Ann King

ANN FRANCIS KING Ann F. King, of Cheyenne, passed away peacefully at home Friday, January 7, 2011. She was 73 years old. Ann Francis King was born on June 27, 1937 in Cheyenne, Wyoming, the daughter of John Arthur (JA) and Alice (Yoder) Francis. As a little girl, she was reared near North Crow Creek in a homestead called the “old place” where she attended school until the sixth grade at the “Francis School” located on the ranch. Her family eventually settled in a house on Capital Avenue in order for Ann to attend school. She attended McCormick Junior High and graduated from Cheyenne High School in 1955. She later attended the University of Colorado and the University of Wyoming where she received her teaching degree in 1965. She completed her student teaching in the town of Lusk and later returned to Cheyenne, where she taught the fourth grade for ten years at Cole Elementary School. She married Jerry King in 1957 and lived on the King Ranch, where they raised Corriedale sheep. Ann and Jerry sold their last Corriedale sheep around 1968 in order to switch to raising Hereford Cattle. Ann’s love of raising cattle can be seen in the “cow track” print in the foundation of her home. Ann and Jerry later divorced in 1997, where Ann would still reside on the King Ranch. Ann belonged to many organizations which included the Cowgirls of the West, W-Heels and the CFD Parade Committee, Stock Growers Association, past board member of Cheyenne Regional Medical Center Foundation, Kappa Kappa Gamma and the Westerners. In 2008, she was the Cowgirl of the West Honoree, of which, she was very proud. Ann was preceded in death by her parents and a brother, Ed Francis. She is survived by a nephew, John Francis of Cheyenne and a niece, Lindy Uzzell of Cheyenne. She is survived by numerous great nieces and nephews, as well as her business partner and friend, Mark and Trudy Eisele and his family and special friend Mary Hartman. She was a strong and devoted woman of unwavering morality. Ranching was her life. A life, in which, she took pride in, as she once said, “There is no other place I’d rather be.” She touched the lives of those she knew and will be dearly missed by all. In lieu of flowers, Ann requested that contributions be made to any of the following charities: the Cowgirls of the West Scholarship, Box 525, Cheyenne, WY 82003; King Ranch Scholarship, c/o LCCC Foundation, 1400 E. College Dr., Cheyenne, WY 82007; Old West Museum, Ann King Account, 4610 Carey Ave., Cheyenne, WY 82001 or the Cheyenne Animal Shelter at 800 Southwest Drive, Cheyenne, WY 82007. Memorial services will be 2 p.m. Tuesday, January 11, 2011 at Schrader Chapel with Guy Landers officiating. Cremation will take place at Schrader’s Sunset Park Crematory.