Lorna Herbaly of Littleton passed away in her sleep at her home on February 26, 2021 at the age of 97. Lorna was born on the family farm near Plum City, Wisconsin on January 13, 1924. The doctor’s sleigh tipped over in a snowstorm, so she was delivered by her grandmother and a neighbor. She was the second of five children born to Willard and Alice Collett. She graduated from Ellsworth High School in 1941 and attended the University of Minnesota. She taught all eight grades in one room schools for several years. In 1950, Lorna went to Casper, Wyoming to visit her grandmother. Her great aunt suggested she stay in Casper and she went to work for Shell Oil. Shell had a Christmas dinner dance, and the geologists she worked with set her up with one of their classmates from Northwestern University who worked for Gulf Oil. Two weeks later, Elmer “Herb” Herbaly proposed and she accepted, making her one of the few women in the world who thought of Casper as a city of mystery and romance. They were married at Ono Methodist Church near Plum City in May 1951 and had almost sixty five years of what she described as “a never ending honeymoon marriage.”
They lived in various places throughout the oil patch with their longest stays being in Calgary, Canada and Santa Barbara, California before moving to Littleton in 1971. She contributed to Herb’s success as an independent geologist and oil and gas producer by backing his decisions and keeping the checkbooks until she retired at the age of 91. The accounting staff used her handwritten checkbook balances to be sure the books on the computer were correct, because you could rely on them as surely as if God had handed them to you on tablets of stone.
Lorna was happy, cheerful, upbeat, always wearing a smile. She had the gift of hospitality. She loved to have company for a meal or to stay. One of her great nephews said, “When I think of Lorna, I just picture her with a big smile spilling out a million words with her arms wide open always ready for a hug.” If there was a death or illness, chances are she delivered a homemade pie to you. Every year she sent birthday cards and anniversary cards to her nieces and nephews. She always attended milestone events in the lives of her friends and extended family – weddings, funerals, graduations. Lorna and Herb traveled often, seeing much of the world. Road trips were her favorite way to travel, especially the annual road trip to celebrate Christmas with family in San Diego. Lorna was a sharp bridge player and an excellent cook.
Lorna was preceded in death by her beloved husband Herb, her daughter Jan and darn near everyone in her generation. She is survived by her son Dave, many nieces, nephews, grandnieces and grandnephews, and her neighbors in the Peninsula. Burial was with Herb at Fort Logan National Cemetery. A memorial service will follow when the covid situation allows. If you would like to be notified when the memorial service is scheduled, please contact Dave at DHerbaly@AOL.com.
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