27 minute read
Looks like we got ourselves a convoy
from Interchange – October 2022
by WYDOT
After looping around Cheyenne, convoy participants returned to the WYDOT complex and enjoyed socializing at an awards ceremony lunch. Pictured to the right is WHP Sgt. Jason Sawdon making an acquaintance.
By Mark Horan
Law enforcement and truck drivers joined forces on Sept. 24 in Cheyenne for an annual truck convoy fundraiser for Special Olympics Wyoming.
This year’s convoy was comprised of 72 semi-trucks participating, which ran a roughly 25-mile route along portions of I-25, US 85/South Greeley Highway, College Drive and Four-Mile Road.
The event began and ended at the WYDOT Headquarters complex.
A team from the Wyoming Highway Patrol led the event, with assistance from several local law enforcement and emergency agencies.
Cathy Bisiar, Wyoming Special Olympics Director of Law Enforcement Torch Run, expressed her gratitude to the team for their generosity and willingness to volunteer.
“All the planning and organizing the team did over the past couple of months made this event extremely successful in many different ways,” Bisiar told WHP in an email.
“A big thank you to you all – you did it with the heart and passion for Special Olympics Wyoming athletes and that is why this fundraising event was so awesome,” Bisiar said.
More than $13,000 in registration money was raised. Proceeds will help support more than 1,600 youth and adults with intellectual disabilities competing in Special Olympics Wyoming sports.
Thirty-two states and two Canadian provinces in hold similar convoys each year.
The event has taken place in Wyoming since 2005. n
By Mark Horan
The American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) has selected a team from WYDOT and the University of Wyoming to receive a 2022 High Value Research Award.
The team received a supplemental award in the Safety, Security and Emergencies category for their research project entitled Human Machine Interface for Connected Vehicle: Requirements, Development and Assessment.
Members for the project were WYDOT’s GIS/IT Program Manager Vince Garcia and his team, along with UW Researchers Dr. Mohamed Ahmed, Dr. Sherif Gaweesh, Biraj Subedi, Omar Raddaoui, and Guangchuan Yang.
One of the key components of the project is the Human Machine Interface (HMI) that delivers real-time geo-specific basic safety and traveler information messages to drivers participating in Wyoming’s Connected Vehicle Pilot Project.
The study aimed to develop a well-designed HMI that has the potential to provide drivers with proactive decision-making supports by mini- WYDOT mizing distraction. CONNECTED VEHICLE
In order to PILOT PROGRAM achieve this, the stakeholders of the Wyoming CV Pilot were interviewed, E-training modules were developed, and driving simulator testbeds were designed keeping in mind the needs, preferences and regulations of the stakeholders. Twenty professional truck drivers, as well as ten highway troopers from the Wyoming Highway Patrol participated in this study.
Recommendations from the study were implemented by WYDOT.
Congratulations to everyone involved in this project. n
New FHWA Wyoming Division Administrator
Carlos Machado is the new Wyoming Division Administrator for the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) effective Oct. 9.
He has served as Division Administrator at the FHWA Rhode Island Division since June 2, 2013. As a member of the Agency’s Leadership Team, he led a multi-level disciplinary professional staff and was responsible for advancing national goals and directing the delivery of the challenging Federal-aid program for the state of Rhode Island.
He graduated in 1985 from Gama Filho University, Rio de Janeiro-Brazil, with a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering. He has worked 20 years in the private sector in various roles, including civil/transportation/structural engineer, project manager, and vice-president of operations. In 1998, he graduated with a master’s degree in business administration (MBA) in leadership and management from Brigham Young University.
Machado joined the FHWA Eastern Federal Land Division in Sterling, Virginia, in July 2000, where he served two years. The following seven years he held various progressive positions, including major project manager in the Utah Division, chief operations officer in the California Division, and deputy division administrator in the Puerto Rico and U.S. Virgin Islands Division.
