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Rolanda “Lanny” Gale Wilcox Mees passed away on Oct. 25, 2020, at the Powell Valley Care Center.
Lanny was born in Lexington, Nebraska, to Harvey and Aileen Wilcox, on Jan. 26, 1944. Her family relocated to Cody in 1948, where Lanny attended school and graduated with the Cody High School Class of 1963. She met Les Andrews at the Range Cafe when she was a sophomore and they were united in marriage in 1963. She and Les had two sons, Jeff and David “Scotty”.
Les moved his family to Arizona for five years where Lanny worked in a sewing factory for a year or so. The family then found themselves back in Wyoming, first to Thermopolis for a short time, and then to Powell, where they resided in Apple Valley and both worked for Nichols and Lewis Construction.
In 1979, Lanny lost her husband, her two sons and her father in a tragic accident in Sunlight Basin. In the years to follow, with the support of friends and family, she kept herself busy, working many jobs. She worked at LaVina Liquor Store, Husky Oil, and the nursing homes in both Cody and Powell.
Lanny then met her second husband, Kenny Mees, and they were married Sept. 2, 1988. Kenny worked as mail carrier for the Powell Post Office, and Lanny soon after obtained her own mail route for several years, covering the Willwood and lower end of Heart Mountain areas. To say she loved her route and the people on it would be an understatement. They loved her, which was especially evident at Christmas time.
Lanny will be remembered for the many lives she touched, especially the children who found her home to be a place they were always welcome. Many of those children found an adoptive mom, even though it wasn’t down on paper. She was always available for whomever needed her. She dearly loved her fur babies, especially Toby, who was always right by her side.
Lanny enjoyed camping, fishing, traveling to see friends in Kentucky, crocheting, watching Western movies, reading and cooking. She was a member of the American Legion Auxiliary for many years. She and Kenny enjoyed making many different types of sausages and meat products and her friends and family enjoyed eating them. She also enjoyed her time with friends and family and especially her nephew, Travis, whom she always considered her son after the horrible accident that took her sons away.
Lanny was quick witted and feisty to the end. She had a wonderful sense of humor, was fun-loving, and we will remember her for her wonderful, kind soul.
Those left to miss her are her husband, Kenneth; her nephew, Travis (Marianne) Sanders; nieces, Dawn (Brian) Bazzel, Danyle (Alan) Sanders and Trenity (Randy) Vital; sister Vickie Sanders; cousin Tim Power; stepchildren, JD. (Terri) Roemmich, John “Whiz” Roemmich and Tracey (Sandra) Fluery; stepgrandchildren, Lacey (Zach) Hart, Weston (Christine) Roemmich, Quinnten Roemmich; and four stepgreat-grandchildren. Extended family includes Phil — or Phil Again as Lanny called him — (Amanda) Osburn, and Godchild, Karleigh and her brother Erik Denny, and many wonderful friends.
Preceding her in death were her mother and father; husband Les Andrews; and her sons, Jeff and Scotty Andrews; brother-in-law Virgil Sanders Jr.; and stepdaughter Mary Roemmich.
It gives the family so much comfort in knowing that she is now reunited with her family members who left her much too soon.
Following cremation, graveside services and interment next to her first husband and sons will be held on Friday, Nov. 6, at 1 p.m. at Crown Hill Cemetery in Powell.
The family respectfully requests donations be made in Lanny’s name to the charity of your choice or the local humane society.
