Mrs. Marilyn Arnold

Marilyn L. (Rawhouser) Arnold

Marilyn Arnold, 73, of Four Corners, died on Friday, March 22, 2013 at her home following a valiant and lengthy battle with cancer. She was born on September 30, 1939 in Sundance, Wyoming to Harold G. "Jack" and Ella (Raudsep) Rawhouser.

Marilyn was raised on the prairie near Four Corners on the place known as the "Stone Gates". She loved the outdoors and told stories of the jaunts she took with her brother, Marvin exploring in Beaver Creek Canyon when they were quite young. She always had dogs and horses and enjoyed animals. She graduated from Newcastle High School as the Valedictorian of her class and furthered her education at dental nurse's school in San Francisco and later worked for a dentist in Colorado.

On March 14, 1958 she married Tom Arnold at Fort Lupton, Colorado. Together they lived at Black Mountain and did contract fencing for the Forest Service, and at Glenwood Springs where they operated a saddle shop and western store. They also created the first all horse 4-H Club in the country while living in Colorado.

In 1963 the trail led the family back to Wyoming and the country that she loved so much. They ranched near Four Corners and ran the Buckhorn Café for many years. In addition to ranching all her life, she obtained her real estate license and together with her family formed Arnold Realty, Inc. in 1990.

For many years she ran the Miss Rodeo Weston County Pageant, organized the 4-H Horse Show along with Tom, was a leader of the Top Hands 4-H Club, started the 4-H rodeo in Newcastle and when no funds were available for prizes, she handmade leather awards. Each spring for over twenty years she hosted the Newcastle First Grade Class at the ranch, she was the President of the Weston County Cowbelles, and helped organize the Centennial Wagon Train.

She always had a dog that would listen only to her, she enjoyed hunting arrowheads and going to antique auctions with Ruth, she was a fantastic cook no matter if it was feeding a thrashing crew, a bunch of hunters, a branding crew or just the many kids that spent the summers and weekends. She was very musically inclined and played the organ, piano and accordion by ear. She also loved to pull practical jokes.

Survivors include her husband, Tom Arnold; daughters Tammy Turk (Raymon) of Kaycee, Julie Pederson (Jim) of Four Corners, brother-in law Bill Whitney (Judy), Baker, MT; sister-in law, Molly Beverlin (Dan) of Anchorage, AK; and many nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents, infant son Jack, brother Marvin, and mother-in law Ruth (Dowdy) Whitney.

A celebration of her life will be at 12:30 pm on Sunday, May 19th at the Stage Stop Steakhouse east of Four Corners.

In lieu of flowers the family requests donations to a memorial that is being established for the Weston County 4-H Horse Program. Contributions may be sent to the family at P.O. Box 98, Newcastle, Wyoming 82701.

Cemetery Details