He has been the recipient of numerous performance and honor awards, including four consecutive years of FHWA Administrator’s Award Excellence in Teamwork Award. Machado and his wife, Lia, are both originally from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and have three adult children, two granddaughters and one grandson. n
Machado
The acting FHWA Wyoming Division Administrator Monica Gourdine presented WYDOT a plaque for Environmental Excellence to Executive Staff at the September Transportation Commission meeting. (From left: Director Luke Reiner; Chief Engineer Mark Gillett; Gourdine; and Assistant Chief Engineer, Engineering and Planning Keith Fulton.) The physical award follows news of the award for the Snake River Bridge Reconstruction and Wildlife Crossing Integration project on WYO 22 and WYO 390 in District 3. The Snake River Bridge project write-up was featured in the June 2022 issue of Interchange.
Open Enrollment begins this month
It is the most wonderful time of year: Open Enrollment!
Open Enrollment runs from Oct. 1 through Nov. 30. Your benefit elections will be effective Jan. 1, 2023.
Keep in mind, your elections will be binding unless you experience a “qualifying event.” Please go to the HR page on the intranet (https://employees.dot.state. wy.us/home/hr/hr-toolbox.html) or reach out to your HR rep for more information.
The HR team has some new faces, please feel free to stop by your HR office to meet the team that supports WYDOT. HQ: Cristina Taylor-HR Manager Stacie West-Deputy HR Manager Kevin Jackson-Sr. HR Coordinator Liz Guille-Sr. HR Associate Tina Borgaard-Sr. HR Associate Dallas Vossler-Sr. HR Associate Courtney Herceg-Sr. HR Associate D1: Ellen Tiegen-Sr. HR Associate D2: Keri Long-Sr. HR Associate D3: VACANT D4: Jenny Sullivan-Sr. HR Associate D5: Kari Davis-Sr. HR Associate n
Training
WYDOT’s Employee Development
By Jim Boyd, Training Services
The new fiscal year is upon us and it’s a good time to write about the upcoming development opportunities scheduled through WYDOT University.
Why take the time to attend a formal development opportunity, you ask? My short answer is this; development is ultimately not about advancement. Instead, it’s about improvement. A by-product of development might be to advance in a career, but even if it doesn’t, it still matters.
Our WYDOT University workshops are meant to help you develop your personal and leadership potential. They are based on the development stages of Leading Self, Leading Others and Leading the Agency.
This upcoming year, we’ve focused on the following:
Trust, Teamwork and Relationships in the Leading Self category; Team building, Motivating Others and Managing Conflict in the Leading Others category; and Leadership, Decision Making and Training Others in the Leading the Agency category.
There are also formal learning opportunities related to the above topics in the form of:
Learning Tracks or Learning Themes (curated on-line content), Wishlist courses (courses that can be scheduled if enough employees enroll), and RoadShow opportunities (courses we can bring to any Wyoming location).
Vocational or Technical courses are available now through the Transportation Curriculum Coordination Council (TC3) and LinkedIn Learning Library, plus new Transportation Learning Network (TLN) webinars will be added monthly.
All of the above development opportunities, whether online or in-person, can be found in WYDOT’s Learning Management System, the WELL. Online content can be accessed anytime, while employees can enroll in any of the scheduled or wishlist classes. If you have additional questions, please contact Training Services at dot-training@wyo.gov or give any of our team members a call. n
Training@aGlance
In October: Date Development Stage Class Description Class Hours Location
10/10/2022 New Employee Know WY Google and WELL Training
10/25/2022 Leading Self Franklin Covey’s The Speed of Trust 8:30 am-11:30 am VILT 8:30 am-4:30 pm Cheyenne
Coming in November: Date Development Stage Class Description Class Hours Location
11/3/2022 Leading Self Myers Briggs (MBTI) & Communication
11/9/2022 Leading Others 11/14/2022 New Employee How to Develop and Exceptional Team One to One Training: Google and WELL (Know WY)
8:30 am-4:30 pm Rock Springs 8:30 am-4:30 pm Cheyenne 8:30 am-11:30 am VILT
*All new employees are assigned the Know WY Learning Plan and should register for one of these Know WY workshops in the WELL Visit the Training Services intranet page f m e inf mation.
