Dorcas "Caryl" Marion

It is with heavy hearts that we say farewell to Dorcas “Caryl” Hatch Marion, who also went by her childhood nickname “Zip.” She passed away in Boise, Idaho on November 28, 2022. She was 94.
Caryl’s parents, Dorcas and Joseph Hatch raised their family in Mountain View, Wyoming. Her father Joe, and maternal grandfather, Isaac Reese, were woolgrowers and business partners. Caryl loved spending the summers with her family, grandparents, and cousin, Ralph Reese high up in the Uinta Mountains where they tended their sheep on public land. Caryl graduated with Honors from St. Mark’s
Episcopal College of Nursing and the University of Utah. The latter, she received a Bachelor of Science’s degree in 1949. Since she was too young to be a registered nurse, Caryl attended college to complete a master’s degree in nursing education before being coaxed to move to Wyoming to become their first public health nurse. Caryl married Hobert DeWolf “Pete” Marion on July 13, 1950, at St. Mark’s Episcopal Church in Cheyenne. The congregation laughed when the minister asked, “does thee Dorcas take thee
Hobert” as none of their friends knew their real names. Caryl and Pete were a wonderful and compatible team for nearly 62 years until Pete’s passing in 2012. Caryl and Pete raised three children to adulthood,
Peter Bruce, William John, and Kathleen Caryl. They also had twins that died at birth Charles and Catherine. Caryl and Pete quickly “adopted” their young neighbor Sharon Ross when she moved in next
door in 1994. Caryl’s nursing career spanned over 30 years in a series of positions including head nurse at the VA Hospital responsible for working with the Red Cross during the polio epidemic, and as a school nurse supporting McCormick Junior High in the mornings and at various elementary schools in the afternoons: Pioneer Park, Deming, Jessup, Miller, Clark, Davis, and Alta Vista. She later became
Central High School’ school nurse for nearly 20 years. She retired from school nursing in 1978.
Caryl and Pete were active in the community and became heavily involved in the Republican Party.
Caryl became President of the Laramie County Republican Party for several years and attended
the National Republican Party Convention as a delegate. Her greatest satisfaction was working
at the local level for over 50 years as a Republican precinct committee captain. Because of her integrity,
Governor Geringer appointed her as the first woman to the Governor’s Judicial Nominating Commission.
Caryl was also active in the Wyoming Nurses Association (President), Laramie County Teacher’s
Association (various offices), Women’s Civic League, Eastern Star (various chairs/offices), DAR, Colonia Dames, Chi Omega Fraternity (sorority) and the American Red Cross. She also volunteered time and support within the Episcopalian churches of St. Mark’s, St. Christopher’s, and later the Anglican St. Peters. Early in her school nursing career she met Bert Budd when he was a traveling elementary
school coach, and they worked together in designing “exercise routines” for the at-risk and less athletic kids. Bert and Caryl reconnected through online dating when she was 86. They became each other’s
sweethearts and were united on April 19, 2016. She was also well-loved and cared for by Annette
Brinkman and her brother Dennis Steele at her home in Cheyenne. When Caryl began suffering from significant memory loss, was already legally blind, and Bert needed to move into an assisted living facility, the Marion children relocated Caryl to Boise to live with Kathleen. At the end of her life, All Care Hospice tended to her needs. Their chaplain blessed her, and last rites were provided by Kris Ruddell,
an Assistant Priest with the Anglican Holy Trinity Church Caryl is survived by her children: Pete (Carol)
Marion of Geneva, Florida; Bill (Donna) Marion of Cheyenne, Wyoming; Kathleen Marion Carr of Boise, Idaho; and “adopted” Sharon Ross (Tom Esquibel) of Cheyenne, Wyoming; her sister Mary Ann (John) Duffey of Steamboat Springs, Colorado; four grandchildren Michelle (Patrick) Layton, Marc (Heather) Marion, Megan Marion (Dave Asmussen) and Zoë Carr; and three great grandchildren Parker, Nora and
Madelyn Marion. A memorial service will be held at Wiederspahn- Radomsky Chapel at 2:00 p.m. on January 13, 2023. A memorial donation can be made in her name to your local chapter of the American
Red Cross.