Caroline ‘Kitty’ J. Gipson

June 27, 1944 - May 12, 2025

Caroline “Kitty” J. Gipson, born June 27, 1944, to parents William Leonard Maxwell Senior and Vivian (Saben) Maxwell, passed away May 12, 2025. 

Kitty was born the third of six children in Hamilton, Mont. Brothers included William Leornard Maxwell Jr., Lyman Maxwell and Richard Maxwell. Sisters included Jeanette Arnold (Maxwell) and Jewel McCracken (Maxwell). 

After the family moved to Burlington, Iowa, she attended grammar school. Then after making a new home in Manderson, Wyo., it was there where she attended high school and met James L. Burris. The two were later married on Sept. 9, 1962, and were then blessed with their
three children: Jacob Lee Burris, Mary (Burris) Alcaraz and Patricia (Burris) Vega. 

Kitty worked at the Wyoming Retirement Center for over 20 years and was an active member of the Eastern Star, the American Legion, the Quilting Guild, and numerous Bible study
groups. 

Later in life, she was remarried to Merl Gipson on Jan. 1, 2004, and lived a prosperous and contented life in Shell, Wyo. 

She is preceded in death by her parents, William Leonard Sr. and Vivian Maxwell; her brothers, William Leonard Jr., Lyman, and Richard Maxwell; her sisters Jeanette Arnold and Jewel McCracken; granddaughter Charlee Alcaraz-Thompson; her first husband, James Burris, and her second husband, Merl Gipson. 

Kitty is survived by her children and their families: Jacob Lee Burris, his wife Barbara and their son Liam; Mary Alcaraz, her husband Faustino with their children and grandchildren, Jacob Alcaraz, his wife Kimberly and children Archer and Aria, Charlee Alcaraz’s children Jayden Alcaraz and Noah Thompson, and Faustino Alcaraz and his wife Shana; and Patricia Lynn Vega, her husband Emiliano with their children and grandchildren Robert Salinas, his wife Angela and their children, Alizae, Jaide, Tekiah, Aaliyah, Aiyanna, and Robert, Vincent Salinas, his wife Shyanne, their children Vincent, Avani, Sypher, Gauge, and Esmerelda, Natasha Vega and her fiance Andrew Styles, Emiliano Vega III and his fiance Emily Eck.

Visitation was held at the Atwood Family Chapel in Basin Thursday, May 15 and a graveside service was held at the upper Shell Cemetery Friday, May 16, 2025 with Pastor Jerry Ewen as officiant.  Atwood Family Funeral Directors was entrusted with care.