Top media placements garner attention for Wyoming attractions and places of interest
True West Magazine ranked Casper’s National Historic Trails Interpretive Center third among its list of Top Western Museums of 2022, mentioning the museum’s 20th anniversary this year and calling out the new “The Battle of Red Buttes” exhibit. Other Wyoming museums mentioned in this article include Museum of the Mountain Man (Pinedale), Little Snake River Museum (Savery), Campbell County Rockpile Museum (Gillette), Cheyenne Frontier Days Old West Museum (Cheyenne), Nelson Museum of Western Art (Cheyenne), and Cody Firearms Museum (Cody).
Lovell was among the destinations featured in Tribune News Services’ syndicated article “Can’t decide on your next family vacation? Start here,” The article was syndicated in 28 news outlets, including MSN.com.
Lonely Planet included a treasure trove of Wyoming gems in its July 3rd “Pack up and set out on these wild Wyoming Road Trips” article including: Yellowstone National Park, Grand Teton National Park, Jackson (National Elk Refuge, Guided Sleigh Ride Tours), Dubois (National Bighorn Sheep Center), Pilot Butte Wild Horse Scenic Tour, Fort Laramie-Fort Bridger State Historic Site, Casper (National Historic Trails Interpretive Center), Besse-
mer Bend National Historic Site, Independence Rock, Fort Bridger State Historic Site, Astoria Hot Springs, Thermopolis (Hot Springs State Park, Star Plunge, Wyoming Dinosaur Center), Saratoga (Hot Springs Resort), Kemmerer (Fossil Butte National Monument, Fossil Lake, American Fossil, Greybull (Bighorn Basin Geoscience Center), Red Gulch Dinosaur Tracksite, and more. July also showcased a robust proactive media relations effort to stent cancellations within and around Yellowstone as a result of the torrent of flood-related media coverage. Results from that campaign included among others: an Outside Magazine article “If you want to see Yellowstone Without the Crowds This is the Summer To Do It,” National Parks Traveler feature “Lodges, Campgrounds Reopening in Yellowstone National Park,” Fatherly’s “Yellowstone is now open. Time to Book a Last-Minute Getaway,” and a video news release that was picked up throughout the month by 31 broadcast news stations throughout the country in markets such as Chicago, Dallas, Atlanta, Houston, Phoenix, Seattle, Denver, Portland, San Diego, Kansas City, Las Vegas, Austin, Omaha and Salt Lake City. n
Domestic trade familiarization tour of Bighorn Basin
“Wow, I had no idea there was so much in this area.” Those words seemed to be the overwhelming sentiment as nine tour operators representing seven different group travel companies spent the week of Aug. 21 touring much of the Bighorn basin.
The familiarization tour was able to highlight Cody as a great gateway to Yellowstone National Park, offering access to two entrances. They were able to spend time at the Heart Mountain Interpretive Center, learn about the agriculture tours, malt industry and try local craft beer in Powell before exploring the Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area and the town of Lovell and Cowley.
Next up was the scenic drive of both US 14 and US 14A before visiting Shell and Greybull. From there they were immersed in the history of the area by visiting Medicine Lodge Archaeological Site, the Washakie Museum and Cultural Center, Hot Springs State Park, the Wyoming Dinosaur Center and Legend Rock State Petroglyph Site, along with taking a float through the Wind River Canyon. Of course, they experienced many great local meals, treats and surprises along the way. It was a jam packed week, but the fruits of it are already paying off as two companies are already working on Mystery Tour itineraries for 2023 in the area and the others are looking at new options to existing itineraries.
