Longtime Jackson resident Marie Trautman, age 92, passed away peacefully at her home in Jackson early Friday September 1, 2023 surrounded by her family. Nothing was more important to Marie than family and friends.

Marie Louise Brown was born in Palmerton, Pennsylvania on October 24, 1930, to Mary (nee Frank) and Andrew Brown. Despite being born during the Great Depression, she had a happy childhood growing up in Lehighton and Perkasie, PA, playing with her lifelong best friend Glenna Fargo (nee Jackson). Glenna and her husband Eric bought a summer home along the Hoback River in 1979.

At 15, Marie began dating the love of her life, Russell Trautman. After graduation in 1948, she worked as a keypunch operator earning $40 per week, while Russ joined the Navy. The two were married in 1950 after Russ's discharge, and they began their family in Pennsylvania. Marie and Russ operated a vending and amusement machine business before taking over Moyer's Bakery in 1965 from Don and Janet Moyer, who moved their family to Jackson after purchasing the Hitching Post Lodge.

The bakery was a family operation, with Marie running the front of the house. She managed a small group of workers that prepped and finished everything coming out of the coal-fired open-hearth ovens. Marie stocked the showcases every morning, ran the cash register, and developed a life-long love for a good donut.

In 1970, Marie and Russ moved the family to Jackson, following in the Moyer's footsteps. For the next 26 years, they owned and operated the Broken Arrow Ranch, a dude ranch (in 70's jargon) located on the Hoback River. Like most ranch owners in those days, they both wore many hats. Marie was the ranch hostess, but that was the easy part. She also managed reservations, advertising, purchasing, the cabin and kitchen staff, and many summers ended up working as ranch cook. Even back then, cooks were hard to find and harder to keep. At the Broken Arrow Marie taught many people how to clean, giving rise to the saying "it may be clean, but it's not Marie Trautman clean."

In the seventies, the off season stretched from November to April, leaving plenty of time for socializing with a tight-knit group of friends. During the long winters while the boys were in school and Beth was away at college, Marie and Russ spent many happy, sub-zero days ice fishing on Jackson Lake with good friends Irv and Ruth Kehe, Ralph and Meta Sternberg, and Bert and Meg Raynes.

In the mid-70s, Marie and Russ built an RV park, the Best Holiday Trav-L-Park, on 18 acres of ranch property. Marie worked long hours in the office, and family and friends helped make the business a success. Marie's cousin Sue and her husband Bob Kirkpatrick took shifts behind the registration desk, during summer breaks from teaching. Local friends assisted with daily chores and many campers who came as guests would go on to spend their summers pitching in.

As the campground became established, the Broken Arrow ceased to be an active guest ranch and the cabins were rented year-round. Many who lived at the Broken Arrow became Marie's surrogate children and lifelong friends, among them long time locals, Steve Hockett, Alyson Crouch, Suzanne Young, Doug Meyer, Kris and Dennis Murtagh, and too many others to count.

Additionally, Marie served the community as a member of the Jackson Chamber of Commerce, helping to promote the tourist business for dude ranches, the Town of Jackson, and the State of Wyoming.

After retiring in 1996, Marie and Russ continued to make their home in Jackson, moving to a house on Cole Canyon Road along the Snake River and then to a condominium in Eagle Village in 2008. Marie's Swedish weavings never failed to win a ribbon at the Teton County Fair and were often featured at auctions at the Hoback Fire Department's annual picnic. (Marie and Russ hosted many early picnics at the campground.)

RV trips were a nice escape from Jackson's long winters and led to friends old and new in warmer places. Ultimately, these excursions took them to Yuma, Arizona, where they had a winter home until Russ passed in December 2017.

Marie continued to live in her condo at Eagle Village, surrounded by memories of friends and loved ones. Cabinetry and other items made by her beloved son-in-law Gib Stennis, who passed away in 2022, featured prominently. She also often mentioned the many items that had been given to her over the years by dear friends Glenna and Meta.

In her final years, Marie remained as sharp as ever, even as mobility became a challenge. She gave up cable for Apple TV after age 90 and mastered the iPad and iPhone with surprising ease, despite waning vision. Marie was a wiz at crossword puzzles and was always "one helluva card player." She was a regular at pinochle at the Senior Center for many years.

Marie never lost her taste for Pennsylvania Dutch staples like pork and sauerkraut, ring bologna, shoefly pie, and funny cake, but she always kept an open mind and was never afraid to try new things. Fromage and brioche were recent additions to her palate.

Marie is survived by her sister Laura Kacerik of Spring Hill, FL; son Philip (Cathy Dombi) of Jackson, WY; son Russell (Jeannie) of Mesquite, NV; daughter Beth Stennis of Windsor, CO; grandson John Stennis (Matt Morgan) of Alpine, WY; and cousin Sue Kirkpatrick (Bob) of Santa Fe, NM.

Special thanks to Marie's caregiver Diane Fisher, of Bedford, Wyo, friend and neighbor Janet Jones for her thoughtfulness and hours of companionship, and all those who helped make sure that what proved to be Marie's final summer was a memorable one filled with parades, picnics, and performances.

A Mass in Marie's honor will be held in Jackson at 10AM on Saturday, September 16th at Our Lady of the Mountains Catholic Church, 201 S Jackson Street. A luncheon will follow. A public celebration of Marie's life will be planned for next spring or fall.

The family requests that donations in Marie's memory be made to Jackson Hole Fire/EMS Foundation, P.O. Box 7366, Jackson, WY 83001.