Kim Oxley was born at Memorial Hospital in Cheyenne toCorbin Delos Fowler and Marjorie Williams Fowler on September 6, 1950, and died at home on January 20, 2026, with her husband of 47 years (Steve) by her side. She is survived by her brother and sister-in-law Corbin Hampton and Patti Fowler (Erie, Pennsylvania), nephew Corbin Sterling Fowler, and her goddaughter, Meg Garrett (Torrington). She was proceeded in death by grandparents Berta and Sterling Case of Cheyenne. Her favorite relatives included Anne and Harry Sager (Lusk and Houston) and Uncle Roy Williams. Kim and I were married at home in Cheyenne on August 26, 1978, by the Rev. John M. Pattison. It must have stuck because we were together for 47 years.

She graduated from Cheyenne Central High in 1966, received a B.S. in Sociology from the University of Wyoming; her favorite teacher was Dr. Richard Harper. Kim attended the Law Enforcement Academy at Douglas and took many cutting lessons and classes.

Her working career began with dipping goldfish out of a tank at a dime store in Cheyenne. Working for the State of Wyoming for many years, she showed a knack for making friends who would last a lifetime: Billie Williams and Chuck Hope, (Fire Prevention and Electrical Safety); her husband to be, Secretary of State: Thyra Thomson, Jackie Corklin (Secretary of State's office), at the

Department of Probation and Parole: Bob Ortega, Steve Lindly, coworkers Ila (John) Bishop, Shane Sconce, Kris Danni, David Gill, her supervisor, Linda G (Pete) Gullicks, and many others. Her job brought more friends in the legal and law enforcement community: King Tristani (BFF), Ed Grant, Rob Korber, Donna Reekins, and others at the CPD and LCSO. Kim had an uncanny ability to work successfully with especially difficult probationers, parolees, and her husband.

Kim loved most animals, especially horses, cats, and dogs. She was introduced to horses during Frontier Days in 1954 when an itinerant photographer perched her on his pony and took a picture. She was so small she couldn't reach the stirrups or the reins, but it made an impression which began her lifelong love of horses. Most notable among her horses were Scout, Smooth Champagne, Mr. Dry Acres (Sasha) and Wilson’s Freckle. Kim loved cutting (cattle and baby buffs!], working cow horse, team roping (heeler), and barrel racing. She tried her hand at pole bending, and any other sport having to do with quarter horses. The day before she passed, she again showed me her favorite photograph of all time, which ran on the first page of the January 28, 1997, issue of the Wyoming Tribune-Eagle, entitled “The Drive Into Work” which pictured her with Doran and Claudia Lummis driving 500 head of cattle up a snowy road to the main ranch for vaccination and calving. (Doran liked the picture too, and he used it for the cover photo for his history of the Lummis Ranch.)

One of her goals was to become a winning cutter. She won, placed, showed and sometimes “donated" in competitions in Wyoming, Utah, and northern Colorado. During her cutting days, she became lifelong friends with many of the people she met. Among these were John "Mr.President” and Judy Hayes (Wheatland), Deb Simpson (Cody), Betsy Taliermo (Jackson), Mark Dunning (Saratoga), Jana Greenfield, Emily Delyea (Cody) and Mark Bernhardt (Owl Canyon, Colorado). One of her most prized wins was her $500 Limited Rider championship buckle, awarded by the High Plains Cutting Horse Club in 2003. She also prized her first barrel racing buckle, and her first Certificate of Achievement from the NCHA.

Her first favorite performance horse was Scout. We have a photograph of her riding bareback on Scout over a jump in Frontier Arena in 1996 when she was only 15 years old. That year she won a horsemanship competition to become Miss Warren Air Force Base, leading the Frontier Days parades and Frontier Park serpentines carrying the American flag. With Elaine Ferguson, Chris Ledoux, and Scout, she formed a 3-person winning rodeo team at those Frontier Days. (Chris escorted her to the St. Mary’s High senior prom that year.) Another adventure we laughed about just before her passing was her riding Scout from Cheyenne to Fort Collins in a single day with two friends— all three decided to cheat a little, getting a ride back to the Wyoming border the next day for themselves and their horses for a triumphant horseback entry into Cheyenne.

Kim was blessed with a circle of priceless friends who loved and cared for and about her: Glen and Susie Garrett, Jon and Polly Derksen (Grover, Colorado), Mikel Heath, Glen Schneider, Chris Petrie, Shawnna Hopper and her son Hudson, Shawnna's father and mother, Pat and Patti Hopper, Craig and Ida Hendee (Estes Park), Linda G and Pete (proprietor of wyohalter) Gullicks and Joe Corrigan.

Kim was at first a dog person (four Dobermans) converted into a Momcat by Holmes, a one-eared all white tomcat who decided our house would make a good forever home. Then came her “urban sophisticats: William of Orange, Sable, Ted, Tashi, and Riley — the last three being half-sisters with their crazy uncle Ted. They brought much laughter and joy to her last days. Special thanks to Drs. Gary Norwood and Samantha Vernon and the staff at Frontier Veterinary Clinic. We discussed The Rainbow Bridge often and hoped it were true. We still do.

Kim passworded her electronic devices, so we can’t read the posts and inquiries she received after passing. The process for getting lock codes is long and tedious, but please know that every post and message will be answered.

Finally, thanks to Dr. Carol Fischer, her staff, the home palliative care team at Davis Hospice, and the CRMC home and hospital doctors and nurses. They helped and comforted her all along the way.

Kim wanted no services to be held, and asked people to play “Bridge Over Troubled Water” by Simon and Garfunkel and remember. In lieu of flowers, please consider donating in her name to her favorite charity, the Cheyenne Animal Shelter.

Schrader, Aragon & Jacoby funeral home is in charge of the arrangements and cremation has taken place. Please add your thoughts about the good times in the guest book below this obituary.