James Thomas Seppala
James T. Seppala
Funeral services for Gillette resident James T. Seppala, 63, were held November 14 at Prince of Peace Lutheran Church, Gillette with Pastor Paul Erbes as officiant. Interment was at Mount Pisgah Cemetery. Visitation was on November 13 at Wilson Funeral Home, Gillette. He died November 11 at his home in Gillette as a result of an apparent heart attack.
James Thomas Seppala was born August 21, 1935 in Sioux Falls, SD, the son of Thomas Leo and Viola (Petersen) Seppala. He moved to Buffalo, SD at a very young age and later to Edgemont, when he was 3 years old. He received his education in Edgemont and graduated from Edgemont High School in 1953. He then attended Black Hills Teacher College, Spearfish, graduating with a BS in education in 1957. He married Jeanne Shrull on November 12, 1955 in Spearfish.
Following his graduation from college, he taught in Kadoka, SD for two years then moved back to Edgemont where he was employed at the bank. In 1968 he purchased a ranch near Edgemont in Niobrara County. He taught in Lusk and finished his Masters in Education in Laramie. He sold the ranch in 1975 and moved to Newcastle, where he was employed by the State of Wyoming Livestock Board as an enforcement officer.
He is survived by his wife, Jeanne, Gillette; son Mike, Evanston, 3 daughters Joleen McIlravy, Linda Sibila, and Susie Seppala, all of Gillette, birth mother Edith Johnson, Rapid City, SD; sister Donna Uhl, Rialto, CA; a foster brother Steve Savonen, Lamar, CO; a foster sister Crystal Allison, Edmond, OK, 2 half-sisters, Marlene Mcgill, Bloomfield, NM and Patricia Muldoon, Rapid City, SD and 7 grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents.
A memorial has been established in Mr. Seppala's name and donations may be sent in care of Wilson Funeral Home, PO Box 734, Gillette, WY 82717.