Madrigal grateful for time, friends

Born and raised in Thermopolis, Nancy Madrigal graduated from Hot Springs County High School in 1968. Of her 50-year class reunion last year, she said, “we had a ball. We did our whole thing in the park and it was so much fun.”

After high school, she attended Chadron State College and beauty school in Cour D’alene, Idaho, where she also had her daughter. The two moved to Lander, Wyo., where she taught school for 13 years, as long as her children were attending.

“Every summer we travelled somewhere, to Alaska — that’s why my son lives in Alaska right now — but we travelled every state this side of the Mississippi when the kids were growing up.” Later on, she attended truck-driving school and drove semis for 2.5 years. Her mom took sick with Lupus, so she moved back to Thermopolis in 2000 and has been here since.

It wasn’t her first return to town, though, as she was semi-retired and had been helping with her parents’ liquor store, Grama’s, south of town from time to time. “I was over here a lot. I’ve always liked Thermop; it’s always been my home.” Her grandfather used to own the Star Plunge, so “I grew up swimming.”

Madrigal is especially grateful for the Hot Springs County Senior Center, which she uses quite a bit for communicating. She noted she’s always been involved with senior centers where she’s lived, and really has a good time with the trips and programs they provide.

She was also the recipient of the 2011 Volunteer of the Year Award from the Masons of Masonic Malta Lodge No. 17.

Madrigal truly loves living in Thermopolis and feels fortunate to have lots of friends here. “The friends that I have are awesome. It’s been a wonderful experience, especially coming back because people have been so wonderful.”