Jugler, Katie

Katie Jugler finds joy through serving others

She has lived in Niobrara County all her life and is a quiet, unassuming woman who gets her joy in life from serving others.

Katie Jugler has lived through tough times and looks back with fondness over her past. She grew up on a farm/ranch operation about 12 miles northeast of Lusk where her parents had taken a homestead. Jugler's nephew, Rick Jassman, now lives on the place.

She and her seven brothers and sisters attended country school. Although she only was able to attend school through the eighth grade, she proudly states that all four of her children graduated from Niobrara County High School.

On Saturday, Sept. 19, Katie's family hosted "Katie Jugler Day" in honor of her 80th birthday which will be in November. Two of her three sisters were able to attend. Her other sister was too ill to attend. All of her brothers are deceased. Also in attendance at the day were all four of their children. George Jugler and Wanda Hundley live in Casper. Jim Jugler lives in Fruita, Colo. and Gene Jugler lives in Rock Springs.

Katie said she did not socialize much when she was younger because they lived on the farm.

"We had our own entertainment," she said. "We had no cars and didn't come to town much."

"I was always helping in the ranch work and I did a lot of outside ranch work," she said.

"We milked cows and sold and made butter. We always raised a big garden," she said. She added that with eight children this was a necessity.

Katie married Ernest Jugler in February 1934. He died in December 1957, while serving as Niobrara County Sheriff. Katie had to face making a house payment and finishing raising her youngest child by herself. She decided to finish out her husband's term.

"I did it because of the income and they didn't want to move me out (of the apartment) for one year and get someone else. I let his deputy take sheriff and I was deputy under him. They didn't make me move out of the apartment," she said.

She and her husband were buying the house she now lives in at the time, so when the term was up, she moved to the house and began working in town.

"I worked for Cathy Brillhart and at the Silver Spur for a time. Then my mother needed me. The kids were grown," she said. She continued to pay off the house and cared for her ailing mother for the last three years of her life.

Katie continues to do her own yard work, although she admits she has slowed down a bit. She continues to use a hand push lawn mower on her lawn.

"A power mower goes too fast and I can't keep up with it," she said. "I still drive and I still go to Casper to see the kids and go shopping. The malls are so big. It just kills me to go unless someone is around," she said.

"Now I'm busier than I've ever been. I look after Sophie (Klemke - her sister) and her property and all her legal work. I have my own home and have to see that her's (Sophie's) is in order. But the joy comes from serving others," she said.

When she finds time, she still crochets and loves to work in her yard and do gardening. "I like to sew. I'm not a seamstress, but when my eyes were better I liked to remodel clothes," she said.

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