Karey Irene Hongola

Karey Irene (DeHaven) Ward Hongola passed away on November 18, 2022 at the home of her daughter, Sandra Kumpf,  in Henderson, Nevada. She was 89 years old.

Karey was born on April 25, 1933 at Langlois, Oregon, the daughter of John Finley and Arila (Johnson) DeHaven. Because of her mother’s death and her father’s serious illness, she was raised by her aunt, Hilda (Johnson) and her husband James Claude Allsup along with their sons, James and Timothy. Karey attended school in Oregon, graduating from Phoenix High School in 1951.

Karey came to Wyoming to participate in a cousin's wedding and met Charley Claud Ward. They were married on Charley’s birthday, November 29, 1953 at the Congregational Church in Lusk, Wyoming. Charley had two sons, Alfred Claud and Robert Charles, and he and Karey had a daughter, Sandra Kay, and two sons, Wade William and Criss Nolan.

Karey and Charley mainly lived in Manville except for a couple of years when they were at the Julius Peterson ranch north of Lance Creek. Charley’s unexpected death on August 23, 1971 left Karey a single parent with three children to raise. She managed and all three graduated from Niobrara County High School as had Alfred and Bob.

On July 18, 1981 Karey married Ernest Spaney and added six more children to her family: Linda, Darrel, June, Roger and Casey. Karey and Ernest lived in Riverton, Wyoming until 1991 when they purchased a house in Lakeside, Oregon. Ernest passed away June 20, 1993. Karey remained in Oregon and cared for her aunt and uncle in Medford. After their deaths, she married James Martin Hongola September 3, 2002, and they lived in Coos Bay until Jim’s death on January 8, 2012. In June 2012, Karey returned to Wyoming to live with her son Wade, and his wife, Debra, in Rolling Hills. After she suffered a stroke in 2014, she made her home with her daughter, Sandra, and her husband, Bill, in Henderson, Nevada until her death.

Karey worked at the Lusk State Bank, the Lusk Herald, the Lusk Police Department as a dispatcher, and for the UPS in Riverton as a package handler.

Karey liked traveling, and she often included her mother-in law, Ruth Ward, in her trips. She also enjoyed belonging to the Manville Homemakers, helping kids with their 4-H projects, and doing Tri-Chem painting.

Karey was preceded in death by her three husbands, her parents, her aunt and uncle, siblings Gray Marie DeHaven, James Allsup, Timothy Allsup, her parents-in-law, Zeb W. and Ruth Ward, brothers-in law, Grant Ward and his wife Ella Marie, Raymond E. Smith, sister-in-law, Ethel “Kit” Ward, daughter-in-law, Melody (Riddle) Ward, son, Darrel Zane Spaney, daughter Linda (Spaney) Miller, grandson Jimmy Joe Fisher, and numerous aunts, uncles and cousins.

Karey is survived by her children: Alfred (Linda) Ward, of Lake Forest, California, Robert (Laurie) Ward of Power, Montana, Sandra (William) Kumpf of Henderson, Nevada, Wade (Debra) Ward of Rolling Hills, Wyoming, Criss Ward of Abeline, Texas, June (Spaney) Berg of North Dakota, Roger Spaney of Utah, Casey Spaney of Rock Springs, Wyoming, and their families, brother-in-law, Fred E. Ward of Riverton, Wyoming, sister-in-law May Ellen (Ward) Smith of Manville Wyoming, plus numerous nieces, nephews, and cousins.

Burial was in the Dellview Cemetery at Manville Wyoming on June 11, 2023.

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