Casper Star-Tribune from Casper, Wyoming • 13

St. Rev. Care Don made Schulte. Highland In In lien Roger Anthony's 1042 the or a May 19, 1998 WYOMING AND THE WEST Casper Star-Tribune B3 Wool Growers blame 'cheap imports' for market slide Mormon church CHEYENNE (AP) Representatives of the Wyoming Wool Growers Association asked the state's congressional delegates to take action to curb erosion the U.S. lamb market has experienced following a flood of low priced imports, officials said.

The association's executive director, Bryce Reece of Casper; its president, Frank Philp of Shoshoni; and American Sheep Industry Association SecretaryTreasurer Frank Moore of Douglas, who is also a past president of the association, recently met with U.S. Sens. Craig Thomas and Mike Enzi and U.S. Lois Luella Middleton CASPER Services for Lois Luella Middleton, 86, will be conducted Wednesday at 2 p.m. at Bustard's Funeral Home with the Rev.

John Spear officiating. Interment will be at Memorial Gardens Cemetery. She died May 17, 1998, at Poplar Living Center, where she had resided since October 1995. She was born April 12, 1912, in Watertown, S.D., to Henry Max and Pearl (Heiden) Clausen Jr. She graduated from Watertown High School.

On Oct. 1, 1932, she married Mike Middleton in Watertown, S.D. She worked for Montgomery Wards in Watertown before moving to Casper in 1952. She worked for J.C. Penney's in Casper from 1952 until she retired in 1977.

She loved traveling and being with family and friends. She always made the best of any situation. She liked to paint, mostly on china. She was a member of Highland Park Church. Survivors include two sons, Lee of Sundance and Duane of Glenrock; a sister, Marge Fisher of LaCrosse, eight grandchildren; and 15 greatgrandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her husband July 23, 1964; an infant daughter, Marilyn Ann on May 6, 1936; both of her parents; and one granddaughter. Keith Alfred Dickson CASPER Services are pending for Keith Alfred Dickson, 86, who died May 18, 1998, at Wyoming Medical Center in Casper. A complete obituary will follow with Memorial Chapel in charge of arrangements. Elizabeth 'Betty' Durfee SUNDANCE Services for Elizabeth "Betty" Durfee, 93, will be held today at 1:30 p.m. at the Episcopal Church in Casper's only home owned funeral service Crematorium Bustard's CY at Spruce Funeral Directors 234-7123 ESTHER MABEL CUNNINGHAM Services and interment for Esther Mabel Cunningham will be conducted in Sacramento, Calif.

A memorial service was held Monday at the Glenrock Senior Citizens' Center. lieu of flowers, donation to Central Wyoming Hospice Home or Glenrock Senior Citizens' Center would be appreciated by the family. Bustard's Mortuary and Sunset Lawn. Chapel of the Chimes, in Sacramento, are in charge of arrangements. WILLARD G.

'MAC' McNAMARA Services for Willard G. "Mac" McNamara were conducted Monday at Catholic Church by the Schmit. Burial was in Cemetery. Pallbearers were Wayne Hageman, Al Germon, Bill Butler, Swanton, Finn McCarthy and Frank of flowers, memorials may be to Shepherd of the Valley Center charity of the donor's Nate's FLOWERS GIFTS FLOWER MART HILLTOP 2ND ST. SHOPPING CENTER 286-2300 (307)266-1783 Rep.

Barbara Cubin. They reviewed the drastic slide in domestic lamb prices in recent months, which wool growers blame on "a torrent of cheap lamb imports, primarily from the countries of Australia and New Zealand," according to a wool growers news release. On May 1, prices for feeder lambs were 45 percent lower than the year before, while prices for market-ready lambs had dropped 40 percent in that time. "What is particularly alarming to the industry is the fact that prices have slid so dramatically despite the fact that domestic sheep numbers have continued their five-year decline, with a reduction of an additional 6 percent over. the previous 12 months," Reece said in the release.

