Teense Willford, The Voice of the Valley

It can be hard to find just one word which would best describe Loren “Teense” Willford.

A fifth-generation resident of the Platte Valley, Teense has been and is many things. A husband, a father, a friend, a Mason, a musician and a statesman. On February 3, though he was being honored by the Saratoga Masonic Lodge, it was difficult for those in attendance not to talk about Teense’s other contributions.

“He’s always giving to something else, always supporting somebody else,” said Howard Hill, a fellow member of the Saratoga Masonic Lodge. “I call him the Voice of the Valley.”

The Voice of the Valley is likely the best title for Teense as one can often hear him before they ever see him. Even as he struggles with his health, his loud, baritone voice can be heard long before someone ever lays eyes on him. And he’s used that voice to great affect, having been the announcer for parades all-year-round in Saratoga and Encampment. Teense doesn’t just announce parades, though, having lent his voice to announcing football games and providing music throughout the Valley.

“This man has done weddings, funerals in this Valley for well over 50 years and all you’ve got to do is ask. Sometimes you don’t have to do that, he just shows up and brings his guitar,” said Hill. “He’s a giver, an example we should all live by.”

Each year, Teense sings the patriotic “God Bless America” at the Platte Valley VFW’s Memorial Day observations in Encampment. His musical venues range from premier locations such as the Old Baldy Club, A Bar A and Brush Creek Ranch to the Saratoga Senior Center and skilled-nursing facility wing of the North Platte Valley Medical Center.

“He is the heritage musician for Carbon County. Other states have heritage musicians that are recognized: people over 75 who still play and still do stuff,” said Chuck Willman, who joins Teense in singing at the Saratoga Senior Center. “He’s one of the people who has one of the best hearts of anybody I’ve met. He’s really a great guy.”

If there’s anything louder than Teense’s voice, however, it would be his heart. He still serves on the Platte Valley Healthcare Project Board, which brought the North Platte Valley Medical Center into Sarattoga, and the Platte Valley Legacy Foundation. That’s not counting the Saratoga Masonic Lodge and the Platte Valley VFW. He also has served as head of three Masonic lodges in Wyoming.

“The groups that he supports, put out over $10,000 a year in scholarships to high school kids,” said Willman.

The amount Teense gives in time to the Platte Valley can be inspiring and, according to his son, Mark Willford, he always has been an inspiration.

“He was always my hero growing up. Growing up on the family ranch, I spent time with him when he was working. He was just a fantastic father, he was always larger than life and I thought everyone grew up the way I did,” said Mark. “There was always music in our house and family. Just a fantastic experience.”

According to Mark, there was never anything he felt his father couldn’t handle. This included his time as the CEO of the Saratoga/Platte Valley Chamber of Commerce..

“My first experience with Teense was with the Chamber of Commerce. I was the president of the Chamber and we hired him as the Chamber director,” said Joe Parrie. “Teense and I, and a handful of other people, were all new to the board. Teense really brought that group back together and got it aimed in the right direction and we had a ball.”

Teense also served from 1993 until 2002 in the Wyoming Legislature where he represented House District 47, which encompassed the majority of Carbon County and a portion of Albany County. During his time in the legislature, worked on the Labor, Health and Social Services committees and sponsored legislation to aid rural healthcare.

“I got a bill passed to let PAs and nurse practitioners write prescriptions. Over in Baggs and here, they couldn’t. I went to the eye doctor and I had to go over to (Doctor) John Lunt to get the prescription,” said Teense. “So I got a bill passed that said optometrists could write prescriptions for local stuff.”

At the same time he served, so did Senator Cynthia Lummis (R - Wyoming), who would later tap Teense to be part of her leadership team. He also served alongside James Hageman, father of Congresswoman Harriet Hageman. James served in the Wyoming Legislature from 1983 until his death in 2006.

“Because of the relationship he had with my father, he’s been like a father figure to me,” said Hageman. “As I have run for office over the years, and engaged on a variety of issues that are important to Wyoming, Teense has always been there for me.”

This included not only her most recent run for Congress, but her bid for Governor in 2018 as well.

“I just have so much respect for someone who has dedicated themselves to their community and to their state the way that Teense has,” said Hageman. “He is someone we should all aspire to. He’s always happy and I love that about Teense. He has always got a smile on his face, he’s always joking and he just embraces you in everything that you do.”

Hageman had made the trip to Saratoga, despite the weather, from Casper where she had attended the funeral of the late Bobbie Barrasso, wife of Senator John Barrasso. Upon arriving, the Congresswoman gave tidings to Teense from Lummis and a number of others who she said wished they could have attended the event in his honor.

“There were other legislators there that didn’t serve with him, such as Eric Barlow from Gillette,” said Hageman. “He also had some great things to say about him. His reputation speaks for itself around the state, generation after generation.”

While it may be hard to define Teense Willford, the general consensus among those who know him is that his two biggest features are his caring nature and his positive attitude.

“He’s never met a stranger and he greets everyone with a warm smile and a handshake,” said Mark. “I think his honesty, his openness and his lack of a social filter make him pretty approachable. He just exudes this energy of love towards everybody.”

It seems that Teense knows everyone in the State of Wyoming—and a few neighboring states—and has done nearly everything. With a few exceptions.

“I want to drive across the Brooklyn Bridge. I drove across the Golden Gate Bridge, but I still haven’t driven across the Brooklyn Bridge,” said Teense. “I’ve been asked to run for Governor but I can’t because I play at Old Baldy every Thursday night.”