Mildred Adams

Mildred Adams of Rock Springs, Wyoming passed away with her family by her side on Tuesday, June 1, 2010 in the home of her daughter Beth Schultz in Billings, Montana. She was preceded in death by her husband Ralph N. Adams, Jr., father and mother Dewey and Anna Rhyner, sister, Irene Wetsch and brother, Dean Rhyner.Mildred was born December 2, 1923 in Bismarck, North Dakota, to Dewey and Anna Rhyner. She moved to Columbus, Montana and attended Columbus High School where she met her future husband Ralph N. Adams, Jr. After high school she attended nursing school at Emanuel Hospital in Portland, Oregon. Upon graduation she joined the U.S. Army as a second lieutenant Army nurse. She married Ralph on December 15, 1945. When the war was over, they moved to Bozeman, Montana to attend college.While raising her family in Billings, she was a Registered Nurse at Deaconess Hospital and ST. Vincent Hospital. She worked in the surgical ward but her joy was working in the nursery where she loved tending the newborn babies.She was an active member of the Billings chapter of the Sweet Adeline music group performing locally and traveling. She was also a member of the American Legion Drum and Bugle Corp-Womens Auxiliary. She was the PTA President of the grade school where her children attended (to keep an eye on them!). She became a 4-H leader and taught sewing to Gwen and the 4-H club for 10 years.In 1959 Ralph and Mildred started A&I Rapid Print Company in Billings. After a successful business career, they sold the print shop and bought a farm south of Billings. Weekdays were spent tending cattle and weekends were reserved for fun at the family cabin at Nye, Montana.After the sudden passing of her husband, Mildred moved to Rock Springs to be close to her daughter, Gwen Szudera and family. She started attending the senior citizen center in Rock Springs, and was especially proud to show off the new building when she had company. She was very active at the center, where she was a regular in painting classes, bingo, pinochle, and the noon meal. She made many new friends in Rock Springs and enjoyed her new home. Every one made her feel so very welcome. She continued to spend summers and holidays with her children and grandchildren in Montana, Wyoming, Texas, and Nevada. She continued the family tradition of making German Christmas cookies for all of her children and their families the amount of cookies grew in proportion to the number of great-grandchildren. She especially enjoyed cooking, baking bread and knitting baby blankets for the new arrivals.Mildred is survived by her three children and their families: Son, Dr. Terry (Charlene) Adams of Flower Mound, Texas, granddaughter Vanessa (Dave) Tofilon and four great-grandchildren Nathan, Reagan, Camryn, and Zachary of Palatine, Illinois, grandson Christopher (Karisa) Adams and great-granddaughter Ella Kate of Denton, Texas; Daughter, Gwen (Ed) Szudera of Rock Springs, grandson Mac (Darlene) Szudera and great-granddaughters Alexandra and Mikayla of Chantilly, Virginia, granddaughter Lorie Szudera of Wyoming and grandson Guy Szudera of Las Vegas, Nevada; Daughter, Beth Adams Schultz of Billings, grandson Bryan (Kari) Schultz of Bozeman, Montana, granddaughter Andrea (Scott) Anderson of Laurel, Montana.Private family services will be held this summer. In lieu of flowers the family suggests donations be made to the Young At Heart Senior & Recreational Center, 2400 Reagan Ave., Rock Springs, WY 82901 or the Nye Volunteer Fire Company, Nye, MT 59061. Memories and condolences may be shared with the family at www.dahlfuneralchapel.com