Jewel Tomanek

Jewel LaRue Tomanek, 91, died holding her daughter, Patty’s hands at Davis Hospice Center, Cheyenne on December 23, 2019.

Jewel (Jones) Tomanek was born on Good Friday, April 6, 1928 to Jesper and Nora Jones in Eaton, Colorado. Jesper always planted his potato crop on Good Friday. But when Jewel decided to come into the world on this particular Friday, Jesper did not plant his crop. Her father always teased Jewel by saying she was the reason he did not have a good potato crop that year.

Jewel was the youngest of six children. She was preceded in death by her husband, Francis Bernard Tomanek (1922-1983), her parents, her sisters Opal May Williams (1913-2000), Ruby Hazel Scott (1918-2009), and Pearl Alzira Burmood Eckhardt (1921-2016), and her brothers Orville Henry Jones (1915-1917) and Charles Thomas Jones (1923-2010).

She started school when she was 4 years old and when she graduated from Briggsdale High School at the age of 16, she had a perfect attendance record never having missed a day of school. Jewel was offered a scholarship to attend classes at Colorado State College of Education in Greeley where she majored in business. Before completing education courses in Greeley, Jewel was offered a teaching job in Grover, Colorado.

Jewel met her future husband, Francis when spending Halloween weekend in Bushnell, Nebraska with the family of another teacher, Agnes Tomanek. On that first night, Agnes's older brother Francis asked Jewel on a date, after a long distance courtship. Francis Bernard Tomanek and Jewel LaRue Jones were married in Greeley, Colorado on November 25, 1949.

Jewel and Francis resided in Cheyenne, Wyoming where they raised their three children. Hunting, fishing, camping, boating and motorcycle trips were pastimes shared by Jewel and Francis. Jewel was chosen as the first Sturgis Motorcycle Queen in the early 60's when it was still considered a family-oriented event. Francis and Jewel were able to travel internationally to Czechoslovakia, Francis's father's homeland and West Berlin and numerous trips around the US.

Jewel was proud to be in the workforce taking many different career paths over the years. Between 1947-1963, Jewel worked as a teacher for many different schools. Jewel never shied away from a challenge and took over a bookkeeping job held by a man at Good Year Tire for three years. She later worked as a payroll clerk for DePaul Hospital followed by eight years at Cole Shopping Center. Jewel was proud to be the Business Manager and Accountant for Wyoming Mental Health Center where she worked for 17 years until her retirement in 1990. She served on the Building Committee for the new mental health clinic and acted as the financial officer for the project.


After Francis passed away, Jewel continued to travel and was proud to visit every continent. She enjoyed taking her grandchildren on trips all over the world and spent a great deal of time in Mongolia teaching English. Although Jewel enjoyed traveling her favorite trips to take were mission trips working through her church.

Jewel was very active in Civic Organizations during her professional career and numerous volunteer activities after her retirement.
1960 finalist in the Young Woman of the Year awarded by the Jay-Shees
4-H Leader
American Legion Auxiliary- Poppy Chairman, Junior's Leader, Girl's State Chairman
1985 American Business Women's Association Woman of the Year
American Society of Women Accountants
Friendship Force
United States Census 2000
Usher for Cheyenne Civic Center and Little Theater
Retired and Senior Volunteer Program
Foster Grandparent Program
YMCA


Jewel was a member of the Cheyenne Alliance Church which sponsored her many mission trips to countries around the world. She later attended Salvation Army Church as their bus faithfully picked her up each Sunday from Life Care.

Jewel is survived by her two daughters Linda Kay Gertig of Bellevue, Nebraska, Patricia Ann Stevens Ortega of Cheyenne, and son Robert Thomas Tomanek of Cheyenne. She is the proud grandmother of eight grandchildren; Steven Gertig, Christopher Gertig, Melissa Stevens, Jennifer Stevens, Michael Stevens, Allison Behrens, Matt Tomanek and Carol Tomanek. She delighted in telling people about her 19 great-grandchildren.

In lieu of flowers, please make a donation to the mission fund at Cheyenne Alliance Church or the Salvation Army in Jewel’s name.

Please feel free to share your favorite stories of Jewel below.