The Global Partnerships team hosted the international representatives through The Great American West during the week of Sept. 12. Overall, there were seven international representatives and two members from the Rocky Mountain International team, who explored the destinations of Laramie, Saratoga, Lander, Thermopolis, Lovell, Sheridan, Casper and Cheyenne, with many pit stops and pictures along the way. The representatives left the FAM feeling inspired and eager to showcase Wyoming to their in-market tour operators and to increase Wyoming product offerings. n
Game and Fish gears up for more CWD monitoring
By Sara DiRienzo, Wyoming Game and Fish
CHEYENNE – The Wyoming Game and Fish Department needs help from hunters again this fall to collect lymph node samples from deer and elk for chronic wasting disease testing. For 2022, samples are requested across Wyoming in key deer and elk hunt areas, and six deer hunt areas are mandatory for samples.
The department has tracked the distribution and prevalence of CWD since 1997 to better understand how it affects the health of Wyoming’s deer and elk populations. Hunter-submitted samples are crucial to managing the disease in wildlife herds.
“Game and Fish is requesting samples from herds we’ve not addressed in a while, where we are trying to get a significant sample size so we can accurately determine what the CWD prevalence is in these herds,” said Hank Edwards, Game and Fish Wildlife Health Laboratory supervisor.
“Mandatory areas are geared to places where it is difficult to get an adequate number of samples,” Edwards said. “Last year’s mandatory areas went very well. We had great compliance by the public and we were able to meet our surveillance goals. We couldn’t have done that without the public’s support.”
Hunters outside of this year’s focused surveillance areas can still submit a sample for testing. Learn how to take a sample by watching a how-to video on the Game and Fish website and submit it alongside the CWD data sheet. The department can take a sample at any open game check station, the Game and Fish Headquarters or regional offices from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday.
As thanks for their efforts, hunters who submit testable lymph node samples are entered into a raffle to win top-notch prizes
Results from CWD testing are available online within three weeks. The only way for hunters to get results of their deer or elk’s CWD test will be to check online through the Game and Fish website. Hunters can expedite results within 10 working days for a $30 fee; contact the Wyoming State Veterinary Lab in Laramie at (307) 766-9925 for more information.
Continued monitoring of CWD over time is important to help Game and Fish understand the impacts of the disease on deer and elk. Samples also
give the department information to inform future management actions — such as license types offered, license quotas, seasons and future disease monitoring protocols. CWD has been detected in most deer hunt areas throughout the state. Game and Fish has a rotational sampling program designed to monitor CWD throughout the state by targeting specific hunt areas. The method provides the long-term data collection needed for CWD while not overwhelming the Wildlife Health Laboratory with testing. Hunters also need to be aware of Wyoming carcass transport and disposal rules to prevent the spread of CWD within Wyoming and other states. Wyoming’s regulations require deer, elk and moose hunters transport only the following items within Wyoming: • Deer, elk and moose can be transported to a camp, private residence for processing, a taxidermist, a processor or a CWD sample collection site in Wyoming provided the head and all portions of the spinal column remain at the site of kill or such parts are disposed in any approved landfill or approved incinerator in Wyoming. • Cut and wrapped meat; edible portions with no portion of the spinal column or head attached. • Cleaned hide without the head attached; finished taxidermy mounts; skull, skull plate or antlers that have been cleaned of all meat and brain tissue; and/or teeth. Whole deer, elk and moose carcasses cannot be transported out of Wyoming. The only parts approved to leave the state are edible portions with no part of the spinal column or head; cleaned hide without the head; skull, skull plate or antlers that have been cleaned of all meat and brain tissue; teeth; or finished taxidermy mounts. All hunters need to check with their home states for the rules about importing deer, elk or moose from Wyoming. Evidence of sex, species Photo: WYDOT and horn or antler development retention is still required as per regulaFor 2022, Game and Fish is asking hunters to submit samples from within deer (mule and white-tail) hunt areas as well as elk hunt areas. Deer hunt areas 59, 60, 64, 65, 157 and 171 are mandatory testing areas for CWD. tions. More information and resources for hunters on CWD are available on the Game and Fish CWD webpage.
