Gwendola "Gwen" Mae Longbone

Gwen Longbone

Gwen Longbone, age 71, of Strasburg, Colo. passed away in Aurora, Colo. on Sept. 24. A funeral service was held at the Strasburg High School on Sept. 29, Love Funeral Home in charge of Colorado arrangements. Additional services were held at the Pier Funeral Home in Lusk on Sept. 30 with Pastor Tom Strock officiating. Interment followed at the Lusk Cemetery near her parents and brother.

Gwendola Mae Bartos was born in Keeline to Floyd and Esther Alexander Bartos, on June 27, 1936 at her grandparents farm Joe and Minnie Bartos. They then moved to the Horace Nelson place north of Keeline. She lived there all of her grown up years. Gwen attended Keeline school for grades 1-8. Then graduated from Manville High School with its last graduating class in 1954. Gwen then moved to Lusk working at Archie's Dairy Bar, Willard's Drug Store, Blanche Schaffer Farm Bureau Insurance Company and Southside Truck Stop. Gwen was active in 4-H in Niobrara County. She and her sister Verla took care of the family chores, which included milking the cows and picking chickens.

Gwen married Emmett "Chief" Longbone on Feb. 11, 1963 in Denver. To this union she brought her daughter Tami. On Jan. 6, 1966, Lester Leroy Longbone was born to make the family complete. Gwen was very active in the Commanche Crossing 4-H club, Riders of Kiowa as well as Tuesday morning 4-O Bowling League. In addition she was the local seamstress for Tami and all of her friends. Being careful not to miss a sporting event, be it home or away. She loved people but didn't like horses but never turned down a request to help with them for her kids. In addition to all of this she drove a daily school bus route and logged countless trips for ball games and museum excursions. Gwen loved people and never met a stranger.

She was preceded in death by her parents Floyd and Esther Bartos; brother Gary: grandparents, George and Rena Alexander and Joe and Minnie Bartos.

She is survived by her husband Chief; one daughter, Tami; one son Lester; sisters, Verla Etchemendy and Sheryl Jugler; aunts, cousins, nieces and nephews.

Note: The Social Security Index, as well as the US Cemetery and Funeral Home Collection, have the death date as September 25, 2007, as printed on the gravestone.

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