Getting to know some nice families in our community

COWLEY NEWS

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It has been a while since I wrote Cowley News, but the last time I did, I told about three different houses that were for sale on our street. Well, not anymore. We still have two houses in the process of being built, but we have new residents in the other houses.

The first person I want to talk about is Cheylee Lukkes-Bortz. The first time I met her was the night of Halloween, when she was taking her kids trick or treating. Riggin is in first grade, and her other son, Crue, is 19 months old. She and Sam Bortz met when they were still in high school in Cheyenne. They have been together ever since, totally devoted to each other for 14 years.

After high school, Sam worked in the oil fields for about seven months before starting his own trucking business. At first, he started with Frac-Sand moving equipment and the like for about 10 years. Now he does trucking, more for agriculture, since moving to this side of the state from Douglas. Cheylee worked in retail, then worked with a counselor, helping kids dealing with trauma. Now she is a stay-at-home mom and does a great job, friendly and outgoing. They love living in Cowley and the small hometown feel, especially since now they are closer to family. Cheylee’s grandparents are Earl and Wanda Lukkes, and her dad is Rodney Lukkes, who attended Lovell High School. She also has family in Columbus and Roberts. We are so glad to have them in Cowley.

Austin and Emily Leonhardt moved to Cowley October 1, 2025, with their two children, Calvin, 4 years old, and Marcus, four months old. Austin was born and raised in Cowley and graduated from Rocky Mountain High School. He then attended Rocky Mountain College in Billings where he played basketball. He planned to be a P.E. teacher K-12 but then changed his mind and went a different direction.

When he was attending an EMT class in Laramie, he met the girl he would marry. Her name was Emily, and she was raised in Bailey, a little mountain town in Colorado. She was going to school at the University of Wyoming, pursuing a career as a physical therapist. They were married in 2019. Austin now works for the Sheriff’s Office in Basin, and for the past 10 years he has been a patrol deputy.

Emily worked for Gottche in Basin as a physical therapist, and now she works at North Big Horn Hospital. Together, they like to be active, doing outdoor activities. They like to ride motorbikes and go for rides on their side by side. They enjoy hiking and fishing. Emily likes to go fishing, but not necessarily the fishing part. She loves to read, indoors and outdoors. Since it has been cold out, their 4-year-old son, Calvin, loves to play in their big basement, a fun place for many years to come. They are happy to be in Cowley, and when they first saw the house they  knew it was what they wanted. Emily plans on planting more flowers, especially since she met Pat Davis, and of course Pat shares flowers.

It feels so much safer having this sweet family close by. Thanks for moving home.

Across the street from us live the Lauren Shumway/Steven Gard family. Together they have eight children, which makes for a lot of activity. Lauren recently graduated from nursing school with her R.N. degree. Steven is a PA, and together they have a business that causes them to travel Wyoming, and also into Montana. It has been so fun to get to know them. We both have chickens and enjoy kids and life.

Thinking about living in Cowley, especially with our beautiful weather, makes me so thankful we moved here seven years ago. It feels so safe compared to the news. It’s the best of both worlds, country living in a small town.