Patricia Webber

Patricia Ann Webber, 80, died Dec. 17, 2020, at Central Wyoming Hospice & Transitions in Casper, Wyo., of complications from pancreatic cancer and a vancomycin-resistant enterococcus infection. She was comforted by the presence of her son Jason, daughter-in-law Gina, and dog Lucy during her final days and her final breaths.

Pat was known and loved for her passion, and actions in service to the people she met throughout her life. Some people affectionately called her “ornery;” she took it as a badge of honor.

Patricia, or “Pat” as her friends called her, was born in Greeley, Colorado on Jan. 12, 1940 as “Baby Girl Knaus,” and was adopted in July 1940 by loving parents, Lawrence F. and Mildred Butterfield Mount.

The family, which also included her older brother Robert, moved from Denver to Casper when Pat was 3. Her father bought and operated a retail business in town, Mount Tire & Battery Co.

After graduation from Natrona County High School in 1957, Pat married James “Jim” Dilg of Casper, and would live the life of an Army officer’s wife for the next two-and-a-half decades. She and Jim would live in Ft. Eustis, Va.; Okinawa, Japan; and Ft. Lewis, Wash.; before returning to Casper to adopt “Baby Boy Turner” at birth, giving him the name Jason Dilg.

The family would immediately return to Ft. Lewis. Then Pat and Jason lived on Nebraska Ave. in Casper while Jim served his second tour of duty in the Vietnam War. Upon Jim’s return, the family would m0ve to Ft. Devins, Mass.; Ludwigsburg, Germany; and then back again to Ft. Eustis.

Enduring a divorce in 1981 in which she lost custody of her son, Pat moved back to Casper from Virginia to be better able to tend to her aging mother. Pat cherished these years with her mom, taking her to church each Sunday, even though she was not religiously observant herself.

Back in Casper and not having a professional career to fall back on, Pat made ends meet with sheer grit by working the graveyard shift at a convenience store in Casper while earning a certificate in principles of banking in 1982. She went on to work at the Bank of Casper before spending more than 20 years in customer service at Sears. Her last job before retirement was as an assistant to the director of the local American Red Cross chapter.

In 1984 Pat fell in love again and would become G. Larry Webber’s third wife. Larry was a self-professed “cookie peddler” for Keebler. They would spend hours together at Bob’s Place and the VFW socializing, playing darts, and betting on football and basketball games when Larry wasn’t on the road for work. She loved travelling with Larry to visit family, including her step-son Mark and his sons: Scott, Mason, and Julien, in Indiana.

Larry died in 2007 after having been estranged from Pat for several years. Following Larry’s death, Mark and his children were a tremendous source of support and love.

Pat loved mice, German christmas decorations, and Native American art. She loved good ol’ classic country music, Christmas carols, and singers from the 1970s, including Anne Murray, Neil Diamond, Gordon Lightfoot, Sam Cooke, and many more. One of her favorite events was seeing Dwight Yoakam live in concert.

She always found comfort and companionship in dogs. She had Ginger, a rescued wire-haired fox terrier, when she first returned to Casper, and adopted a series of many loveable small mutts as she grew older.

She befriended her next door neighbors, Mr. and Mrs. Chuck and Rhoda Mason. Chuck often speaks of the great help Pat was to him and Rhoda during difficult times, including during Rhoda’s passing. Chuck never forgot this kindness and was Pat’s best friend during the final years of her life.

Chuck also brought Pat her dog Lucy, also a rescue. They were inseparable until Pat fell and broke her hip in November, 2019.

After getting a pacemaker and a new hip, she moved to Life Care Center of Casper for long-term rehabilitation therapy. But she would not recover well enough to go back home. She was moved to the nursing home side of the facility just as the COVID pandemic was sweeping the country.

Pat spent much of her last year bouncing back-and-forth between Life Care and Wyoming Medical Center. Because of the pandemic, she was forced to spend two weeks in isolation each time she returned to Life Care from the hospital. She worked hard to keep her spirits up, dreaming of moving to Virginia to be closer to her son and daughter-in-law; and reunited with her beloved Lucy.

It was discovered in November that she had advanced pancreatic cancer while being treated at Wyoming Medical Center for a fall from her wheelchair at Life Care. Just days later, it was discovered that she had a bacterial infection resistant to antibiotics.

She was presented with the news from her doctor and patient advocate that death from this infection would likely be a much easier route to take than death by pancreatic cancer. Given the choice of dying sooner but relatively free from pain, she bravely chose to let the VRE run its course.

She was reunited with her son, daughter-in-law, and dog a few days later. Thanks to the kindness of the staff at Life Care, her family was able to spend many, many hours a day at her bedside over the next week-and-a-half.

She spent her final two days with her family and staff at Central Wyoming Hospice & Transitions. She enjoyed visitors, and listening to her favorite music and Christmas carol duets played on violins by her son and Ms. Becky Mothersbaugh, Concertmaster of the Wyoming Symphony, who also happens to serve as a CNA at the hospice center.

Pat showed courage and equanimity in her final moments during the early hours of December 17. She was holding hands with her son as she took her final breaths.

Pat was preceded in death by her mother Mildred and father Lawrence; her second husband, Larry; and her brother Robert (Bob). She is survived by her former husband Jim; her son Jason and daughter-in-law Gina; her stepson Mark Webber and daughter-in-law Marjorie; and step-grandchildren Scott, Mason, and Julien.

In observance of the coronavirus pandemic, the family is choosing to forgo funeral services at this time. Her final remains will be laid to rest at Wyoming Memorial Gardens, between those of her mother and father.

The family welcomes memorial donations to Central Wyoming Hospice & Transitions or the Casper Humane Society. Condolences or memorial comments can be sent to the family care of Jason Dilg, 1105 5th St., Radford VA 24141.

Arrangements are entrusted to Bustard & Jacoby Funeral Home , 600 CY Ave. Casper, WY 82601.