Francis Sedgwick

Francis Sedgwick

Funeral services for long time Weston County resident, Francis Sedgwick, age 76, were held Monday, December 20 at the First United Methodist Church. Dr. Robert Firebaugh of the United Methodist Church and Pastor Norm Brotzam of the Newcastle Assemble of God Church officiated. Burial followed in the Newcastle Greenwood Cemetery.

Mr. Sedgwick died Friday, December 17, at the Weston County Memorial Hospital.

Francis was born January 21, 1917, on his father's Cheyenne River ranch south of Newcastle. After graduating from high school in Grover, Colo., he worked on the family ranch with his dad and brother. On January 12, 1940, he married Violet (Coy) Donaldson in Livingston, Mont.

In addition to the commercial Hereford cattle, the Sedgwicks bred and raised quarter horses, and were prominent breeders of Palomino horses in the 1950's. In 1959 they became the first Weston County ranchers to begin cross-breeding hereford/charolais cattle and helped introduce the charolais breed to the area.

Francis belonged to the American Quarter Horse Association, was a long-time member of the Wyoming and National Stock Growers Association, and served 21 years as a board member for the Inyan Kara Grazing Association, of which he was president for many years. He was a life long breeder of American quarter horses and was listed in the 1982 Who's Who in the Western Livestock Industry. Mr. Sedgwick was a member of the First United Methodist Church in Newcastle and an active member of the Fellowship of Christian Cowboys. He was also a charter member of the Northwest Ranch Cowboys Association.

He was preceded in death by his parents and one great grandson, Ryan Donaldson.

Survivors include his wife, Vi; one daughter, Rhonda Stearns and her husband, Bill of Newcastle; one brother, Leonard, "Bull" Sedgwick of Newcastle; two sisters, Pauline Marchant of Newcastle and Ida Foley of Lusk; two grandchildren, R. C. Donaldson, Jr. of Newcastle and Robin Parker of LaGrande, Ore.; six great grandchildren; and numerous nieces and nephews.

The family would appreciate contributions to the National Cowgirl Hall of Fame or to a charity of donor's choice in lieu of flowers.

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