Beverly Vigil Bates

Funeral services for Beverly Vigil Bates, 87-year-old Casper, Wyoming resident who passed away November 24, 2023, at her home in Casper will be held Friday, December 1st at 11:00 a.m. at the Harness Funeral Home Chapel in Buffalo with Larry Kloster officiating.  Interment will be in Willow Grove Cemetery with graveside services to follow the funeral. Visitation will be held at the funeral home chapel on Thursday from 1:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. and on Friday from 9:00 a.m. until 10:30 a.m. Donations in Beverly’s memory may be made to “Our Camp” at P.O. Box 15368 in Casper, Wyoming 82605-1353. Online condolences may be made at www.harnessfuneralhome.com

Beverly Ann “Vigil” Bates was born on October 7, 1936, in Sheridan, Wyoming to Franklin Orr and Dema Viola Baker, the second of eleven children. She grew up and went to school in the Sheridan area.  She was married on February 29, 1952, in Sheridan to Henry “Hank” Vigil. They made their home in Sheridan where she was a cook for various restaurants including the Elks Lodge where she sometimes served hundreds for special banquets and events.  In 1979 they moved to Buffalo where she also cooked in local restaurants.  Beverly served for many years as the Executive Director of the Wyoming Society for Crippled Children and Adults at Camp Eagle Rock in the Big Horn Mountains. Working at the Camp was the highlight of her working years. Her passion was to enable and protect those with handicaps. During her time in this position, she gained much support across the State of Wyoming from businesses, community leaders, and elected officials including the Governor.  She truly believed in what she was doing.  Hank passed away in February of 1989.  On March 31, 1990, Beverly married Jerry Bates and they made their home in Casper.  Jerry remained her companion and caregiver until his passing on October 25, 2021. In November of 2021, Beverly moved to Garden Square Assisted Living Community in Casper where she lived until her death.

Beverly loved to cook and enjoyed trying new things. She always had a difficult time not “making too much” She was a very giving person and if she had “some”, she would share.  Being very compassionate, she did what she could to help when she saw someone in need. She loved people and her Lord Jesus.  She enjoyed serving in the church as a Sunday School and Bible School teacher, and youth worker and sang in the choir.  At Garden Square, she helped create new Bible Studies. She was a lifetime member of the Church of the Nazarene.  Until her death, she was concerned that others would come to know Jesus.  During a recent serious illness, she was overheard asking an attending nurse if, “she knew her Jesus”. 

Beverly’s passion was her family! She especially loved spending time with her grandchildren and great-grandchildren.  She was a new person when they were around.  She loved family gatherings and looked forward to the annual sister weekend. She is survived by three sons, Tom Vigil and his wife Susan of Buffalo, Bill Vigil of Sheridan and Terry Vigil of Gillette; two daughters, Diana Wallace of Casper and Donna Jenkins and her husband Earl of Wheatland; twelve grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren; three brothers, Wayne Baker and his wife Mary Helen of Laramie, Dennis Baker and his wife Sharon of Port Orchard, Washington and Larry Baker and his wife Jo of Sheridan; five sisters, Mary Jean Roush, Patsy Roush, Jody Smith and Nancy McIntyre all of all of Sheridan and Shirley Allen and her husband Bill of Casper;  She was preceded in death by her parents, two husbands, one brother, one daughter-in-law and one son-in-law.