(Washington, D.C.) – U.S. Sens. John Barrasso and Cynthia Lummis, both R-Wyo., joined U.S. Sen. Tom Carper, D-Del., in introducing a bipartisan bill on Wednesday to honor former Shoshoni Postmaster Dessie Bebout by naming the local post office after her.
Bebout, a WWII veteran, passed away earlier this year at age 102.
Her career with the U.S. Postal Service began in 1962.
She rose to Postmaster for Shoshoni, where she served for 13 years with distinction.
“Dessie was a trailblazer for women in Wyoming,” Barrasso said. “She was a patriot, and one of the first women in Wyoming to enlist in the U.S. Navy during WWII.
“As the former Shoshoni Postmaster, Dessie earned the ‘Order of the Vest,’ the highest award given to postmasters. We are all so grateful for her years of service to our nation and her incredible contributions to communities across Wyoming. Naming the Shoshoni Post Office after Dessie will ensure her legacy carries on for future generations of Wyoming men and women.”
Click here to watch Sen. Barrasso’s remarks.
“Dessie Bebout dedicated her life to serving this country and helping others,” Lummis said. “From enlisting in the military following Pearl Harbor to serving as the Postmaster of the Shoshoni Post Office, I can’t think of a more fitting person to name the Shoshoni Post Office after.”
Click here to watch Sen. Lummis’ remarks.
“Dessie dedicated her life to service as one of the first enlisted women in the military after the attack on Pearl Harbor,” Carper said. “As a fellow Navy veteran, I want to honor the sacrifice she made for our country, and I’m proud to co-sponsor this bill in her memory. I want to thank Senator Barrasso for his efforts to name this post office so that Dessie’s memory lives on in her community.”
Bebout
After graduating from Fremont County Vocational High School in Lander, Bebout worked for the Fremont County Extension Service and at F.E. Warren Air Force Base.
Following the attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941, Bebout enlisted in the U.S. Navy as part of the “Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service,” or WAVES, program.
In addition to her career in the U.S. Postal Service, Bebout served as a Fremont County Election Judge, with the Shoshoni Chamber of Commerce, the Shoshoni PTA, the Wyoming Women’s Commission, and the Veterans of Foreign Wars Women’s Auxiliary, and on the Riverton Hospital Board, among many other organizations.
As a result of her military and civic service, she was awarded the Wyoming Women of Distinction award from the Wyoming Council for Women’s Issues.
She also received the Medal of Honor from the Daughters of the American Revolution.