Passings

Arvid D. Myers

Arvid D. “Buz” Myers, 80, of Torrington, Wyoming passed away on April 26, 2023.

Myers was born in Alliance, Nebraska on Dec. 3, 1942 to Orval L. and Mildred Arletta (Dinkel) Myers. He grew up in the Hay Springs, Nebraska area on a farm about 10 miles from town. He was the middle child and he attended Sandridge Country School where a teacher nicknamed him “Buz” for talking all the time. Meyer graduated from Hay Springs High School in 1961 where he was active in FFA, as well as the basketball, track and baseball teams.

After high school, he attended the Rapid City Business School in Rapid City, South Dakota.

He married Marjorie Thorvaldson

Joseph F. Yovich

Joseph “Joe” Fred Yovich, 85, died peacefully at home surrounded by his wife and children on April 19 after a courageous battle with cancer.

Yovich was born the youngest of nine children in Rock Springs, Wyoming to Matt and Anna (Kralj) Yovich who had both emigrated from what is now known as Yugoslavia to the U.S. After his father’s passing when he was twelve, Yovich quit school sports and after-school activities to work at Ben’s Foodliner and support his family.

After high school, he fulfilled his dream of attending the University of Notre Dame and earned a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering. He was active in the Army ROTC, and he was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the U.S. Army.

on Feb. 14, 1974 in Rawlins. He was the father of four children: Kimberly, Jeffrey, Arvid Jr., and Mikala who were the joy of his life.

He began working at the Hay Springs Gambles store and eventually transferred to Rawlins, Wyoming in 1966. In 1967, he hired on with the Wyoming Highway Department, WYDOT’s predecessor agency, in the engineering section. Later, the WHD began downsizing so Meyer transferred to Maintenance and began working on the highways. He advanced through various classes and was certified to drive the state’s heavy equipment. In the fall of 1976, he was promoted to Maintenance foreman and moved to the Baggs area where he worked for 22 years.

In December 1999, Meyer moved to Sundance as the area maintenance supervisor overseeing Sundance, Moorcroft, and Hulett. He retired on Oct. 9, 2009, after 42 years of service with WYDOT.

After retiring from WYDOT, he was hired at the Sundance Golf Course as a grounds keeper where he worked for three summers. Later, he hired on with the Croell Ranch outside of Sundance where he was able to do the farming for the ranch.

In 2016 while doing what he loved, working with livestock, and helping others on the ranch, through a series of normal yet unpredictable events, he sustained a traumatic brain injury that would change the course of his life forever.

He was an avid outdoors man who loved hunting, fishing, boating and camping. He always had a fishing trip planned and in the makings with his family, kids and friends.

Memorial Services will be held later this summer. Meyer’s wish was to have some of his ashes spread at the Little Snake River area where he enjoyed fishing. Final graveside services and inurnment will be at the Hay Springs, Nebraska cemetery.

His son and daughter-in-law, AJ and Ann Myers, currently work in IT. Our deepest sympathies to AJ and Ann and to all of his family and friends.

He served in Europe as a lieutenant in a combat engineering division during the depth of the Cold War. He was honorably discharged as a captain from the Army Corps of Engineers. He later attained a master’s degree in civil engineering from the University of Wyoming.

As professional engineer and professional land surveyor, he spent 37 years with the Wyoming Highway Department, WYDOT’s predecessor agency.

He began his career with the Agency as an engineer helper in 1959. Professional positions included resident engineer, district engineer, and leading of the University of Wyoming Design Squad, retiring in 1995. He returned for a short time as a temporary employee from May 1999-March 2000.

Joseph married his wife of 58 years, Sharon Waters Yovich, on August 22, 1964. The couple have six children and nine grandchildren.

The 28 years of his retirement were the greatest years of his life. He traveled several times to visit relatives in Croatia, spent time traveling with friends and family and enjoyed golfing all over the country. During the winter months, he was known as “Alpine Joe” on the ski slopes, and in the summer, he was branded “Fairway Fred” on the golf course. He loved his family and delighted in visiting his children and spending time with his grandchildren, and a couple of adopted grandchildren.

The last few years of his life were spent battling cancer and the effects of the cancer treatments.

Yovich’s life was celebrated with a vigil service April 28 with a funeral Mass on April 29 at St. Paul’s Newman Center, Laramie. A private burial took place at the Cathedral of St. Mary columbarium in Cheyenne. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the Meredith and Jeannie Ray Cancer Center or Laramie Hospice.