Gift to UW Supports 4

The University of Wyoming has received a $1.8 million gift from Ann Ramsay in honor of her late mother, Elizabeth McCabe, that will support 4-H and UW Extension employees located in Teton County. The Teton County 4-H Building in Jackson will be named in McCabe’s honor.

“My mother was totally devoted to the 4-H mission, and all the children and families who participated in it,” Ramsay says.

Support for UW Extension employees located in Teton County is critical for the mission of the program. Such salaries are state-based and are not adjusted for those working in Teton County, where the cost of living is significantly higher than the rest of the state.

For decades, McCabe was a big supporter of UW Extension programs in Teton County. She co-owned The Jackson Hole Guide newspaper, which later became The Jackson Hole News & Guide. She dedicated her life to serving others.

“Elizabeth was a community businesswoman who encouraged youth to give their best,” UW Extension Community Development Educator Mary Martin says. “She spent days attending 4-H activities to capture photographically those who competed. Her pictures captured moments that would have been lost to our youth.”

McCabe felt a deep affinity for the Jackson Hole area -- a sentiment that developed during her news career that spanned more than five decades. McCabe was an avid photographer, and her weekly full-page photo “This is Jackson Hole” garnered her Wyoming Press Association awards. She photographed people, wildlife and the scenic Teton Valley.

For decades, McCabe contributed an annual segment devoted to local 4-H participation. At the age of 100, McCabe photographed her last Teton County Fair.

“She became a treasured friend to the community, and her pictures are now carefully included in hundreds of 4-H record books,” Martin says. “I have a vivid remembrance of Elizabeth, cameras around her neck, asking our 4-H members to explain what they learned with their projects. Her smiling presence, gentle encouragement and genuineness were a gift.”

Ramsay inherited her love of community from McCabe, who is remembered for her ability to bring people together. McCabe died in 2012 at age 101.

In December 2020, Ramsay gifted a property located in Teton County to UW for the support of 4-H and UW Extension activities. The property was sold last month with the proceeds going toward establishing the endowment in McCabe’s honor.

“She loved taking pictures and congratulating the winners and participants,” Ramsay says. “I miss her every single day. She was the most wonderful mother and friend.”