Game and Fish Commission invests more dollars for wildlife crossings
By Sara DiRienzo, Wyoming Game and Fish
CHEYENNE – The Wyoming Game and Fish Commission met in Buffalo for its September meeting. The Commission once again invested in wildlife crossings to help prevent vehicle collisions with big game, voting to put $500,000 toward the Kemmerer wildlife crossing project on US Highway 189. The project – consisting of underpasses, an overpass and game fencing – will help prevent collisions with mule deer and pronghorn and create a safer road for drivers.
“This is a good start from the Commission. I encourage others to step up with their contributions to support this important project for wildlife,” Commissioner Pete Dube said. n
Whether he’s on the mountain highways of northwest
Wyoming Game & FishWarden JordanWinter Clicks It — Every Time, Every Ride!
“Don’t be that guy that doesn’t wear one. Be smart. Be cool. Be safe. ”
Wyoming Game & Fish Warden Jordan Winter of Powell Every Time! Every Ride! Buckle Up!
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Welcome
Graham Bernosky, Financial Services-Disbursements; Samuel Brackett, Planning-Local Government Coordination; Danny Cox Jr., PatrolSafety and Training; Clancy Gines, Patrol-Safety and Training; Hector Lopez-Lucero, Highway DevelopmentProject Development; Valerie Patmore, Patrol-Safety and Training; Jesse Serna, Materials-Bituminous; Shelbie Sherard, Highway Project Management Oversight; Shaylin Stein, Right of Way-Property Management; Dominique Thomas, Patrol-Support Services; and Anthony Wallace, IT-Development. Promotions and Transfers
Melissa Alton-Brunk, BridgeEngineering Design; Chandler Bohnen, Highway Development-Project Development; John Perkins, MaterialsSurfacing; Christopher Schell, PatrolSupport Services Operation; Karmen Warrington, Driver Services-Regional #4; and Emily Worthan, Right of WayAppraisals. Service
Bohnen
Schell Worthan
Awards
Lacey Bruckner, ComplianceInvestigation – 25 years;
Kirk Hood, Planning-System Planning – 25 years;
Jennifer Marshall, Patrol-Dispatch – 25 years;
Dawn Pratz, Facilities ManagementCustodial – 25 years;
Headquarters
Bruckner Hood
Marshall
Sutton
Jensen Pratz
Devoss
Lamblin
McAlpine Smith
Daniel Sutton, Materials-Surfacing – 25 years;
Timothy Devoss, Maintenance Staff – 20 years;
Doug Jensen, Contracts and Estimates – 20 years;
Meyer
Scott Prettyman, Emergency Communications-District 1 Radio Shop – 15 years;
Bret Lamblin, Grants and ContractsAdministration – 10 years;
Troy McAlpine, Port of EntryCheyenne – 10 years;
Jacob Smith, Highway DevelopmentProject Development – 10 years; and
Rocky Meyer, Planning-Counter Shop – 5 years. Retirements
Jonathan Russell
retired on Aug. 6 with 14 years of service from the Wyoming Highway Patrol’s Capitol Services Protection section.
Jeff Brown retired Russell on Oct. 4 with 35 years of service to the state. Brown began his career with the old Wyoming Highway Department, WYDOT’s predecessor agency, in June 1987 as a technician on Brown the Laramie Design Squad.
He became the State Highway Development Program Engineer in Cheyenne in July 2016.
Brown, a 1991 University of Wyoming graduate, holds a bachelor of science degree in civil engineering.
Retirement will allow Brown to enjoy more of the outdoors that he enjoys – cycling, kayaking and canoeing. Congratulations
Christina Spindler has been selected as WYDOT’s Highway Development Program Engineer effective Sept. 26.
