Ida Dee Wilson

Ida Delia “Dee” (Larreau) Wilson was born  June 8, 1938 in Colorado Springs, Colorado to Joseph Ephraim and Mary Elna (Daniels) Larreau.  She passed away March 3, 2024 at her home on the family ranch north of Wray. Dee recounted her early years jokingly as “moving every time the rent was due”. Dee lived  in several towns on the western slope of Colorado as , her dad, a carpenter, traveled wherever he could find work from Steamboat to Camp Hale to Cederedge.  Elna and the older kids worked at pruning fruit trees in the orchards, while Dee watched her younger siblings in the shade of the trees.  Growing up in the mountains they survived on venison, a huge garden, milk cows and putting up as much food as possible.  These childhood lessons followed Dee throughout her life as she hated to see anything wasted and could make a delicious meal out of whatever was at hand. The family moved to the eastern plains , near Anton, Colorado for several years , then moved north of Wray.  Dee graduated from Wray High School in 1955 at age 16.  Because she had moved so often her school records didn’t always keep up and the teachers thought she was advanced for her age.  After high school, she worked for a year in Grand Junction, before coming back to Wray to marry to Buck Wilson.  Buck and she were the third generation to own the farm north of Wray.

Dee became “Momma Dee” when Margaret, Vivian, Dorothy, Jerrie, Becky, Tedd, Ardith, Donna and Sarah joined Buck and her on the farm.   While hours could be spent telling stories about raising kid’s on the farm, the family’s strongest memory is Dee always working to make life a little better for everyone and that a little hard work never hurt anyone She taught the kids to work, sew, cook, clean, can, make jelly, bake bread, pie and cookies.  Buck did love her cooking.  Not everyone has in their kitchens bins for flour and sugar that hold at least 50 lbs. each, but she did.  Most of the grandkids and great grands favorite memories center around helping Grandma Dee sift flour and roll pie dough.  And maybe getting to sneak cookies out of the cookie jug.  Yes, jug not jar (if you know you know).  Her ability to build a “home” in every sense was her greatest achievement  as she created a place where family and friends were always welcome, whether giving a hand up, or a place to retreat to when someone in the family needed it, and always caring for others.  She didn’t know a stranger and could strike up the most unusual conversations at times.  Since her mother died early, Dee paid extra attention to her younger siblings’ children, making sure to fill that “grandma” role as Aunt Dee.  Many a niece, nephew, cousin, friend, and neighbor found their way to the farm and Dee’s care.  When she was chosen as Wray Chamber’s Mother of the Year in the early 80’s, no one that knew her was surprised.

On the farm, there is always plenty of work, but also  plenty of fun.  Lots of sleeping out in the yard, campfires, hot dog roasts, and smore’s and playing with everyone who stopped in.  Family days off involved fishing trips to Stalker Lake and to Walden for a day or two when the farming allowed.  Summers were for 4-H projects and the fair.  Dee was a 4-H leader for many years and was still helping with the grandkids and great grandkids projects last year.   Dee loved learning new things and helped start Calico n Cactus, the local extension club in 1976, to not only socialize but to learn from the programs offered.   She was an active member of the club until her death.  Some of her best memories came from participating at the county, state and national level.  She was honored in 2011 as the Colorado Heart of FCE recipient at the national convention.   Dee was an active member St Andrews Catholic Church until her death.  Countless hours were volunteered to the Altar and Rosary Society helping with funeral dinners, St Patrick’s luncheons pressing the linens and serving her fellow parishioners. She loved working and volunteering at the Museum.  Nothing gave her more pleasure than sharing her love of history with all ages.  Buck and her also were members of Farmers Union, the local Co-ops and were active in the Wauneta community and organizations.  Dee loved to read, embroider, quilt, sew and explore collectibles.

As the kids became more self-reliant, she worked off the farm in Wray. First as a co-owner with her daughters of the Needlecraft Store then for Stafford Insurance and finishing her  “work” career clerking for Lambert Pharmacy.

Her reward for the joy or struggle of raising nine kids was the gift of her 33 official grandchildren and a literally untold number of unofficial grand kids and all those wonderful great grandkids (42 at last count).  She had the ability to create a special relationship with each one.

Dee is preceded in death by her spouse Charles (Buck) Wilson, her parents, step-brothers Boyd Spitz, Donald , Jim, Joe, and Dwayne Larreau and step-sister Ellen Larreau, brothers Hank and sisters Kathy Larreau and Polly Penton, step-grandson Christopher and granddaughter-in-law Jessi.  Surviving Dee are her sisters Carol Mahar, Sue Larreau and brother Buzz ( Shelia)  Her surviving children include Margaret Lenz (Mike) of Wray, CO, Vivian Graf (Ted) of Casper, WY, Dorothy Wisdom (Kent) of Fleming, CO, Jerrie Root (Buck) of Douglas, WY, Becky Lenz (George) of Wray, CO, Tedd Wilson of Ft Collins, CO, Ardith Hendrix (Ray) of Wray, CO, Donna Goodsell Wilson of Greeley, CO and Sarah Moore of Seward, NE along with innumerable official and unofficial grandchildren and great grandchildren whom all know her as Grandma Dee. Her surviving extended family includes several in-laws, cousins and numerous nephews and nieces.

A funeral mass for Dee was held Monday, March 11, 2024, at St Andrew Catholic Church, Wray, CO at 10 am with a rosary and family visitation on Sunday evening at 6 pm.  Interment was at the Wilson Family Cemetery north of Wray.  Memorials may be made to Wray Museum Building Fund or the YCFCE Scholarship Fund.