Olive Crago, 98 of Aladdin, Wyoming, passed away July 2, 2016, at Crook County Memorial Hospital in Sundance, Wyoming. She was born, Olive Katherine Hamilton on November 17, 1917 in Conrad, Montana. She was the daughter of Oliver Hamilton and Margaret Barrett-Hamilton.
During her childhood, Olive and her family moved often. They lived in California, Montana, Wyoming and Colorado. Eventually, the family settled in the Black Hills near Beulah, Wyoming. While in her teens, Olive met Charles Leo Crago. He asked her mother and father for their permission to date Olive. They knew Leo before he met Olive and loved him very much. For dates they would go fishing, to the movies in Spearfish, to local dances, and to skate parties. Olive and Leo were married on November 5, 1938, in Rapid City, South Dakota. Due to Olive’s mother’s failing health, she and Leo decided to settle at the Crago Ranch near Beulah, giving her the opportunity to help with her mother’s care.
In September of 1939 the first of three children was born. Jerry Russell was born September 12, 1939, followed by Sydney Lavell on January 1, 1942 and Patricia Genevieve on March 18, 1944.
In the fall of 1948 Olive and Leo purchased a ranch located in the Breaks approximately seven miles north of Beulah and southeast of Aladdin. They planned to move to their new home in March of 1949, but due to the Blizzard of 1949 their plans to move into their new home were postponed until May of that year. Over the years Olive worked with Leo running the ranch alongside their son, Jerry and his wife, Pam. She was an avid gardener, raised chickens, ran a dairy and tended her own sheep herd for many years.
Her grandchildren fondly knew Olive as “Nanny”. She enjoyed sitting for hours telling stories of her family, childhood and the many years she spent with the love of her life, Leo on the ranch.
Olive is survived by her daughter, Sydney (Robert) Shoun; daughter-in-law, Pam Crago; son-in-law, Eldon “Bum” (Marty) Mollenbrink; grandchildren, Beth (Dave) Ellsbury, Juli (Tim Fitzer) Shoun, Brenda (Chuck) Diehl, Miles (Heather) Shoun, Parker (Kyndell) Shoun, Jodi (Justin) Wyllie, Clint (Jodi) Crago, Brandon (Julie) Crago, Tricia (Sam) Harvey, Amanda (Jerry) Watt; great grandchildren, Levi (Kara) Ellsbury, Morgan (Jenna) Ellsbury, Colter (Sarah) Ellsbury, Whitney (Jeff) Stull, Shayla (Leo) O’Brien, Charles “Zeb” Diehl, Ashlynn Shoun, Myah Shoun, Kohlee Shoun, Shyla Shoun, Zoey Shoun, Bevan Beck, Megan Beck, Dylan Wyllie, Brooklyn Wyllie, Brayden Crago, Caelan Crago, Deyvn Crago, Riley Crago, Haley Crago, Bryant Harvey, Gavin Watt, Owen Watt, Porter Watt; great-great grandchildren, Ella, Livia, Ember Olive, Lyman, Ridley, Maddie and Clyde.
She was preceded in death by her parents; brothers, Wallace, Homer, Robert and Wayne Hamilton; husband Leo; daughter Patty and son Jerry.
A viewing will be held at 1 p.m. followed by a Funeral Service at 2 p.m. on July 6, 2016, at Fidler-Isburg Funeral Chapel in Spearfish. Burial will be at Rose Hill Cemetery in Spearfish. In lieu of flowers, a memorial has been established to Aladdin Volunteer Fire Department.