She replaces Jeff Brown who retired on Oct. 4.
Spindler was most recently Assistant State Traffic Engineer. n
Spindler
Mark Cookson, Laramie Maintenance; Megan Cornia, Highway DevelopmentProject Development-Laramie Design Squad; Lucas Edwards, Highway Development-Project DevelopmentLaramie Design Squad; Keegan Harrison, Highway Development-Project Development-Laramie Design Squad; Kevin Reynolds, Rawlins Maintenance; Caleb Sells, Highway DevelopmentProject Development-Laramie Design Squad; and Silas Wadel, Cheyenne Traffic-Striping. Promotions and Transfers
Liam Aldridge, Laramie Construction; Reily Engdahl, Laramie Maintenance-Guardrail; and Issac Whitaker, Rawlins Mechanics. Service Awards
Aaron Spenny, Rawlins Construction – 20 years. n
Reynolds
Aldridge
Whitaker Cookson
Wadel
Engdahl
Spenny Employee Safety, all five District Safety Representatives, District 2 maintenance staff and Guardrail crews from D1, D2, and D4 recently conducted fall protection drop training on Tisdale Road near Midwest. This training demonstrated failures of old fall protection equipment found in the field and positive results for the new DBI Sala equipment that is currently being issued. Heaving a 200-pound mannequin off of a bridge deck makes for an exciting workday!
District 2
Promotions and Transfers
Todd Greenamyre, Torrington Mechanics. Service Awards
Shawn Stroud, Patrol-Wheatland – 25 years; and
Landon Schaff, Casper Construction – 20 years. n
Stroud Schaff
Photo: Terry Uhrich
Sam Keck, technician with the Wheatland Mechanic Shop, passed seven of his Fundamental of Service certifications. Keck completed General Shop, Rigging, Engines, Power Trains, Electrical, Hydraulic and Welding. Zach Armstrong (left) and Andrew Mathison, technicians with the Casper Mechanic Shop, recently passed several of their Fundamental of Service certifications. Armstrong passed his Welding certification, while Mathison passed General Shop, Electrical, Administration, Power Trains, Hydraulics and Welding.
Brian Parnell (left) and Chris Jepson, technicians with the Douglas Shop, passed several of their Fundamental of Service certifications. Parnell completed General Shop and Electrical. Jepson completed General Shop, Engines, Electrical, Power Trains, Rigging and Hydraulics.
Luann Chambers, Port of EntryEvanston; Donna Eggleston, Afton Construction; Mary Johnson, Port Of Entry-Evanston; Rocky Nugent, Evanston Mechanics; and Jackie Slaten Jr., Port of Entry-Kemmerer. Promotions and Transfers
Brandon Shriver, Pinedale Maintenance.
Service Awards
Peter
Stinchcomb, District 3-Administration – 15 years; and
Carl Bennett, Farson Maintenance – 10 years. n
Stinchcomb
District 4
Welcome
Chad Dollick, Patrol-Gillette; Wyatt Larson, Sheridan Traffic-
Larson
Striping; and Pete Prado Jr., Sheridan Maintenance. Promotions and Transfers
Jeremy Kehrer, Traffic-Signing; and
Prado Jr.
Kehrer Heath Oetken, District 4 Maintenance Staff. Service Awards
Guy Phillips, Newcastle Maintenance – 15 years; and
James Donahue, Moorcroft Maintenance – 10 years. n
Oetken
Phillips Donahue
Welcome
Stephen Cofske, Basin Mechanics; and Laef McCall, Meeteetse Maintenance. n
Cody Shop Foreman Chris Hieb (left) presents Cody Mechanic Corey Bozell with his welding certificate and master technician hat. Bozell has passed all of his FOS testing and has his welding certificate to earn continue on to master technician status.