"Nationwide, sheep numbers have dropped over 25 percent since 1993, while Wyoming inventories have declined even more significantly with a nearly 40 percent reduction since the Clinton-Gore administration initiated its 'reinventing government' agenda which virtually abandoned domestic natural resource industries to the vagaries and insecurity of international 'free' trade," Obituaries She was born Nov. 29, 1904, in South Dakota to Emanuel and Annie Pascoe Russell on a farm 10 miles west of Spearfish at Crow Peak. She attended Crow Creek School and Spearfish Normal. She worked for two years for seamstress Bess Lavine in Spearfish. She married Jay Durfee on Nov.

12, 1954, and the couple moved to Newcastle, where he worked at the bank. After one year, they were transferred to Moorcroft, where he continued at the bank. She also worked there. They were transferred to Sundance in April 1928. She worked for a short time in the bank and then at the Sundance drug store, country auctions and cattle sales.

She liked to cook, sew, crochet, needlepoint and play bridge. She was an avid golfer and played until age 87. She was a past matron of Eastern Star and a member of the Episcopal Church. In 1966, they built a home in Sun City, where they spent their winters. He died in 1977 in Arizona.

She continued to spend winters in Arizona and summers at their home in Sundance. She was preceded in death by her husband; two sons, Jay Russell Durfee and Richard "Dick" Harms Durfee; and four sisters, Edna Erikson, Sara Fox Rail, Lillian Erikson and Rose Diamond. Survivors include a brother, William J. Russell of Rapid City; nine grandchildren; four stepgrandsons; 19 greatgrandchildren; three stepgreat -grandsons; and one great great grandson; and two daughters-in-law. Arrangements are with Fidler Roberts Sundance Chapel.

Harold Blair Piper WHEATLAND Graveside services and interment for Harold Blair "Shorty" "Cowboy" Piper, 83, will be held today at 2 p.m. at Wheatland Cemetery with the Rev. Lynn Nikkel of the Memorial Baptist Church officiating. He died May 17, 1998, at the Platte County Memorial Funerals choice, and may be left at Bustard's Funeral Home. FINLEY RUSSELL 'SLIM' NIELSEN Services for Finley Russell "Slim" Nielsen were conducted Monday at Bethel Baptist Church by the Rev.

Whalen Woodword. Interment was in Highland Cemetery. Pallbearers were Eric Nielsen, Brett Nielsen, T.J. Phegley, George Glover, Eric Saul and Perry White Eagle. Memorials to Bethel Baptist Church would be appreciated by the family, and may be left at Bustard's Funeral Home, which is in charge of arrangements.

JENNIE LEE 'MA BRYAN' ROBINSON Graveside services for Jennie Lee "Ma Bryan" Robinson will be conducted at 2 p.m. today in Highland Cemetery by the Rev. Ed Cingoranelli of the Casper Open Bible Church. Bustard's Funeral Home is in charge Nursing Home in Wheatland. He was born Oct.

19, 1914, in Laramie, the son of Fred and Vona (Vee) Piper. He was raised and educated in Laramie and Jelm. He rodeoed most of his life and retired in 1954. He rode in rodeos all over the country, including Calgary and Madison Square Garden. The Denver Post presented him with a pair of silver spurs and the title, "Hard-luck Cowboy of Cheyenne Frontier He purchased a ranch in Chugwater and ranched there until 1974, when he sold it.

He moved to Las Vegas and lived in other areas as well, hunting and trap shooting. He returned to Wheatland in 1993 and became a resident of the Platte County Memorial Nursing Home. Survivors include a daughter, Eloise Gruwell of Las Vegas; a stepdaughter, Regina Bradford of Hartville; two grandchildren; three stepgrandchildren; three great grandchildren; and seven step greatgrandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents and a brother, Duane Piper. Memorials to the Pro Rodeo Cowboys' Association, 101 Pro Rodeo Drive, Colorado Springs, 80919, would be appreciated by the family.

Platte Funeral Chapel of Wheatland is in charge of arrangements. Toini M. Koski KEMMERER Funeral services for Toini M. Koski, 93, will be held Thursday at St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Kemmerer.

Interment will follow in the Kemmerer Cemetery. She died May 17, 1998, at Sublette County Retirement Center in Pinedale. She was born April 20, 1905, in Frontier, the daughter of Victor and Mary (Ruuska) Mattson. She married Arvid M. Koski on Aug.

