Schlager a fan of the hot springs

"I'll tell you right now, this is a great place. I hope they don't ding it up," Jerry Schlager said, speaking to the recent talk of possibly privatizing The Pioneer Home.

Schlager was born in Scottsbluff, Neb. in 1935. His grandparents lived there, he said, so that's where he was born, before going home to Hawk Springs with his parents. In 1942, the family moved to Torrington, then on to Casper in 1949. He explained his father, Walter, was a farmer and had just bought a different place.

Schlager graduated high school at Casper in 1954 and followed in his dad's footsteps, working on farms and ranches around Casper. "I was raised on them," he said. "That was just natural for me." He did go to work for Amoco in 1962, and drove truck for 22 years. 1984 saw his return to the ag life, and his move to Thermopolis.

He and his wife, Betty Jo, were already familiar with the area, having visited the famous hot springs almost every year prior to the move and sometimes twice a year. When he retired from ranching in 2000 – he had been working for Willard Wilson since 1984 - they moved to town. Just two years ago, they moved into The Pioneer Home. Schlager said his wife was struck with Alzheimer's and he couldn't take care of her too well at home.

"They did a good job here," he said, though Betty Jo passed away this past June. The two had been married since 1954. Schlager has five children: David Schlager, Vicki Allen, Laura Wirthlin, John Schlager and Paul Schlager.

The hot water, as well as the ranching opportunity and Amoco's closing, brought Schlager to Thermopolis, and he is a regular at the Hot Springs State Park Bath House. He said even if a soak makes you feel good for only 10 minutes it's well worth it. He enjoys the Hot Springs County Senior Center as well and plays pool there nearly every day. He also delivers meals for the center one week a month, something he and his wife used to do all the time.

As for the people of town, he said, "They're a good bunch of people, you betcha."