Joann Ruth (Wild) Cortez

Joann Ruth (Wild) Cortez passed away peacefully on April 15th.  She was born in Fort Collins, Colorado on November 1, 1929 to Joe C. and Vera M. (Jagdmann) Wild.  She attended schools in Loveland, Co.  On July 4, 1948, she married Marvin L. Milner and went to work on the Milner ranch near Masonville, Colo. Their son Robert was born the following year, followed in two years by daughter Sandra.         

            Marvin and Joann lived in Masonville until 1963, before moving North to Sheridan, Wyo.  Marvin became ranch manager for John E. Rice and Sons until the ranch had a dispersion sale.  The Milners then moved to the Buffalo area, working for Charles Lawrence and Charles Stevenson.  In the Spring of 1967, the couple moved back to Sheridan County where they began a dairy on Upper Prairie Dog Creek. They sold the dairy in 1973 and moved closer to town.  While on the ranch, Joann became a Jafra cosmetic consultant. She won numerous awards and continued the business into the mid-1990’s.  Marvin passed away from ALS in October 1987.  Joann also worked at a shoe store in Buffalo for a short period of time where she met Antonio Cortez.  That would start a new chapter in her life.  Joann and Tony  married  in November 1988,  in Casper, Wyo., where they lived until her death.  A number of years after their marriage, Joann became a Partylite consultant until giving it up a few years ago. 

            Joann and Tony loved camping, snowmobiling, four-wheeling and fishing in the Big Horn mountains.  She also loved making bracelets and putting together puzzles.

Joann is survived by her loving husband, Tony Cortez; son Robert (Leta) Milner; daughter Sandra (Mike) Neubauer; stepdaughter Tona (Chris) Morrison (Jim), stepson Scott (Julie) Cortez,  sister-in-law Beverly Wild,  three nephews, and numerous grandchildren and great grandchildren.  She was preceded in death by her parents, Joe and Vera Wild; first husband Marvin Milner; half-sister, Betty Jo Shahady; and brother Eugene Wild.

Memorial services and fellowship for Joann will be Wednesday, April 28 at 11:00 A.M. at Faith Bible Chapel, 504 N. Forest Drive in Casper, pastor Dale Fitzsimmons officiating.  Donations in lieu of flowers can be made to Faith Bible Chapel, P.O. Box 50305, Casper, WY  82605.