Photo: WYDOT
District 5
A handful of District 5 employees received service awards at the annual employee recognition barbecue in Riverton. In front of the smiling photo bomber were, from left, Thomas Sparks, 5 years; Bruce Thompson, 15 years; Keith Poston, 15 years; Doug Etsinger, 5 years; and Cody Beers (30 years).
Kenneth J. Collis
Kenneth J. Collis, 92, of Cheyenne, passed away peacefully on Sept. 18, at Davis Hospice.
Collis was born April 1, 1930, in Copperhill, Tennessee. After graduation he joined the U. S. Air Force. He was stationed in California when he met and married the love of his Collis life, Marilyn R. Miller, on Sept. 1, 1951, at Travis Air Force Base in Fairfield, California.
They traveled to France, Germany, England, California, New Mexico until he was transferred to F. E. Warren Air Force Base in 1962. The Vietnam veteran retired from the service in 1967.
Collis began his career with the old Wyoming Highway Department in June 1969, as a photographer. He retired in September 1987 with more than 18 years of service.
He was a member of the American Legion Post 6, a lifetime member of BPOE 660 and a 12-year volunteer for the Cheyenne Frontier Days Concessions Committee. Hobbies were photography, golfing, fishing, bowling, boating and dancing with his beautiful wife. Family was always the most important to him.
Services were Sept. 29 in the Lakeview Chapel at Schrader, Aragon and Jacoby Funeral Home with interment in Mountain View Memorial Park. Kirk E. Koch
Kirk Edward “Tater” Koch, 64, of Lander, passed away Sept. 3, at the Morning Star Manor, Fort Washakie. He was born July 31, 1958 in Ann Arbor, Michigan to Keith Eugene and Barbara Jean Bernice (Bender) Koch.
Koch grew up in Pinckney, Michigan and graduated from Howell High School. He later moved to South Carolina, where he enlisted and served in the U.S. Army and was honorably discharged his years of service.
Following his discharge from the military he moved to Lander to be close to his dad and remained a Lander resident the rest of his life.
He married Linda Rudd of Lander and had four children. The couple later divorced but remained lifelong friends.
Koch began working for WYDOT in 2012 and was on the Riverton Maintenance crew until his retirement in March 2020.
Koch also enjoyed carpentry work, and had been a Fremont County Firefighter for more than 30 years, having been deployed to the Yellowstone Fire of 1988 and many others. He also served as fire chief many times.
Koch was passionate about hunting and enjoyed his guns. He was a proud member of the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation and a lifelong patriot.
A fireman’s memorial service was held Sept. 18. A private family inurnment took place. Koch
Jimmy D. Shapple
Jimmy Dale Shapple, 88, passed away on Aug. 1, due to complications from Covid-19 and dementia, surrounded by family.
He was born on Jan. 28, 1934, in Gillette, to Meryl B. Haas and Emmet Shapple.
He was a veteran of the Korean War and had many vivid memories during those years of his life, spending four years on the USS Kearsarge 33 CVA. He enjoyed seeing the world from the top of the carrier and had many experiences he loved to share. Returning home from the Navy, Shapple made Cody his lifelong home near his mother and siblings, working for the city of Cody as a meter reader.
Eventually, he made his way to the old Wyoming Highway Department, WYDOT’s predecessor agency, and began his career in Cody Construction in January 1956. He worked on the Buffalo Bill Cody Scenic Byway (US 14/16/20), including blasting the amazing tunnels. He enjoyed the camaraderie with his fellow buddies that took him all over the state of Wyoming, creating the current Wyoming infrastructure. During his last years at WYDOT, he oversaw the Chief Joseph Scenic Highway and bridge project. Shapple retired in July 1992 after 36 action-packed years.
He was the Past Exalted Ruler of the Cody BPOE, which rewarded him with the resources to see many beautiful places and meet others that shared the same interests.
