosary will be held on Tuesday, March 26, at 5 p.m., at Wiederspahn-Radomsky Chapel. Funeral services will be held on Wednesday, March 27, at 10 a.m., at Wiederspahn-Radomsky Chapel.
Larry and the family ask in lieu of flowers those who wish may donate to Dementia/Alzheimer’s, Davis Hospice or a charity of their choice. To send the family condolences please visit www.wrcfuneral.com .