A Voice Through All Seasons

With a resonant voice and a beaming smile on his face, to say Loren “Teense” Willford had a presence in the Valley and beyond would be an understatement.

“You can’t fully understand Teense unless you were one of his friends and, of course, everybody was his friend [in] one way or the other,” said former governor Jim Geringer. “If you didn’t get along with Teense, it wouldn’t take long before you did.”

Teense passed away early on the morning of September 3 following a long battle with cancer. He was 85 years old.

Wyoming Home Grown

A descendent of one of the homesteading families in the Valley, Teense’s history goes back to 1874 when his great-grandparents homesteaded in the Platte Valley and expanded their ranch to 11,000 acres. His great-grandfather, Henry Jones, came to the Valley after the Civil War. His great-grandmother was Florence Brewer Jones. The Joneses were hunters and would sell wild game to the people building the railroads.

The family raised Herefords, with his great-grandfather purchasing the first registered Hereford bull in the Valley. He bought it from Stuart Quealy from the other side of Elk Mountain and walked the bull home so nothing would happen to it. Teense still had the registration papers of that first bull. The Willford family tried to preserve the history of the Valley.

The family lived on the ranch into the 20th century, where Stacy (Willford) Blomfelt, Mark Willford and their late sister Lori Willford were raised as the fifth generation.

“On the ranch, we didn’t know what a big deal he was back then. Other than, when you went to town, it took hours to go anywhere,” said Stacy. “It was like ‘Maybe he is kind of a big deal.’”

Teense, joined by his wife Sandy, often hosted immediate, extended and found family for holidays and dinners.

“We had Sunday dinners, we had the whole hay crew when we were haying. It was just like a constant family party. We were rarely all five of us alone,” said Stacy. “There was always someone at our house. We had people that would come across our land for hunting and—not having a clue who they were—would ask if they could hunt on the land [and] they became lifelong friends within minutes.”

From their earliest memories, Stacy and Mark remember music being an integral part of their lives.

“He was an entertainer in every sense of the word,” said Mark.

This was a sentiment shared by Dick Perue, former owner and publisher of the Saratoga Sun and local historian. Perue had known Teense all his life, as Perue was three years older than Teense.

“His heart was in entertaining,” Perue said.

He loved telling stories and making jokes. He had a great attitude, too. Musical talent has been a part of the family since the Joneses’. Teense began performing with the Willford Family Band in the first grade and has entertained audiences ever since.

His band, Wyoming Home Grown, performed at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., and entertained at Cheyenne Frontier Days and Oaklawn Derby in Arkansas. The band even toured Europe. Ray Bernal, owner of StrongTower Designs in Saratoga, occasionally joined Teense and his band.

“I met Teense in 2009 and started playing with him in 2011. He was an amazing musician with a song list in his head that was endless,” said Bernal. “Just about every time I played with him, he played a new song we had never done.”

Locally, he was a regular entertainer at the Old Baldy Club, Brush Creek Ranch and the A Bar A Ranch.

“You knew when he was coming somewhere to play because he always had the western shirts, the fancy entertainer shirts,” said Senator Cale Case (R - Lander), who was elected to the Wyoming House of Representatives in 1992 alongside Teense. “Roy Rogers wore those kinds of shirts when I was a kid. It’s like a movie star and that was the real western persona that he had when he was entertaining.”

A Man For All Seasons

Teense served in the Wyoming Legislature from 1987 to 2002, having represented Carbon County prior to 1992 when House and Senate districts were formed.

“I think we were more than 40 members. Teense also was elected in ‘92 but he had prior service,” said Case. “We were very proud of our class and we adopted Teense. We felt he was part of our class.”

During his 12 years in the Wyoming Legislature, Teense left as big of an impression as he did in the Platte Valley. He served on and chaired several committees including the House Travel, Recreation and Wildlife Committee, the House Labor, Health and Social Services Committee, the Select Water Committee, the House Revenue Committee and the House Rules and Procedures Committee.

“He went on the Rules Committee very early. Early on, getting a position on [the] Rules [Committee], it was mostly seniority but also had to do with whether you were the minority floor leader or majority floor leader,” said Case. “He had a lot of years of service on Rules. I’m not really surprised. He was kind of a guy that understated himself all the time, but he was a powerful force in the legislature. There’s no question about it.”

That force is felt more than 20 years since he last served in Cheyenne.

“He was a leader in the House and he was a true statesman,” said Representative Bob Davis (R - Baggs), who currently represents House District 47. “He was known for his ability to put coalitions together and move good legislation forward for the people of Wyoming. Teense enjoyed reminding me I was sitting in his chair in Cheyenne.”

Those who worked with Teense in the legislature recalled his dedication not only to his constituents in the “mother county” of Carbon County, but to all of Wyoming.

