Frances Nadene Kerbs, 93

Frances Nadene Kerbs, age 93, passed away peacefully on February 13, 2024 loved greatly by her family and friends.

Nadene was born on July 24, 1930, in Coalmont, Colorado, to Pete and Lois (Spud) Chedsey. She spent her formative years on the Chedsey ranch in Coalmont and graduated from Walden High School in 1948. On September 5th, 1948, she married Carl Kerbs, with whom she shared a 74 year journey, 70 of them on the Kerbs Four Bar Ranch in Saratoga, Wyoming.

Nadene was celebrated for her remarkable green thumb and the establishment of Mother Disaster’s Greenhouse. She was the cornerstone of our family, displaying a remarkable knack for acquiring new skills both out of passion and necessity as a rancher. After celebrating her 70th birthday, she discovered a newfound love for crafting special porcelain dolls, a hobby she generously shared with her loved ones. From managing a thriving commercial chicken and egg enterprise to fashioning charming teddy bears and other stuffed treasures, there seemed to be no limit to her creative vision and skill. Her entrepreneurial drive was boundless, whether she was establishing a flock of sheep from a neighbor’s bum lambs or chauffeuring children as a school bus driver.

Nadene and Carl were enthusiastic 4-H leaders, and together, they enjoyed traveling to stock shows, county and state fairs, and livestock judgings, forming cherished friendships along the way. The bus camper Mom and the kids remodeled was a familiar sight at the Casper Fair and Carbon County Fair.

She fondly shared stories of her childhood adventures, from horseback riding to skiing in the deep Colorado snow. Square dancing with Dad and playing cribbage were among her favorite pastimes. In her later years, she found solace in watching reruns of “The Waltons,” a show that resonated deeply with her values of family, fairness, and hard work. Nadene was a firm believer that idleness was a sin; she cherished productivity and detested waste. Every time we left the house, she would ask, ‘Could somebody use this?’

Nadene was preceded in death by her beloved husband, Carl, their son Carl Blane Kerbs, daughter in-law Becky Kerbs, her parents, and several in-laws.

Nadene is survived by her brother, Glen (Bev) Chedsey, sister-in-law Mary Ann Stone, and her children: Belinda (Mike) Tipton, Scott (Kathleen) Kerbs, Kip Kerbs, Heidi (Norm) Custis, and Kandi (Kirk) Bennett. She will be dearly missed by her 14 grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren she leaves behind:

Rindy (Justin) West - Braden, Jhett, and Wynn Sheridan, WY

Tad (Hillary) Tipton - Myla and Tyne Sheridan, WY

Kinsey (Jake) Freese - Karlee, Jenna and Cora Pavillon, WY

Matthew Kerbs, Saratoga, WY

Daniel (Kaylee) Kerbs, Sheridan, WY

Aaron Kerbs, Ft Collins, CO

Kaylee Kerbs, Saratoga, WY

Corson (Caitlin) Kerbs - Austen, Saratoga, WY

Ryan Custis - Makinlee and Mallory Burns, OR

Krisha (Shea) Geffert - Noah and Olivia Reedsburg, WS

Kally (Craig) Lenhardt - Avey, Brinley and Robert Laramie, WY

Brodie (Brodey) Serres, Seth Bennett, and Dace Bennett Meeteetse, WY

At Nadene’s request, no formal services will be held. Instead, the family will gather to celebrate Nadene and Carl’s life at their ranch this summer. Memorial contributions in Nadene’s honor can be made to the Carbon County 4-H Foundation (P.O. Box 280, Rawlins, WY 82301).