Worland resident Alice Lass turns 85

Blowing out 80 birthday candles today is Worland resident Alice Lass.

"I was born in a little A-frame house on the west side of the river on the county line," reflects Alice. "You should see the house now, it looks as bad as I do."

Born on June 20, 1932, to Ralph and Sylvia Reed, Alice was one of five children. Her dad was a farmer; and with her mother working outside of the home, Alice had to bare the task of cooking for her family.

"I was a self-taught cook," she said. "Standing on a wooden box to reach the top of the coal stove, a lot of the meals were pretty awful since it was all trial and error."

Taking care of a big family, required Alice's parents to move around quite frequently, going where money could be earned.

She graduated from Cody High School in 1950, where she was quite active and a popular student among her peers. Following high school graduation Alice worked at the First National Bank of Cody for several years and attended the town's Methodist Church where she was baptized as a young adult.

As fate would have it, Alice met her future husband – a tall and handsome man, who barely spoke a word – during a dance at the Princess. The Princess was a popular and lively place back in the 1950s in Ten Sleep.

"This tall guy kept asking me to dance, but he never said a word," Alice said laughing.

It took Con Lass a courtship of three years before he could convince his spirited girlfriend to marry him.

"I kept telling myself over and over 'I'm not going to marry a farmer', but Con convinced me and we were married on Nov. 7, 1954, in the old Zion Lutheran Church, then located on Grace Ave."

Their union produced three living children: Stan (Joy), Janet (John) Snyder, both of Worland, and Con Jr. (Holly) of Alexandria, Virginia. The family tree branches out to six grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.

A busy homemaker, Alice managed to find the time to teach 4-H. She was a cooking instructor for 20 years and sewing instructor for 15 years. She also helped with Make-it-With-Wool.

Both she and Con were active in their church and nearly every Sunday the couple could be found singing with the Chancel Choir.

An out-going person by nature, Alice went to work outside of the family home, working for her daughter's business (Janet's Boutique) and sister and brother-in-law's business (Country Living).

Alice was also a main fixture at the auction yards, 45 years as a matter of fact.

"I went to the World Wide College of Auctioneering for 13 days in 1988 and for 25 years was a clerk and 20 years worked in the office," she said.

In 1987 Alice was elected as a county commissioner. So how did she get started in politics you ask?

"Con and I were reading the county minutes one day and he thought some of the commissioners' decisions were pitiful," said Alice. "'Why don't you run'? Con asked me. He thought I had good common sense."

She was in office for 14 years and enjoyed her time in office saying a lot of the work was done as a team effort. Something she is proud of during her tenure was pushing hard to get a building constructed for the Washakie County Search and Rescue volunteers.

"They were having to keep their equipment at their homes," said Alice.

Alice is a charter member of Today's Homemakers. During the interview, Alice received a gorgeous bouquet from a 'secret sister' with the group.

She has honed her cooking skills over the years and family and friends alike love her pies.

"I even taught my little grandkids how to make pie dough," she said.

Her memories are bittersweet, and she tries not to recall too much; because after 62 years of marriage, her true love died the day after Christmas in 2016.

"A farmer's life is tough and we have had a lot of tough times," said Alice. "But Con would always tell me 'With the Lord's help we'll keep on a going'."

Alice has seen the fruits of her labors – from the chicken feed sack dresses she had to wear as a little girl, to raising a loving family with her beloved husband, to a successful career in politics and faithful employee.

"My family is my biggest accomplishment," said Alice. That family she speaks so fondly of will honor their mother and grandmother at a family barbecue.

May you have more birthday celebrations Alice, a lady I adoringly call 'Cousin Alice.'