The City of Rawlins is receiving a generous gift from the children of Vern and Della Vivion, prominent Rawlins businesspeople, ranchers and community leaders.
The family has commissioned statues of a ewe and her two lambs, which are being positioned in front of the Historic Depot on 4th and Front Streets. The statues were created by the esteemed bronze artist Chris Navarro who is known for his large monumental bronze sculptures of Wildlife, Native American, Western, and Inspirational subjects in museums and around the country. The City of Rawlins would like to thank Rawlins DDA/Main Street staff and volunteers for taking the lead of placement and installation of these sculptures.
The ribbon cutting ceremony will take place Tuesday, October 20th at 6pm at the Historic Depot at 400 W. Front Street. Refreshments will follow the ceremony.
Della Maier Vivion was a prominent Rawlins businesswoman and community leader. Della served as the first women Mayor of Rawlins from 1987-1989 who worked throughout her life on behalf of innumerable causes including the revitalization of downtown Rawlins, historic preservation, and support for the arts throughout Wyoming. An innovative entrepreneur, she established The Cedar Chest in 1976 and added a fine art gallery in 1984. Della was the founding member and charter president of the Downtown Merchants Association and was named “Woman of the Year” by the American Association of University Women. Della also served with distinction on the Board of Directors of the Wyoming Community Development Authority, the Wyoming Arts Council, the University of Wyoming Art Museum, and was president of the Wyoming Woolgrowers Auxiliary. She served on the Board of Directors of Head Start, chaired the COVE board, and was president of Church Women United and the League of Women Voters. For all of the things Della gave to our community and Wyoming, she gave the most and best of herself to her family.
Vern Vivion was a prominent Carbon County native and longtime rancher who was President of Rocky Mountain Sheep Company, Leo Sheep Company, Elk Mountain Safari, Inc. and partner in the Clover Valley Ranch. He served two terms in the Wyoming House of Representatives, was chairman of the Council of State Governments Western Division Agricultural Committee, served as chairman of the national committee to draft an interstate compact for the control of agricultural pests and diseases, was selected as Wyoming’s representative to the Interstate Conference on Water Problems, and served as chairman of the Wyoming Council for Economic Development. He chaired the Wyoming Higher Education Council, was a member of the University of Wyoming Agricultural Advisory Committee, and chairman of the Governor’s committee on Vocational-Technical education. He was President of the Wyoming Wool Growers Association and two-term President of the National Woolgrowers Association. He graduated from Rawlins High School in 1944. His greatest job was his family, and he was blessed with three daughters.
For more information, please contact Mira Miller, City of Rawlins Community Relations Coordinator, at 307-328-4500 ext. 1022.