2, 1946, in Kemmerer and he preceded her in death Oct. 7, 1986. She was a member of the Lutheran Church and participated in and enjoyed going to the Senior Citizens Center. During her life, she worked in banking and enjoyed of arrangements. LOIS LUELLA MIDDLETON Services for Lois Luella Middleton will be conducted Wednesday at 2 p.m.

at Bustard's Funeral Home with the Rev. John Spear officiating. Interment will be at Memorial Gardens Cemetery. MEMORIAL CHAPEL Funeral Home Crematory 710 E. 2nd St.

234-0234 KEITH ALFRED DICKSON Services are pending for Keith Alfred Dickson, who died May 18, 1998, at Wyoming Medical Center in Casper. Memorial Chapel is in charge of arrangements. Thank Yon for making our Memorial Day season a successful one. We're happy to have been able to memorialize your loved ones in a special way. Casper Monuments "Locally owned and designed" 508 S.

Conwell 234-7621 (Near Highland Cemetery Gate); 9-5 Weekdays EVENINGS WEEKENDS BY APPOINTMENT Reece said. The industry also is worried production will drop another 20 percent to 25 percent in the next 12 months. Industry officials are supporting an eight-point plan designed to slow or halt the drop in domestic prices. It includes provisions calling for the immediate institution of tariffs on all imported lamb products, required price reporting, labeling imported meat and initiating discussions on the current trade situation with congressional committees and administration trade officials. bowling.

Survivors include two nieces, Toni Workman of Myrtle Point, and Sandy Siegert of Leavenworth, and a nephew, Mark Mattson of Dolores, Colo. She was preceded in death by her mother, her husband and one brother, Henry Mattson. Veda Berdine Pickett Adams LAKE JACKSON, Texas Memorial services for former Casper teacher Veda Berdine Pickett Adams, 83, were held May 6, 1998, at Plantation Health Care Center, where she died May 1, 1998. She was born Nov. 30, 1914, in Lynnville, Iowa.

She earned a bachelor of arts degree and taught in Sunrise, Rawlins and at Park School in Casper. She retired to McAllen, Texas, in 1974 and moved to Lake Jackson in 1987. She was a volunteer at the Brazosport Museum of Natural Science and a member of First United Methodist Church in Lake Jackson. Survivors include her husband, Alonzo Robert Adams of Lake Jackson; a daughter, Barbara McClatchey of Lake Jackson; a son, Bryan Adams of Richwood, Texas; eight grandchildren; and 15 great grandchildren. William Earl Wilson EL DORADO, Kan.

Graveside services for former Casper resident William Earl Wilson, 84, will be held today at 11 a.m. at Sunset Lawns Cemetery. He died May 16, 1998, at an El Dorado nursing home. He was born July 11, 1913, in Eureka, the son of William L. and Emma (Knott) Wilson.

He married Katherine Lebsock on Dec. 26, 1959, in Casper. She preceded him in death Dec. 16, 1989. He lived most of his life in the Casper area until moving to El Dorado in 1990.

He was a retired oil field worker and was a member of the United Methodist Church in Casper. Survivors include a brother, Darrell Wilson of Oakland, four sisters, Mary Long and Grace Costin, both of El Dorado, Opal Strong of Florence, and Betty DeMay of Fontana, Calif. He was preceded in death by his parents, three brothers and three sisters. Kirby-Morris Funeral Home of El Dorado is in charge of arrangements. In Memoriam February 18, 1962 May 19, 1973 In Loving Memory Of Our Son, Brother, and Grandson KERRY DALE PATIK So loved and sadly missed.

Mom, Pat, Mike, Rodney, Cory and Grandma Smith Take Home! Complete dinners ready to serve the family For 2 or 4 people 1495 $2495 Monday thru Saturday For menu or to place an order, call 235-3000 Armor's SILVER FOX RESTAURANT 5045 CY AVE. CASPER may disavow racist statements By MIKE CARTER Associated Press SALT LAKE CITY Historians and scholars say reported plans by Mormon leaders to disavow past racist statements and doctrine espoused by some of the faith's most revered leaders may be less painful than expected. Indeed, since the church 20 years ago ended its 125-year ban against black men holding its priesthood, it has quietly distanced itself from those policies, all the while trying to protect the reverential memories of early leaders considered by Mormons as "prophets, seers and revelators." Now, according to an article Monday in The Los Angeles Times, key leaders within the 10 million-member Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are debating a proposal, to publicly repudiate some historic doctrines and statements linking skin color to the biblical curse of Cain and Mormon doctrine involving righteousness in heaven. "It's a surprising move, but it might be easier than you think," said D. Michael Quinn, a Mormon historian and author of seminal works on early Mormon leaders.