“I would say he’s a Wyoming citizen who was a man for all seasons,” said former governor Mike Sullivan, a Democrat. “He was the kind of person and kind of public servant that it wasn’t about the politics as much as it was what’s the best for his community and the state. He was one of those legislators that filled the role of a great public servant in many more ways than the legislature.”

Volunteer of the Years

Teense was a Freemason—a fraternal organization with centuries-long roots and intricate hierarchies—for more than 55 years. He volunteered in every appendant body of Masonry according to Howard Hill, a member of the Saratoga Masons.

Hill considered Teense a mentor and said many of the Masons looked up to him.

During Teense’s time as a Mason, he was a Blue Lodge Mason, Shriner, York Rite Mason, Scottish Rite Mason, past Grand Master Mason of Wyoming and Worthy Grand Patron of the Lady Eastern Stars, according to Hill.

“Teense’s death is not only a great loss for Masonry, but a loss for the state,” Hill said. “He probably did 90% of the Master Mason Services - Masons who had passed.”

Even when Teense could barely walk, he would be there. He was a guide for a lot of Masons in the state and country. People would call him and he was always willing to help.

His volunteer work went well beyond the Freemasons.

Leslie McLinskey served with Teense on the Platte Valley Healthcare Project, the fundraising committee for the North Platte Valley Medical Center. Teense was a substantial and important part of the board in the early stages, McLinskey said.

“He convinced the community [the clinic] was necessary and doable,” said McLinskey.

Teense also served on the North Platte Valley Medical Center Board of Directors with Laura Bucholz, whose late husband, Kurt, succeeded Teense in the Legislature.

“Serving with Teense on the North Platte Valley Medical Center was a privilege,” said Bucholz. “He had his ear to the ground and was very engaged with the community. He was a reliable source for all who asked a question about the facility whether at his daily coffee klatch or in the aisles of Valley Foods. He came to or Zoomed every board meeting and stayed quite involved til the very end.”

Teense received Volunteer of the Year from the Saratoga/Platte Valley Chamber of Commerce—where he once served as CEO—three times. He also served as the past chairman of the Carbon County United Way, past chairman of the Carbon County School Preschool Board, served as a member of the Carbon County Counseling Center and was co-founder and chairman of the Platte Valley Legacy Foundation.

“Teense liked the lunch portion of the lunch meetings the best, but we got our business done very efficiently,” said Chuck “C.J.” Box, a member of the Platte Valley Legacy Foundation. “Teense was extremely supportive of our new enterprise fund initiative, which helped to provide much-needed funding for training hospital specialists, launching a new CPA firm in the Valley and providing funds to pave the parking lot of Valley Village Child Care. He made a special point of hand-delivering scholarship checks to deserving graduates in Saratoga and Encampment.”

Through the Platte Valley Legacy Foundation, Teense presented $17,500 in scholarships to seniors, college students and trade school students.

Voice of the Valley… and beyond

What Teense volunteered more than anything was his booming voice.

“Back when I was the sports and outdoor reporter for the Saratoga Sun in the early 1980s, I was paired with Teense in the announcers box for Saratoga High School football games. It was quite an experience because the Panthers weren’t very good that year,” said Box. “Teense was the main announcer and when Saratoga went down by too many touchdowns during the game, he’d stop reporting the score and start singing ‘Pancho and Lefty’ over the speakers. It made opposing team parents angry, but it was hilarious.”

Teense’s voice could be heard announcing both the Independence Day Parade and Lighted Christmas Parade in Saratoga and the Woodchopper’s Jamboree Parade in Encampment. If Teense wasn’t asked to volunteer, he would just as likely take it upon himself to do so.

“[At the] Ryan Park Volunteer Fire Department, every year for a while we’d had a fundraiser. Teense would show up and even acted as the auctioneer sometimes,” said Geringer, whose family owned a cabin in Ryan Park. “He had a way of squeezing every last dime out of a person and made you feel good about spending money.”

According to Stacy, her father estimated he had performed at nearly 1,000 funerals—including the funeral of his late wife, Sandy—and just as many weddings over the years. Stacy and Mark said, after Teense had retired, they talked with their parents about moving to Mesquite, Nevada where they could “live in the desert and golf.” The family even looked at houses.

“He looked and then he thought about it for a long time,” said Stacy. “He said ‘What if someone dies and I need to sing for their funeral? What if someone needs to get married and I’m not there to sing for their wedding?’ The Valley was a big deal [to him].”

Teense, it seemed, couldn’t help but break out into song whether it was waiting for a parade to start or during downtime in the legislature.

“He didn’t necessarily need a band, I’ll tell you that,” said Case. “There’s a lot of downtime on the floor and Teense Willford would sing and sometimes Ross Dierks would sing. Ross Dierks was a Democrat from Niobrara County and he had a beautiful voice. We had these two guys and they could entertain us. What a treat.”

