Catherine Carol (Gugler) Hampe, 86, of Laramie, WY, passed away peacefully with her daughters at her side on New Years Day, 2025, after a courageous battle with lung cancer, despite never having smoked a day in her life. Her strength and grace throughout this journey were a testament to her indomitable spirit. Catherine was born in St. Catherine’s Hospital at McCook, NE, to Lester and Glenva (Catlett) Gugler Dec. 24, 1938. She graduated from High School in Lisbon, IA and completed her nursing education as a Registered Nurse from St. Luke’s Hospital School of Nursing in Cedar Rapids, IA in 1960. She then enjoyed her profession as a nurse for more than 30 years working in offices of surgeons, and in hospitals with duties ranging from regular floor duty to intensive care units, emergency rooms, and supervisory positions. Catherine contracted Multiple Sclerosis in 1991. With the difficulties caused by MS, she left nursing and worked another 12 years in the Medical Records Department primarily as a coder at Ivinson Hospital in Laramie, WY before her retirement at age 64. Her career in the field of health care spanned 43 years.
She married Gary Hampe in 1962, a year after meeting the Summer of 1961 in a YMCA camp on the Des Moines River north of Des Moines, IA. Catherine was the camp nurse, Gary a counselor. They lived in a number of different locations while Gary was completing his education and finding a job—Iowa (6 years) and Wyoming since 1969 except for a 3-year period in Mississippi. She moved to Elko two years ago after Gary passed to be closer to both her daughters.
Catherine placed her family first, enjoyed music to the nth degree, especially classical music, which carried her through the struggles with Multiple Sclerosis and breast cancer. Her enthusiasm was seen in her favorite activities over the years–camping in the Snowy Range, watching Netflix, growing flowers, and watching the antics of the hummingbirds with flowers and the food battles over their feeder. Catherine was an expert seamstress. She began in junior high school sewing her own clothes. It was just the beginning as seen in her wedding dress, clothes for her daughters when they arrived, her husband, art pieces of varying complexities involving sewing and the later years of quilts for many relatives and charity.
Catherine was preceded in death by her husband, Gary, parents Lester and Glenva Gugler, father and mother-in-law, Donald and Enid Joyce Hampe, a very special aunt, June Gugler, a nephew, Terry Gugler, and a niece, Kristina Gugler, Brother-in-law, Clark Hampe of Tyler, TX, and Sister-in-law, Julie Hampe Bull of Hackensack, MN.
She leaves behind two daughters: Karla Wehner (Elko, NV) and Anita (Randy) Artz (Battle Mountain, NV); Grandchildren, Garrett (Emily) Wehner and great-grandsons, Atreus and Cyrus of Adams, MN, Keetna Smith of Reno, NV and Kira Artz of Ramstein Airforce Base, Germany, Reese Artz in Dillon, MT, Jayda (Jeremy) Basinger and great granddaughter Kouver in Battle Mountain, NV; Brothers: Walter (Katie) Gugler of Stanwood, IA, Donald (Carol) Gugler of Ely, IA, A. Wayne (Shirley) Gugler of Mount Vernon, IA; Brother-in-law, , James Bull of Hackensack, MN, and Sister-in-law Patricia Hampe of Tyler, TX; and numerous cousins, nieces, and nephews.
As per request, Catherine wishes her body to be cremated and laid to rest in Green Hill Cemetery next to her husband, Gary. There will be graveside services at a later date. Memorial gifts may be made to The National MS Society or Guiding Light Hospice of Elko, NV.