Shapple was an avid relic collector, taking in many miles around northern Wyoming scouring the hills for fabulous dusty finds – a passion shared with his brother Roy always trying to outdo the other with their discoveries. He fished the North Fork, Clark and Crandall in the summer every chance he got. Being outside was his passion.
In his retirement, he loved the outdoors, walking, cutting wood and experiencing all the Wyoming wilds have to offer. He loved playing poker and was also known for his dry unforgiving wit. He had a very soft heart that truly beat beneath the surface. He lived a very full and fun life that he totally enjoyed. Shapple
Merl D. Sorensen
Merl Dean Sorensen, 84, died peacefully July 17, at Spirit Mountain Hospice in Cody, surrounded by family and caregivers.
Sorensen was born to Vilas and Lucille Sorensen Dec. 18, 1937, in Irene, South Dakota, a small, rural community not far Sorensen from the borders of Nebraska, Minnesota and Iowa. He was the oldest of four children. After the family had lived in Sidney, Montana, through his primary school days, they moved back to South Dakota where he graduated from Ravinia High School in 1955. He went on to attend Huron College in Huron, South Dakota.
He and Thelma Hron were married on Nov. 9, 1957. They had four children, later divorcing in 1978. Sorensen met his second wife, Marilee, in Dubois and
Chelsey Lindsay, with the Budget Office, visited Guernsey State Park with her family and snapped this picture-perfect landscape shot.
the two were married on April 29, 1989 and her two children were added to his four children for a nice blended family of eight.
Sorensen relocated to Wyoming in 1979, and in February of that year began his career at the old Wyoming Highway Department in Dubois. He worked for WHD’s Construction and Engineering section, overseeing and running various highway construction projects on US 26/287, from the Shoshone National Forest boundary to the Diversion Dam junction some 30 miles away. In the spring of 1995, the Dubois office temporarily closed due to lack of construction in the area, so Sorensen transfered to Cody. As a senior construction field and survey specialist, he rounded out his career with WYDOT overseeing and running several state and federal reconstruction and rehabilitation highway projects in and around the Cody area. He retired from WYDOT on March 1, 2003 with 24 years of service to the state.
Sorenson and his family made their home on a beautiful ranch property southwest of Cody near the South Fork of the Shoshone River where he raised the best horse hay in the valley.
Though remembered especially for his integrity, it was his smile, his strong handshake and his terrific hugs which were treasured most by friends and loved ones. He loved everything in life: the mountains, all animals, his dogs and horses, deer, elk, birds and even clouds – he loved absolutely everything. In that way, and with a quiet love of the Lord, Merl constantly revealed his beautiful heart. It was this selfless, fundamental kindness that filled Merl, and flowed from Merl, every day of his life.
Merl was interred in the Memorial Garden of Christ Episcopal Church in Cody in September, followed by a celebration of life at his home. Clifford R. Willson
Clifford Ray Willson, 80, passed away Friday, Aug. 19, at Ft. Meade VA Medical Center, in Fort Meade, South Dakota.
Willson was born in Des Moines, Iowa on Aug. 18, 1942, to Grant and Margaret (German) Willson.
He married Linda Thompson before being drafted in 1967 to serve in the U.S. Army. He proudly served for two years during the Vietnam War. Upon his return from Vietnam, the couple welcomed a son, Lance in 1969.
He worked as a surveyor for the state of Iowa for many years before he relocated to Newcastle. There he worked as a mechanic for the Ford garage for 18 years before going to work for the Wyoming Department of Transportation in September 1985 as a mechanic. He retired after 18 years due to health reasons.
In 1994, Willson married second wife, Cheryl Varrick, in Newcastle. They resided in Newcastle until September 2021 when they moved to Box Elder, South Dakota.
He had a passion for golfing and fishing. He spent many hours doing both. In his younger years, he enjoyed hunting and snowmobiling. He had many stories to share about all of them.
Graveside services were held Aug. 26, at Black Hills National Cemetery near Sturgis. n Willson
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