Mary Etta (Rosenbaum) Gazaway

Feb. 20, 1936 – Dec. 11, 2022

Mary Etta (Rosenbaum) Gazaway passed away peacefully on Dec. 11, 2022. She was born on Feb. 20, 1936 to George Walker Rosenbaum and Elizabeth "Bessie" (Brown) Rosenbaum, the second of six children, in Deer Creek, Okla. Her great-grandfather Harvey Brown ran in the Cherokee Land Run. The family moved around a lot, following work. Mary attended schools in Oklahoma, graduating the eighth grade in 1950 in Cherokee. To her freshman (1951) classmates in Del Monte High School, Colo., she was “the cutest red-head in the school.”

The family had moved to Colorado, and eventually to Wyoming. Mary married Howard Gazaway on Aug. 7, 1968, melding two families together. Her four boys, and his daughter and son made one family. She was a much-loved daughter, sister, wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, great great-grandmother, aunt and friend. Her favorite things to do were anything with her grandkids; summertime trips with them to Yellowstone, fishing and camping were favorite memories. Baking brownies, cookies, and making fudge was a fun thing for them to do together. She loved chocolate and lemon. Mary loved to play card games, Jenga, and Yahtzee when family got together.

Mary was a wonderful homemaker, and you were always welcomed with a big smile and a hug. Coffee was always on, and usually a yummy treat was there to enjoy with it, as well as a nice visit and good conversation and plenty of laughs. She was a woman who had the joy of the Lord in her heart and was always willing to share that. She loved to garden, and many people were the recipient of the fruits of her labors, whether veggies, or homemade jams and jellies. Mary was, in a word, FUN. She liked to have fun with her friends and family.

Another thing Mary enjoyed was traveling. She was always up for a road trip with her kids, grandkids, sisters and mother. From California, Colorado, Oklahoma, even Canada with friends, she traveled and enjoyed every minute. Mary loved to go to church and fellowship with her church family. Sunday was always looked forward to. The worship music, hearing the Word preached, and fellowship meant so much to her and was such an uplift and encouragement for her.

Mary is survived by her husband Howard; her sons and daughters-in-law Allen & Kasandra Brewer of Buffalo Wyo., David and Lia Brewer of Kemmerer, Wyo., Bob & RoxAnne Brewer of Basin, Wyo., and Chuck and Cecile Brewer of Basin, Wyo., and daughter Laurie Dudley of Arizona; brothers David (Wanda) Rosenbaum of Gillette, Wyo., and Kenneth (Terry) Rosenbaum of Prospect, Ore., and sisters Nancy Stanley of Apple Valley, Calif., and Delores Cornet (Bob Lennon) of Goodlettsville, Tenn.; and 19 grandchildren, 22 great-grandchildren, and five great-great-grandchildren, as well as several nieces and nephews.

Mary was preceded in death by her parents, brother Lloydd Rosenbaum and sister-in-law Dorothy Rosenbaum, son Barry Gazaway, son-in-law Kirk Dudley, brothers-in-law Pete Cornet and Jake Stanley, and sister-in-law Donna Howard.

Memorial services were held Dec. 18, 2022, 1 p.m., at Cloud Peak Bible Church, Manderson Wyo., with Pastor Don Wood officiating. Cremation has taken place at Antelope Butte Crematory in Greybull, Wyo. Arrangements have been entrusted to Atwood Family Funeral Directors.