Margaret Ardith Wright

Margaret Ardith Byers was born August 30, 1934 in Chariton, Iowa to Floyd Alva & Vona Gertrude (Buford) Byers, the youngest of 8 siblings. When she was a young child, the family moved to Burns, Wyoming. She made a bargain with her older sister, Wanda, that she would do household chores if Wanda would do the outside chores. She met Frank J. Wright the summer before her senior year in high school. They fell deeply in love and were married December 25, 1951 at F.E. Warren AFB Chapel. The following spring she graduated at the top of her class and was awarded a full scholarship to the University of Wyoming. Their first daughter, Marilyn was born in November. They were blessed with three more daughters, Peggy, Teresa, and Beverly (Susie), raising them in Cheyenne, Wyoming; Kirkland, Washington; Casper and Buffalo, Wyoming. Margaret was an operator for the telephone company in Casper for several years and had a phenomenal head for numbers. She could remember dates and ages of family members and was a reference for other members of the family up until a short time before her death. After raising their children, Frank was forced to take an early medical retirement. They traveled with their RV trailer for a period of time in search of a place to live where it was more comfortable for him, settling first in Quartzsite, Arizona; then moving to Laughlin, Cal-Nev-Ari, and Searchlight, Nevada over a period of 28 years. While living in Nevada, Margaret worked as a security dispatcher in a large casino in Laughlin, displaying an incredible memory and ability to organize. She earned the respect of many of her co-workers and was honored to be selected as “employee of the month” twice. In 2010 when Frank’s health further deteriorated and she was developing health problems they moved back to Cheyenne to be closer to family. They had been married almost 60 years when Frank passed away in October of 2011.
In her spare time and while traveling, she enjoyed crocheting and knitting and made a baby afghan for each of her grandchildren and a graduation afghan for all but one of them. She had plans for making that one, but her life was cut short before she was able to get it started. She made afghans for charity as well as dishcloths, potholders, dish scrubbers and a few sweaters and other garments for her family. “Grammy”, as she was known to some of her grandchildren, enjoyed pampering her family by making monkey bread and other special treats. She loved cardinals and had many of them decorating her house. In later years, she decided she liked watching Rockies games and shopping. She was an avid reader and would often spend hours in the recliner with a Christian romance or historical fiction novel. At the age of 78, she was able to fulfill a dream of taking a hot air balloon ride.
Margaret was flown to Swedish Hospital in Denver after suffering a heart attack and 3 strokes within 8 days and died May 29 at The Denver Hospice Inpatient Care Center at Lowry.
Those left to cherish the memory of Margaret include her daughters, Marilyn (Tom or Bill) Schmoker of Osage, Wyoming; Peggy (Bob) Zigweid of Muddy Gap, Wyoming; Teresa (Dan) Page of Monroe, Wisconsin; and Beverly or Sue (Carl) Hunt of Kansas City, Missouri; two sisters Lucille Goudie and Wanda Seidl of Cheyenne; brother-in-law Dick Lehms of Woodinville, Washington; and Victor and Nancy Wright of San Jose, California, seventeen grandchildren and 33 great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her parents, brothers Alvie, Floyd Jr., and Donald Byers; sisters Doris Fuller and Dorothy Steege; and four great-grandchildren.
She will be greatly missed by her surviving relatives and her friends. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in her memory to Davis Hospice of Cheyenne or The Denver Hospice Inpatient Care Center.