Roxanna Geneva Mccollam

Roxanna Geneva McCollam was born May 26, 1932 in Sioux Falls, SD. She died September 29, 2016 in Grand Junction, CO. Her parents were Stearl and Gudrun (Peterson) Gonyo. Roxanna attended five different one room country schools to complete first through eighth grade. She enjoyed riding her horse to and from school. She took fresh sliced onion sandwiches to school for lunch until her teacher said no more onion sandwiches and they smell up the school. Roxanna went on to graduate valedictorian from the Baltic High School in Baltic, SD. She later received a Bachelor's of Fine Arts in Education from the University of Wyoming.

Roxanna's family were dairy farmers. Roxanna was awarded 4-H Winner in Dairy and attended the National Club Congress in Chicago, IL. Several of the families' Brown Swiss and Ayrshires were county, state, and national champions.

While in college she met and married Philip B. McCollam. The formed a housing construction company in Yankton, SD with several extended family members. In 1961, Phil took a job with the United States Geological Survey (Water Resources Division). The family moved to Casper, WY. The McCollam's moved fourteen times all around Wyoming. They built homes in Worland, Green River, and two homes in Riverton, WY.

As the children grew the family became involved in Little League, Babe Ruth, 4-H, Jobs Daughters, Blue Birds, Brownies, Boy and Girl Scouts, Sunday School, Bible School, Girl's Softball, and school activities which included many sports.

Roxanna was a substitute school teacher for thirty-six years throughout Wyoming.

Roxanna will be buried at the East Nidaros Lutheran Cemetery near Baltic, SD. She will be the fifth generation to be buried in this country cemetery.

Survivors include: five children, thirteen grand children, and one great grand child. Son-Richard McCollam and wife Tracy and their sons Jack and Ryan from Lafayette, CA. Daughter-in-law Carol McCollam and daughter Katie from Orangevale, CA. Daughter- Susan and husband Cal from Grand Junction, CO and their son William and wife Shannon and son Liam from Lakewoood, CO. Son-Paul and wife Vida reside in Idaho Falls, ID. Their son Phillip and his wife Ellen live in Buckhannon, WV. Daughter-Gwenith Hofeldt and husband Todd and their children Tricia and Michael of Milboro, SD, Matthew Walker and girlfriend Trisha Krieghoff and children Sadie and Lexo are from Las Vegas, NV. Misti Novotny and husband Chase live in Phoenix, AZ. Duaghter-Mary Erdahl and husband Jerry with son Scott and Friscoe are from Glenburn, ND, Katie of Lignite, ND, and John of Fisher, MN.

Roxanna was very proud of all her children and their spouses. She was even prouder of her grand children and their significant others. But she was most proud to be a great grandma to Liam!

Those who may want to donate in memory of Roxanna might choose:

Riverton United Methodist Church 1116 W Park Ave. Riverton, WY 82501

HopeWest Hospice 3090B N 12th St. Grand Junction, CO 81506

Heifer.org