In 1919 the family moved to Gillette, Wyo., where her parents homesteaded south of Gillette. Mossie lived there her younger years, attending school in a country school house. She was later sent to Gillette to attend high school and boarded with a local family there.
She was graduated from high school at Campbell County High School. After high school, she took more schooling as a teacher. She later taught school at a country school in the same area she had once gone herself.
Mossie met her future husband, Raymond Percifield, in Gillette and they married in 1935. To that marriage was born three daughters, Betty Hayden (Ken), Patty Powell (Walter) and Sandra Young all of Rangely. Betty and Ken had three boys, Mark, Kent Carl and Kris. Patty and Walter had four children, Pam, Raymond (Dusty), Judy, and Brett. Sandra had one daughter Lona Dee (Lonnie).
Mossie had 11 grandchildren, 13 great grandchildren and 18 great-great grandchildren.
Mossie and Raymond lived in Gillete until 1941, when they moved to Wendover, Utah, with Raymond’s trucking business. There, he helped build the Wendover airbase during World War II.
They later purchased a casino and ran that until 1947, when they moved to Rangely and purchased the Ace Hi Club.
In Rangely, they worked as a team. Raymond took care of the bar business and Mossie took over the café where she put out the best meals in town.
During the years they ran the business, they met and had many friends who supported them until they sold out in 1973.
Mossie and Raymond supported many town and school activities in the community, helping start the Rangely Saddle Club and putting on the Rangely Days rodeo. They also worked to get the first golf course set up. There was no end to what they helped to do.
Mossie was a member of the Christian Church and a faithful member of the Rangely Christian Church for 68 years. She was also a supporter of her grandchildren, great grandchildren and her great-great grandchildren in all their athletics for several years.
Mossie was preceded in death by her husband, Raymond, one grandson, Kent Carl Hayden, eight siblings and her mother and father.
Mossie will be greatly missed by family and friends.
Graveside services will be conducted at 11 a.m. on Friday, April 8, 2016, at the Rangely Cemetery. Services are under the direction of Blackburn Vernal Mortuary.
I’m sorry to hear of Mossie’s death. I lived in Rangely in the late 60’s and early 70’s and played golf often with Ray. I worked with the Crabb’s at The Insurance Office. I fondly miss the Percifields, McMullens, Meyers, Duncans and all the old timers who worked so hard to build Rangely. I now am retired and living in Tucson with my wife Joanna. Both sons, Brett and Jeff are married. Brett living in Clarkdale, AZ, and Jeff in Forest Ranch, CA. My best wishes to all residents of Rangely and I appreciate the Herald’s postings that I often read.