A True Character

Teense was known for his sense of humor—and his mischievousness—as much as he was for his voice. E. Jayne Mockler currently serves on the State Board of Adjustments but was a Democrat member of the Wyoming Legislature in 1993. She sat next to Teense and Bill Vasey, who represented House District 15.

“In the old House, before we remodeled, there were a group of desks along the wall and Teense and Bill sat right next to the wall. Everything you said next to the wall went up the wall and down onto the Speaker [of the House], so he could hear everything,” said Mockler. “Teense and Bill would sit and tell the most ridiculous off color jokes and stories about growing up. I would just laugh. You couldn’t contain yourself. I had been in the legislature for two days. The Speaker stops and says ‘Before we get any farther into this process, I think Representatives Mockler, Willford and Vasey have some stories to tell us.’”

Teense was even a co-conspirator in a move pulled by the newly elected House Members in 1993. According to Case, when it was time for roll call none of the new representatives were in their seats. Teense emerged onto the balcony overlooking the chamber and announced the “Class of 1993” before both Republican and Democrats alike marched through the doors and towards their respective desks.

“That just tells you a little bit about his sense of humor,” said Case.

While he may have been known for his humor, he was also known for his embodiment of what many people believe Wyoming was, is and can continue to be.

“In ranching, as much as any place in Wyoming, you learn that you’re always going to be available to give a helping hand because you’re going to need one someday,” said Geringer. “That’s the true character of Wyoming. The person you disagree with in the House today is the guy who might pull you out of the snowbank tomorrow.”

As Stacy and Mark recall, Teense quite literally embodied that statement from Geringer when they were younger.

“When the school bus couldn’t come all the way to the house because it snowed, he would be digging out the school bus or driving all the kids along Cow Creek [to school] or we’d have to drive on the snowmachine to the bus,” said Stacy.

Mentorship and Counsel

Whether it was his children or those he knew through his day-to-day life, Teense often served as a mentor and counsel. According to Mark, he learned to work on cars and weld from his father beginning at a young age.

“I remember when I was 12 years old, I put a starter in our 1977 [Jeep] Wagoneer,” said Mark. “Dad just said ‘Here you go.’”

Rather than standing by and watching Mark work on the Wagoneer, Teense let him work on the vehicle himself and walk back-and-forth to the house when he had questions. Teense’s counsel was often sought by friends and acquaintances.

“Teense was a great friend to both my father and me. He was always willing to share his advice and experience, which is something that I will always cherish,” said U.S. Representative Harriet Hageman (R - Wyoming), whose father James Hageman served with Teense in the Wyoming Legislature. “I considered him one of my very best advisors, and he will be sorely missed.”

Senator Cynthia Lummis, who served in the Wyoming Legislature with Teense, shared similar sentiments.

“Teense Willford was more than just our ‘Voice of the Valley’; he was a diligent public servant, cherished family member and friend,” said Lummis. “I will forever be grateful for his incredible musical talent, humor, friendship and counsel.”

Geringer, before he was governor, served his last two years in the Wyoming Senate the same time Teense served in the House.

“You know the House and the Senate have this little rivalry about which one [is] the superior intellect,” said Geringer. “If I ever needed just some good common sense, I’d go look up Teense.”

‘Always My Hero’

Teense, along with being a generational native to the Valley and a legislator, was also a veteran. He served in the United States Army during the Cold War and was stationed in West Berlin. He was a member of the Angus England American Legion Post No. 54 and the Platte Valley VFW Post No. 6125.

“When he was heading home, Teense always said ‘It’s time to go back to Saratoga where I am respected and loved,” said VFW Vice Commander Bob Herring.

“Teense always gave every inch of himself to those around him. He was very proud of his military service,” said VFW Commander Jason Campbell. “The VFW funeral tribute says it all: ‘As a brave man he served faithfully with abiding faith in God, his county and his flag.’ He will be greatly missed.”

Even as adults, Stacy and Mark speak about their father with loving reverence as they remember the many ventures he undertook whether it was state representative, Chamber CEO or even as a partner with Gary and Sue Stevenson in the Saratoga Sun. Through it all, Sandy stood behind Teense.

“It was never unusual. Everything he did, it was just second nature,” said Mark. “Of course, mom was behind him in everything.”

“Or even if she wasn’t, she faked it,” said Stacy. “She did tell him the last couple years when he ran for office, ‘If you run again, you're dead meat.’”

That apparent lack of fear for taking on new ventures, said Mark, meant Teense “was always my hero.”

“Growing up, we didn’t really understand the impact he had on people’s lives until you start thinking about all the things he’s done. Obviously, he was special to us,” said Mark. “It just felt like our family’s been sharing him with the world forever and it’s just natural.”

Donations can be made in Teense’s memory to the Platte Valley Legacy Foundation P.O. Box 1274 Saratoga, Wyoming 82331.

Services for Teense Willford will be held at 2 p.m. on September 28 at the Saratoga Middle High School Gym.