The post office in Shoshoni, Wyoming, is a step closer to being named after its former postmaster, Dessie Bebout.
The U.S. Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs unanimously passed the bipartisan bill honoring Bebout’s life by renaming the post office at 112 Wyoming St. in Shoshoni as the "Dessie A. Bebout Post Office.”
Bebout, a World War II veteran, died last year at the age of 102.
Both Wyoming U.S. Sens. John Barrasso and Cynthia Lummis support the legislation.
“Dessie’s life and legacy truly embody what it means to live the Wyoming way of life,” said Barrasso, the lead sponsor of the bill, in a press release. “Dessie was a trailblazer and a patriot who made incredible contributions to communities across Wyoming.”
In July, Barrasso and Lummis introduced the federal legislation.
Distinguished Past
For her service as the postmaster of Shoshoni for 13 years, Bebout earned the Order of the Vest in 1975, the highest award given to postmasters. She also was named the Wyoming Postmaster of the Year in 1983.
Bebout served in the U.S. Naval reserves during World War II, one of the first Wyoming women to serve in the war.
As a result of her military and civic service, she was awarded the Wyoming Women of Distinction award from the Wyoming Council for Women’s Issues. She also received the Medal of Honor from the Daughters of the American Revolution, a highly prestigious designation. In 2022, the town of Hudson, where Dessie grew up, declared May 30 as Dessie Bebout Day.
Her son, former longtime state legislator Eli Bebout, said the legislation to honor his mother originated from a pledge Barrasso made at her funeral last May.
The bill next moves on to the Senate floor for consideration.
Leo Wolfson can be reached at leo@cowboystatedaily.com.
