Faith Ellen Dryer

Posted

TORRINGTON – Faith Ellen Dryer, 70, of Torrington, died Jan. 25, 2020, of a heart attack. A much-loved sister, aunt, daughter, great aunt, and friend, she dearly loved and was wonderful to her family and was dedicated to her nieces and nephews,who called her Ta, and especially close to four sons of dear friends in Wisconsin. She helped raise multiple children, even though she did not have any herself.

She is survived by her sister and brother-in-law, Diana Dryer Wright and William Wright of McLean, Va., her niece and nephews, Elizabeth, Jason, and Edwin, her great-niece and -nephews, Lillian, Robin, and Winston, and many dear friends. She was preceded in death by her parents, Dorothea Merrill Dryer and Edwin Jason Dryer of Washington, DC. Her father died less than a year ago at the age of 102. 

Faith was born in Salt Lake City and lived in Torrington for more than 40 years. Faith grew up in Washington, DC, following her father’s military career, and spent weekends on the family farm in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia. There she witnessed the struggles of the human rights movement, which made her a life-long Democrat and supporter of the Southern Poverty Law Center and social justice causes. Although it took almost 50 years, she was delighted that Virginia finally passed the Equal Rights Amendment in 2020. Faith was a life-long Unitarian Universalist who attended the Prairie Vista Unitarian Universalist Church in Scottsbluff, Neb. 

Faith was adopted through a private adoption, but for medical reasons reached out in her 30s to her birth mother, whom she came to know and love and the two enjoyed a warm relationship. Happy to have two mothers, Faith cared for her birth mother when her birth mother became ill with colon cancer, from which she died.

Faith was a proud alumna of Rowland Hall-St. Mark’s School in Salt Lake City and Northland College in Ashland, Wisc. Faith was an English major who loved words, and she chose Northland because of its emphasis on environmental education. While she was at Rowland Hall, Faith won a national contest as a Betty Crocker Homemaker of Tomorrow for her cooking, sewing, and merchandising skills. She did beautiful embroidery, including blackwork, bargello, and cross stitch. She made many decorations for her family, and her work continues to brighten every room it is in.

While driving across the country after college to visit family in Cheyenne, she drove through Torrington and decided immediately that it was where she wanted to live. Faith worked in retail, as a credit officer and as a personal assistant, and she taught needlework at Eastern Wyoming College. She loved shopping and was an expert at finding treasures on sale. She was an enthusiastic member and former state officer of the Wyoming Business and Professional Women. 

Faith traveled by way of books and on her computer and e-reader. She loved British history, irises, and rocks. She was a master of trivia that constantly amazed her acquaintances. She was a creative cook and baker and loved reading cookbooks. She loved watching M*A*S*H, Bones, and Star Trek, and she enjoyed writing “fan fiction” to supplement shows’ story lines, for which she accumulated her own fans online. Even after moving to Wyoming, she remained loyal to the Washington Redskins.

Faith was the perfect person to call whenever you needed someone to talk to. She always made herself available to family who called her on long drives and whenever they wanted entertainment and support. Faith was always cheerful on the phone; she made people laugh and never ran out of topics of conversation. She was exactly who you would call if you ever had that one phone call to win a game show. Her kindness, sense of humor, and deeply generous spirit touched many and will be sorely missed. 

Celebrations of life will take place later this year.

Faith loved cats and, in lieu of flowers, the family suggests a donation to Waggin’ Tails animal shelter in Torrington in the names of Chelsea, Nikki, Nora, Noel, and Luna.