Mary Ellen Land, 80, of Lander passed away November 2, 2021.
She was born in 1941 in Alabama to C.K. and GayNell Findley. The family settled in Texas where Mary’s brother Ronnie was born. The family moved to Bairoil, Wyoming in 1958 when Mary was a high school senior. What an adjustment that was for her. She graduated Rawlins High in 1959. Her sister, Teresa, was born shortly after. Mary then ventured to the big cities of Dallas and L.A. She returned to Texas where she met and married Mitchell. He instilled in her his love of bluegrass music. They moved to Wyoming and before you knew it, Mary had an upright bass and was playing and singing harmony with Mitch and his brother Bosco. They formed a band and played every Sunday night at the Casper Holiday Inn. It was a full house every weekend. She met people there that would become fellow band members later on in life. She loved playing music, especially gospel. Whether she was onstage or in the commons room of the nursing home, entertaining gave her true joy.
Mary was a bookkeeper in her career, but family and music were here passions, along with her ever growing ceramic pig collection. She always had at least one little dog her whole life.
After retirement, Mary moved to Lander to be closer to family. She got reacquainted with Dan Seelye and Les Hamilton, both of whom she’d met at the Holiday Inn. She joined Dan’s band, “Packin’ the Mail” and played for many years for dances and various events around the state.
Mary had wonderful friends in Donna, Sherry, Windy and the late Doty. They all meant the world to her.
She adored all of her family, especially her grandkids, nieces and nephews.
Mary was preceded in death by her parents, brother, and daughter Debi West.
Survivors include her sister, Teresa Lozier, nephews Zach and Blake(Alissa) and their children, her beloved Aunt Wanda and her family, daughter Tami(Ray) and their family, Uncle Bob, Aunt Ruth, several grandchildren, along with numerous other relatives and her little dog Poppy.
Cremation was under the care of Valley Mortuary, Jackson, Wyoming.
There will be a celebration of life in the Spring of 2022 in Texas where Mary’s ashes will be interred with her parents and brother.
If anyone would like to make a memorial donation in Mary’s memory, please give to Veterans Navigation Network (veteransnavigation.org), which is her nephew’s nonprofit, or the charity of your choice.