Margaret Veta

Margaret Veta, Cheyenne native and long-time Cheyenne resident, passed away on January 13, 2015 in Oakland, California. She died of natural causes at the age of 96. Mrs. Veta was born on September 1, 1918 to Herman and Ida Agre Pasternack. Her parents were long-time residents of Cheyenne and were the owners of Pasternack's, a fine men's clothing store. Mrs. Veta graduated from Cheyenne High School in 1935 and, after spending a year at the University of Colorado and the University of Denver, returned to Cheyenne to work in her parents' store. In 1940 she married the love of her life, G. John Veta, a marriage of 73 years, that ended only when Johnny, as he was known to all, passed away. Together Margaret and Johnny embarked on a life of family, business, and civic engagement in the Cheyenne community. Margaret was an active partner with John in their first business, Johnny Veta's, an army surplus store that she and Johnny opened using loans and gifts from their parents and their own wedding present money. The store, later renamed Bill's Clothing, was located at 16th and Carey, and catered to the personnel at Warren Air Force Base. When Johnny was drafted two years later, Margaret ran the store while also taking care of their first child, Sharon Rae (Sherry), born in June 1943. Their second daughter, Ann was born in 1947; their third daughter, Jean, completed the family in 1954. Although she certainly had her hands full raising three active daughters, Margaret continued to play a vital role as her husband's business counselor and confidant, particularly after 1960, when they bought Western Ranachman Outfitters, an internationally-known western wear retail and catalog business, familiarly known as WRO. During any Frontier Days Margaret and Johnny could be found working side by side as the store was thronged with visitors from throughout the country and throughout the world. Margaret was also fully engaged in the larger community. The groups to which she generously gave her time, energy, and talent included the Memorial Hospital Women's Auxillary, the League of Women Voters, and the Deming Elementary School PTA. Margaret was a dedicated member of the Cheyenne Jewish community, serving at one time or another as president of each of its major organizations: the Women's B'nai Brith, Hadassah, and the Mt. Sinai Synagogue Sisterhood. When help was needed on a project, Margaret was always there. After selling WRO in 1987, Margaret and Johnny continued to spend summers in Cheyenne, but began spending their winters in Scottsdale, Az., where they also owned a home. After Johnny's death in May, 2013, Margaret moved to Oakland, Ca. so she could be closer to her daughter, Ann Brick. Margaret is survived by her daughter, Sherry Veta Snyder (a retired management professor at the University of New Orleans) of Houston, Texas, the wife of the late Charles A. Snyder; her daughter and son-in-law, Ann Veta Brick, a retired attorney for the ACLU of Northern California, and Steven A. Brick,of the Alameda County Superior Court, of Oakland, California; and her daughter and daughter-in-law, D. Jean Veta, a partner at the Washington, D.C. Law firm of Covington & Burling LLP,and Mary Ann Dutton, Professor in the Department of Psychiatry at Georgetown Medical Center, of Bethesda, Md. She is also survived by eight grandchildren and four great-grandchildren. Funeral services will be on Tuesday, January 20, 2015 at 1:30 p.m. at Mt. Sinai Synagogue, 2610 Pioneer Avenue, with interment at the Mt. Sinai Cheyenne Cemetery, 2501 Seymour Avenue. Contributions in lieu of flowers may be made to the Mt. Sinai Synagogue Veta Window Fund , 2610 Pioneer Avenue, Cheyenne, WY. 82001 or to a charity of the donor's choice.

Service

Tuesday, January 20, 2015 1:30pm

Mount Sinai Synagogue

2610 Pioneer Ave.

CHEYENNE, WY 82001

Interment

Cheyenne Jewish Cemetery

Cheyenne

CHEYENNE, WY 82001

Reception

Little America

2800 W. Lincolnway

CHEYENNE, WY