Leone M. Hay

Leone Hay, of Fort Steele, passed away in the early morning hours of Sunday, May 18, 2025 at Memorial Hospital of Carbon County in Rawlins, Wyoming. Vigil will be held on May 29 at 6:00PM and Funeral Mass on May 30, 2025 at 10:00 AM. Both services will be at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Rawlins, WY. Private burial will be at St. Joseph’s Cemetery in Rawlins, WY.

Leone was born on October 31, 1935 in Lemmon, South Dakota to Engvold Oscar Maier and Lois Ester (Oliver) Maier. In the midst of the Depression, shortly after she was born, the family moved to Seattle where Engvold began a fishing business. A year and half later, her sister, Joanne, was born and Lois was homesick for family and the prairies of the Dakotas, so they moved back to Hettinger. During the next few years her brother, Eugene(Sonny) and sister, Bonnie were born. Leone spent her childhood years living in and around Hettinger, North Dakota. She spent many summers at various aunts and uncles’ ranches near Lemmon. She loved riding horses and spending time outside in the wide-open spaces. The family moved into Lemmon when Leone began her junior year of high school. She was involved in choir, marching band and a variety of extracurricular clubs and sports, as well as church activities. She graduated from Lemmon High School in May of 1953. Leone then went on to attend college at Heron College in Heron, South Dakota where she graduated with her teaching certificate in May of 1955. As with many young women graduating with teaching degrees, she was drawn to Wyoming for premium pay and Rawlins was paying “top dollar”. Leone began her teaching career in the fall of 1955 and would continue to teach many 3rd-6th graders for 42 years. She spent the majority of this time at Mountain View teaching 4th grade. To so many Rawlins and Sinclair residents, she was simply known as Mrs. Hay, earning awards and recognition through peers and former student nominations, Who’s Who Among America’s Teachers and America’s Schools: Take A New Look! – Carbon County District 1 Teachers Education Association. During her first year in Rawlins, she met the great love of her life, John W. Hay, Jr of Sinclair. They were married June 1, 1957 in Lemmon, South Dakota. This was the beginning of a lifetime adventure that would last 52 years until John’s death in 2009. They began married life in Sinclair where John worked at the refinery, and she became the first “married” female teacher in the school district. They acquired two horses and spent much of their free time trail riding with the Saddle Club and camping. It then became a requirement for teachers to have a 4-year degree, so she attended the University of Wyoming by correspondence and on campus courses, commuting to Laramie by bus and train. Leone graduated from UW in August 1963. In October 1964, they welcomed their first daughter, Marie Katherine. Two weeks following, they moved to their place on the North Platte River in Fort Steele. Then, all of the fun started with raising a variety of animals. They would later welcome another daughter, Marji Ann, in November 1975. Being an educator by nature, she was also an avid learner. History, Wyoming/Carbon County history in particular, were areas that she continually pursued throughout her lifetime. Through her UW continuing education she researched and authored a paper titled: “Wyoming Homestead Ranchers in Carbon County Still Owned and Operated by the Homesteader and/or His Descendants” in 1971, which was then filed in the UW historical archives. Additionally, through her UW continuing education she pursued library science, eventually hosting her own personal library complete with records of who read which books and their borrowing/returns. She was an avid mystery reader and provided concierge book services to all her friends on what she thought they might like to read. Leone also pursued her interest in visual arts, becoming an accomplished photographer/videographer and taking more pictures than anyone can imagine. Teaching allowed her to have a great work/life balance to dedicate time to her family and be involved in her daughters’ activities and help John provide a beautiful life for their family. It also provided lifetime friendships and social activities within the teacher community and her neighborhood.

Leone was preceded in death by her husband, John, an infant son, her parents, Engvold and Lois; Sister, Joanne Lowery, and Brother, Eugene; In-laws, John and Alice (Byrnes) Hay, Jean (Hay) Butler, Ray Butler, Dorothy (Hay) Everist; Nephews, Gary Butler, Buster Everist; and Niece, Jeane (Everist) Childress.

She is survived by her daughters Marie (Dale) Smith, Gillette, WY and Marji (Gary) Gilbert, Fort Steele, WY; grandchildren Hamilton “Hamp” Smith, Atlanta, GA, Cassie (John) Smith Litaker, Seattle, WA, Elijah Gilbert and Isaac Gilbert both of Fort Steele, WY; Sister, Bonnie Toler, Yuma, AZ; In-law Lila (Eugene) Maier, Buckeye, AZ; Niece, Alicia (Greg) Butler Samuelson, Yampa, CO; Many other relatives and her good dog, Annie.

Memorial donations may be made to St. Vincent DePaul, PO Box 1654, Rawlins, WY 82301