Wes Wilsey

Wesley Wilsey will be greatly missed. He has passed away on April 9, 2026 after a short bout of untreatable injury and illness. Wes was born September 1, 1932 – the eighth child of nine to Frank and Nellie (Huss) Wilsey when they lived near Pedro, SD (40 miles north of Wall) and the Cheyenne River. He graduated the eighth grade and went to part of a year of high school in Custer, SD but didn’t like it and came home. He received a draft notice for the Korean conflict and had gone for two physicals but his mother Nellie said, “I’ve already had three sons in war. Wes isn’t going.” She wrote the draft board saying the same and he wasn’t officially called to go until after combat had ended. He went in November of 1953 and worked hard to get a good mailroom position in the APO. Upon returning from Korea, he was doing ranch work for a brother. This is where he met and married Pearl Page in 1961. They relocated back to Cheyenne River country where they had four children and worked to build a ranch of their own but parted ways in 1977. He continued ranching until he was introduced to Joann Johnson by his niece. They were married July 5, 1990 and lived near Rapid City, SD for a few years before settling in Joann’s stomping grounds near Hay Springs NE. They bought and refurbished a country school for their home. Joann passed away in 2012 but he continued there at home until his untimely injury. Wes’ career was ranching. He cared for his animals and it showed. His cows were gentler and less afraid than other people’s. He was the best at breaking horses- they would become very gentle under his handling, reflecting his own personality. His and the kids’ favorite was a big red horse named ‘White Eyes’. Wes had started running in his late forties (this was the eighties after all) and ran his first of three marathons when he was fifty years old. Even after he quit running he walked two miles almost every day up to ninety years old, despite heart trouble. He and Joann competed in many horseshoe tournaments- even a few world tournaments. After he learned to ride a unicycle in his sixties, he rode it in the local parade in Rushville for several years. He was quite the avid golfer as well. He rarely refused an offer of a card game- cribbage and pitch being the favorites over the years. His winning streaks were epic. Wes was a craftsman. He braided rawhide bridles and whips, made leather chaps; rebuilt a Model T Ford at least three times over the years; turned wooden vases and bowls on a lathe- when the wood dust got to his allergies, he got a potter’s wheel and manipulated clay instead- with similar success. His daughter Amy talked him into trying painting at the young age of ninety and he painted six quite good pictures of wildlife and landscapes. Survivors include: one brother- James ‘Jim’ (Caroline) Wilsey of Elm Springs, SD; four children- Brett (Charlotte) Wilsey of Rapid City, SD; Bart (Ingrid) Wilsey of Farmington, NM; Amy (Dave) Schmoller of Gordon, NE; Peggy Wilsey of Sabetha, KS; six stepchildren: Marlys (Brad) Hartbauer of Westcliffe, CO; Marilyn Armstrong of Gordon, NE; Mike Armstrong of Prescott Vally, AZ; Mel (Dea) Armstrong of Waukesha, WI; Jennifer (Collin) Strait of White River, SD; Jessica (Jerod) Abbott of Hot Springs, SD; eight grandchildren, one great-grandchild, many step-grandchildren and step-great-grandchildren; many, many beloved nieces and nephews and friends. Preceded in death by his wife Joann Johnson Wilsey in 2012; his ex-wife Pearl Wilsey in 2005; his parents Frank and Nellie (Huss) Wilsey; five brothers- Charles ‘Chuck’ (Sammy) Wilsey, George (Lillian) Wilsey, Harry (Lucy) Wilsey, Vern (Ada) Wilsey, Howard Wilsey, two sisters- Marjorie (Dempsey) Fenner, Carol (Charles) Price; two grand-daughters: Johanna and Elizabeth Wilsey. Please join us to remember a Cowboy's life with a noon meal on Saturday, May 2, 2026 at the Gordon City Office Building; 311 North Oak Street; Gordon Nebraska.