Meverette (Mev) Kay Abernathy, 88, died on January 15, 2022 at her home in Lander, Wyoming. She was born on May 15, 1933 to Clarence Leroy Gaughran and Josephine Mildred (Tyrrell) Gaughran in Yale, Beadle County, South Dakota.
After graduating from Natrona County High School Mev married Donald Thomas Abernathy on June 30, 1951 in Casper, Wyoming. Together they started their family in Glenrock, Wyoming. In 1962 they moved to Lander on the old Prideaux Place and started ranching together. Don worked for US Steel and Mev remained at home raising children and tending to the ranch chores.
In 1966 they purchased the Jimmy Walker Sheep Ranch just outside of Lander, Wyoming just about that time Mev went to work for Safeway Stores and spent 28 years as a loyal, dedicated and much-loved employee. Her working helped the ranch during tough times. She spent her time off helping out on the ranch; feeding cattle and loading hay even before going to work at Safeway. She took her vacation time during busy lambing & calving seasons. After retiring and divorcing Don in the mid-1990’s, she enjoyed cooking for brandings/trailing’s and her family. She was an excellent cook. Most of all, Mev enjoyed spending time and caring for her family, friends and grandchildren, loving them all dearly. Mev and Don remained good friends until his death in 2014.
Mev was preceded in death by her parents, a brother, Michael Gaughran, a son, Gary Abernathy, son-in-law Garry Martin, great-grandson Gabriel Anderson and former spouse Don Abernathy.
She is survived by her sister Marlyss Ouzts of Sun Lakes, AZ, daughter Debra Martin of Lander, WY; sons Thomas L. (Mildred) Abernathy of Lander, WY and Ronald J. Abernathy of Lander/Atlantic City, WY; grandchildren, Garric (Amber) Martin, Chelsea (Cheyne) O’Neil, Josie (Robbie) Brittian, Rhett (Katherine) Abernathy, Avery (Joshua) Anderson; 17 great-grandchildren.
Memorial Services will be held at 11:00 AM on Friday, January 28th, 2022 at the Grace Reform Fellowship, 545 E. Main Street, Lander, WY 82520. Reception to follow the Friday, 11:00 AM, January 28th, 2022 Memorial Services at Mulino Restaurant, 129 Main Street, Lander, WY 82520.
Should friends desire, memorials might be made to the Lander Senior Citizens Center, 205 South 10th Street, Lander, WY 82520.
Please sign the family’s on-line registry at www.hudsonsfh.com
Hudson’s Funeral Home and On-Site Crematory, 680 Mount Hope Drive, Lander, WY 82520