Eleanor “Ellie” A. Gossett, age 62, of Laramie, Wyo., died Friday, Oct. 4, 2002, in Michigan.

Her father passed away this same day.

She was born May 13, 1940, in Toeterville, Iowa, the seventh child of August and Eleanor (Malcomson) Perau. Her family moved from Toeterville to St. Ansgar, Iowa, and then to Albert Lea where Ellie graduated from high school in 1958. As she grew, she made friends both in school and in the Lutheran Church and this friendship continued throughout her life. She attended Fairview Nursing College for a year and then traveled to Portland, Ore., where she worked in a hospital for awhile. In 1964 she decided to move to Greeley, Colo., to continue her education. On her way there, she stopped in Casper, Wyo., to visit her sisters, Ruth Schmidt and Joan Miller. At Joan’s home, on the Shevre Ranch, she met Tom Gossett. In April of 1965 Ellie and Tom were married. In June of 1965 Tom went to work for the Wyoming Highway Department in Laramie. In May 1966 their first son, Kol, was born. In August 1969 their second son, Karl, was born.

In 1975 Ellie began working for Ivinson Memorial Hospital. In 1995 Tom retired from the Highway Department and he and Ellie started playing golf and set a goal of playing a round of golf in each of the original 48 states. In May 2002 Ellie retired from Ivinson Memorial Hospital. She and Tom had played in every state south and west to Indiana and several east of there.

With only 16 states left to play in and only five of those states that they never got around to visit, a goal was cut short.

On Oct. 4, 2002, in Harbor Springs, Mich., while on a return trip from visiting their son, Major Karl Gossett at West Point, N.Y., Ellie’s life ended.

Ellie was a member of Trinity Lutheran Church.

She was preceded In death by her parents and a brother, Franklin Perau.

Ellie is survived by her husband, Tom Gossett of Laramie, Wyo.; her sons: Kol Gossett of Parker, Colo., and Karl Gossett and his wife Erin of West Point, N.Y.; four sisters: Joan Miller and her husband Oral of Casper, Wyo., Ruth Schmidt and her husband William of Lusk, Wyo.., Shirley Arno and her husband Jim of Buffalo, Wyo., and Sharon Scott and her husband Russell of Harbor Springs, Mich.; two brothers: Douglas Perau and his wife Ruby of Strongsville, Ohio, and Dennis Havig and his wife Diane of Wisdom, Mont.; a great-grandson, August “Gus” Gossett; and numerous nieces and nephews.

Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Thursday, Oct. 10, at Trinity Lutheran Church with The Rev. Ralph Rohr officiating. Visitation will be from 1-6 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 9, at the Montgopmery-Stryker Funeral Home, Laramie, Wyo., and from 10 a.m. until service time, Thursday, Oct. 10, at the church.

Pallbearers will be Bill Schmidt, Daniel Schmidt, Carlisle Arno, Cary Arno, Saul Scott, Robert Miller, Ben Waters, and Bret Waters.

Memorial contributions can be made to the Ivinson Memorial Hospital Foundation, 255 North 30th, Laramie, WY 82072.