Corby Elizabeth McGinnis

Corby Elizabeth McGinnis was reunited with the love of her life after passing unexpectedly June 22, 2024, doing what she loved, working on the Ranch. Her family is deeply saddened by her sudden departure. Corby was an unapologetically honest and passionate ranchwoman. One to not ever mince words, she was never afraid of having an unpopular opinion if it was right and once she set her mind, there was no changing it. Most people liked her, some did not, but everyone respected her. 

Born March 31, 1958, at Dugway Proving Grounds in Utah to John Charles and Sharon Elizabeth (White) Sweeting. The oldest of four children, Corby E. Sweeting took “Army Brat” to heart. She was a natural born leader assuming the role of oldest sibling with ease. She could think fast on her feet, was a quick study with an amazing memory and never stopped learning. She loved books, easily reading and listening on tape to over 200 books a year. She was the family historian and could regale generations of stories and events. She was fearless and relentless. Living her life with unabashed confidence and grace. She shared her love through the food she cooked, learning very young from her Grandmother White how to cook for the masses. (Officers would come to the school choosing to eat Grandmother White’s meal over the Officer’s mess. She was that good.) 

Moving to Kemmerer Wyoming in 1962, Corby and her sisters would visit both sets of Grandparents in Utah over the summer. Usually going in pairs to the Proving Grounds and Fillmore, switching after two weeks. Corby was always active. In High School she participated in numerous clubs, taking a role in Fiddler on the Roof and playing the Baritone. She was Drum Majorette her junior and senior year and attended Girls State. Outside of school she would find enjoyment in camping and boating with family, snow skiing, riding horses or snow machines, catching crawdads, floating the river, and hunting with her Dad’s 300 Savage, always her favorite hunting rifle. Taking great pride in landing a nice Mule Deer by herself when given permission to skip school for the day and then defending her shot when another hunter tried to claim her trophy. Fostering a lifelong love for travel, at 14 she flew abroad with her sister Stephany, spending six weeks with their Uncle and Aunt in Germany. Once old enough, she could be found working with her father at The Phillips 66 Station. She started detailing vehicles and worked her way up to delivering bulk fuel to ranches, first catching the eye of her future husband on one said fuel run. 

Corby married Myles Michael McGinnis June 26, 1976, at St. Patrick’s Church in Kemmerer. Corby embraced ranch life head on, learning what she needed to be a top hand and to ultimately run the ranch. She was good at it. Learning Italian specialties from Myles’ Grandma Botto and in true Corby fashion mass producing dishes such as authentic Raviolis and Tiramisù for her son’s birthday and for everyone who came to help work cattle that day. She even tackled Lebanese delicacies such as Grape Leaves when her mother remarried after her father passed away. Her love for her family was unyielding. She helped with her children’s 4-H projects, serving as a 4-H leader. She worked alongside Myles using the team and sleigh to feed in the winter and helping trail cattle on range in the summer. She became primary Swather driver, Chief Chef, Canner and Bottle Washer. She took great pride in irrigating and growing bumper hay crops. She loved her milk/nurse cows and could make the best fresh cream puffs. She was famous for her cream biscuits and 1lb blocks of homemade butter. Corby cherished raising high quality white-faced cattle. She took great pride in having a legacy herd of Herefords dating back over 80 years and spoke fondly of her trip to the World Hereford Conference in New Zealand. Going above and beyond nursing sick calves back to health, she raised Australian Cattle Dogs and three pet racoons during her life, Aristotle, Zeus, and Socrates. Corby enjoyed flying with Myles, taking annual trips for years to California. She was a remarkable gardener, growing anything from Watermelons to Apples, Carrots to Tomatoes and even Okra. Often successfully growing or transplanting things thought impossible at this elevation. She loved to brag about having the only Apple Orchard on Fontenelle Creek and quite possibly in the entire Upper Green River Basin. This led to a love, hate relationship with ground squirrels and moose. She smoothly transitioned to Matriarch perfecting her crochet and baking skills (knowing the sign of a truly great pie is when No One leaves even a bite of crust on their plate). She loved being a grandma and embraced her newest moniker of Gronnie given by her youngest granddaughters. She loved her Children and Grandchildren immensely. She enjoyed sleepovers with her youngest grands and watching her eldest grandchildren compete in 4-H and FFA, especially showing their horses and steers. She always enjoyed passing on her culinary skills and her bread and pie lessons will be remembered fondly by her Grandchildren and their cousins. 

Her fearlessness, grit and determination made her an amazing Rancher. Experiencing the hard winter of 1978-79 gave Corby irrefutable perspective. She was a passionate conservationist. Seeking balance between nature and livestock, promoting and more often fighting for sound, healthy herd objectives and wildlife friendly alternatives. She was steadfast in her belief with proper planning and forethought, there was room for everyone at the table and on the landscape. A two-time Wyoming Game & Fish Landowner of the Year she also chaired the Southwest Wyoming Sage Grouse Local Working Group, maintaining a resource first viewpoint. Corby served as Treasurer of the Green River Valley Cattlemen’s Association (GRVCA) for the better part of a decade and was a Lifetime Member and proud supporter of the Wyoming Stock Growers Association (WSGA). 

Corby was preceded in death by her husband Myles, her Father John Sweeting, and Joseph (Joe) Hauzen. 

Corby is survived by her mother Sharon Hauzen, her two children and their spouses Audra and Dave Rouge and Michael and Amanda McGinnis, and her five grandchildren Morgan and Trayven Rouge and Anslie, Maura, and York McGinnis. She will be remembered by her sisters Stephany (Steve Nichols) Sweeting, Sam (Jesse Verdi) Sweeting, and Catherine (Perry) Dunn and their families, numerous friends, extended family and many friends who were like family. To be seen as family was the highest honor Corby would bestow.

A celebration of Corby’s life will be held next spring on the Ranch.