"That's because they won't have to deal with Joseph Smith," the decidedly non-racist church founder who in the 1840s had ordained a black man into the church's all-male priesthood. Smith also insisted that blacks were not inferior to whites, despite the contrary and overwhelming opinions of the times. Quinn said any must gloss over the intervening years, instead pointing to Smith's views and then to the colorblind church of today. After all, Quinn said, the church has successfully distanced itself from other controversial statements once deemed doctrine polygamy in particular. On Monday, church public relations officials at first said the Times article was "erroneous." They added that "church leaders have no plans to issue a statement" to mark the June anniversary of the 1978 revelation that extended the priesthood to "all worthy males," regardless of their race.

Later, however, the First Presidency consisting of church President Gordon B. Hinckley and his two counselors issued a statement saying they were "surprised" by the article's contents, and that neither they nor the ruling Quorum of Twelve Apostles had discussed the issue. "Since the 1978 revelation granting the priesthood to all worthy males, millions of people of all races have embraced the restored gospel of Jesus Christ. The 1978 official declaration continues to speak for itself," the statement said. The reported debate comes at a time when church membership is blossoming in Africa and other developing nations.

In February, Hinckley completed a five-country tour of Africa, where the church boasts more than 110,000 converts. More recently, Hinckley addressed a regional conference of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People a first for leaders of the church. 'It's a surprising move, but it might be easier than you think. That's because they won't have to deal with Joseph the decidedly nonracist church founder who in the 1840s had ordained a black man into the church's all-male priesthood. D.

MICHAEL QUINN, MORMON HISTORIAN AND AUTHOR But the Times reported that black members of the church in the United States and Mormon scholars have warned that the "racist legacy" contained in various Mormon documents and authoritative statements risks undermining its mission. "In the absence of any official corrections, these speculative and pejorative ideas will continue to be perpetuated in the church indefinitely," Mormon scholar Armand L. Mauss wrote in one internal paper prepared for church officials. Mauss, president of the Mormon History Association and a professor of sociology and religious studies at Washington State University in Pullman, did not answer telephone calls to his home or office Monday. Smith's egalitarian view of the races, for the most part, died with him when he was murdered in 1844 and the church's history on the issue has been spotty since.

Brigham Young, the church's second president and famed pioneer leader, said in 1852 that blacks were inferior and that slavery was a divine necessity. Blacks were denied the Mormon priesthood and could not participate in sacred Mormon temple ceremonies. While there is no specific reference as to why contained in Mormon scripture, Young and other Mormon officials along with many other church leaders at the time publicly theorized it had to do with the biblical curse of Cain, the son of Adam and Eve who murdered his brother Abel. Mormon theology includes another reason: Blacks on Earth were cursed with a dark skin for having failed in a heavenly pre existence to fight with God in a battle with the devil. "It is the linkage to Cain that so distresses Mormon African Americans today," the Times quoted a paper written by Irvine, attorney Dennis Gladwell to high-ranking officials in its public affairs committee.

"It places their spiritual lineage in shambles, since they are alleged descendants of a man who has come to symbolize evil on the same level as Lucifer himself," he wrote. The church has since worked hard to be "an embracing, non-racist" institution, said Elbert Peck, editor of Sunstone, a scholarly journal of Mormon thought. Mostly, it has simply allowed such statements to become "historical artifacts." Lions Club Now Accepting parade Entries Entries for the Central Wyoming Fair Parade are now being accepted by the Parade Committee of the Lions Club of Casper. Committee Chairman Bill Herron says the parade is the opening of the annual Central Wyoming Fair and is scheduled for July 7, 1998. Deadline for entries is June 26th.

There are 5 divisions in the parade decorated vehicles, classic autos, equestrians and groups and bands. The theme this year is "LAND IS OUR PROSPERITY" The Lions Club hopes to have even more entries this year. Call 234-7316 for entry forms..