Jack Lee Adsit hearing his family above calling him at 1:00 A.M. Tuesday morning December 13th, at home with his family by his side, he left here to go be with those who passed before him. He is sadly being missed.A Viewing and visitation will be held from 1:00 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. Thursday, December 22, 2016 at Champion Funeral Home. Interment to follow at the Sheridan Municipal Cemetery with Military Honors.
Jack Lee Adsit was born June 16, 1927, the seventh child of Guy and Susie Adsit, in a log cabin built by his father, using logs harvested on the homestead, east of Kirby, Montana. They moved to Ranchester about 1928 to be close to the VA Hospital. After the death of his father, a veteran of WW I, they moved to Sheridan, Wyoming. His first year of education was at Coffeeen School. In 1934, the family moved back to their homestead in Montana. His mother donated an acre of land on which to build a school. With his brothers and sisters, they walked a mile and a half to school each day. In 1938, the school was closed. So, the children could continue school, the family moved to Lodge Grass, Montana, from there to Ranchester, Wyoming and in 1940 back to Sheridan.
Jack’s first steady job was for a truck gardener. He worked from 6:00 A.M. to 6:30 P.M. for fifty cents a day. He bought his first horse at this time and broke it himself. His first love was for horses. He worked on several different ranches around Sheridan until he joined the Navy in March of 1945. His basic training was at Great Lakes Training Center. He was transferred to Hawthorne, Nevada, a naval ammunition depot. At this time, he met his future wife, Viola Holtry. Jack was discharged on June 17, 1946. They were married June 19, 1946 and came back to Sheridan in 1948.
During the following years, they were blessed with the birth of six children, Jeanette, Darrel, Bernice, Jack Jr., Raymond, and Janice. He worked at the Chevrolet Parts Dept. for awhile and then on the Double F Ranch. They leased the Patvaros place, secured a loan and started working for himself raising cattle. Later in life, raising Registered Columbia Sheep.
Pictures on two of their children’s headstones were damaged by BB gun shots. He worked together with the city council to pass an ordinance restricting minors from being in the cemetery, unless they had a work permit or with a parent. In 1958, Jack and Viola formed the Merry Metzers 4-H Club and were leaders for thirteen years. In 1971, he founded the Northeast Wyoming Wool Pool and served as president until 1989. After dogs damaged and destroyed twenty head of their sheep, Jack was able to get the County Commissioners to pass the first and only criminal ordinance in Sheridan County to control dogs at large. He served on The Big Horn Reservoir Board for fifteen years. During that time, he helped revise the Articles of Corporation and by-Laws. In 1991, Jack became interested in the Term Limit movement, founding the Wyoming Citizens for Responsible Government and served as chairman. He also served on the Woodland Hills Improvement Board.
Along with farming, he owned the Frontier Refining Bulk Business for thirteen years. Jack worked at Continental Pipe Line for twenty years, was DHIA dairy tester for eight years, and drove school bus for a time.
His favorite hobbies were horses, fishing and hunting. He loved the mountains. A favorite highlight of his life were the many camping trips to Coffeen Park with his family, camping in a tent. A favorite activity was their Square and Round Dancing, Polka and old time dancing. Jack and Viola were the first one’s on the floor once the music started and always thanked the band when the evening ended.
Traveling to the Adsit reunions enabled them to visit the graves of seven generations of his ancestors and take pictures of their headstones. They also learned of the Adsit Cabin, built in 1778 at Willsboro Point, New York, designated as a National Historical Site. Other travels were to Alaska, Hawaii and all but, four of the forty- eight states, visiting many historical places.
Jack is survived by Viola, his wife of seventy years; a sister, Charlotte Holtry; his son, Jack Jr., (Karen); six grandchildren: Albert (Cymantha) Rood, Chad Adsit, Darrel Adsit, Jenny (Adsit) and husband Dan Mitchell, Brittany (Boen) and husband Brandon Leach, and Devon Boen; twelve great grandchildren and one great great grandson. He was preceded in death by his sons, Darrel and Raymond; his daughters, Jeanette, Bernice and Janice; his parents; and four sisters and three brothers.
Online condolences may be written at www.championfh.com.
Arrangements are under the direction of Champion Funeral Home.
