Gary Frank

Gary Lee Frank (1943 - 2014)

Gary Lee Frank, 70, passed from this life unexpectedly on November 19, 2014 at his home and ranch in Lyons Valley near Lander, Wyoming.Gary was born December 18, 1943 in Bayard, Nebraska, the son of William Frank and Pauline (Korell) Frank.The Frank family left Nebraska with all their belongings loaded on their beet truck on January 1, 1948 for the Wind River Mountains near Lander, purchasing the Amigo Ranch on Squaw Creek.In 1952, the Frank family sold the Amigo Ranch and purchased the Peterson place in Lyons Valley, adding to it over the years.

Gary graduated from Fremont County Vocational High School in 1962.He played in the State Championship Football game his senior year and was a member of Lander's only state champion wrestling team, winning the Wyoming State Championship in 1962.Gary was also on the State FFAChampion Livestock Judging Team.Gary won the National High School Rodeo Finals Bareback Bronc and All Around Cowboy titles in Valentine, Nebraska his Senior year.

Gary attended the University of Wyoming, graduating in 1966 with a B.S. in Animal Husbandry.While at UW, Gary participated on the wrestling and rodeo teams.He won the Western Athletic Conference championship at 147 lbs. and wrestled in the NCAA championships in New York in 1964.

Gary married Diane Lynn Sawer on May 20, 1965 in Laramie.After graduating from UW in 1966, Gary and Diane moved to the Frank family ranch in Lyons Valley, where they began their life of rodeo, ranching and raising their children.Gary, his father Bill and brother Billy formed Frank & Sons Rodeo Company and produced rodeos in the area and state-wide through the remainder of the 1960s, with bucking horses Flying Dutchman, Sundown and Airborne among their best stock.In 1970 they sold the rodeo company and converted to a cattle ranching operation, running cattle in Lyons Valley and on South Pass.

Gary rodeoed with the Wyoming Rodeo Association throughout the 1960s and 1970s, winning 15 trophy saddles and several shoe boxes full of belt buckles.He rode his last competitive saddle bronc at age 40 in the Lander Old Timers Rodeo and switched to team roping.Gary was one of the founding members of the Lander Old Timers Rodeo Association.

In 1993, Gary became the "boss" and majority shareholder of Frank Ranches after his father Bill retired and brother Billy moved to Shoshoni to ranch.During his ranching career, Gary had many dogs and horses he loved and that helped him gather stubborn bulls and brushed up cows.Gary never knew a cow or bull that couldn't be corraled and loaded in the trailer.
Gary began raising his own registered Angus bulls in 2006 with Diane, his daughter Anjie and son in law Mike.

Gary is survived by Diane, his wife of 49 years, son Dan (Bobbie) Frank, Cheyenne and their daughters Megan Hallwachs, Bailey Hallwachs and son, Shade Frank, daughter Anjie (Mike) McConnell and their children Mark and Kiley, and daughter Melissa (Keith) McPherson and their children Makayla and Kristen, sister Betty (Mike) McMahon, sister Karen (Lee) Wilkes and sister Gail O'Neal.Gary was preceded in death by his son Jeffrey Scott Frank, parents William and Pauline Frank, brother Ronald Frank, brother Billy Frank, and brother in law Ben O'Neal.

Visitation is at Hudson's Funeral Home at 6:00 p.m. on Monday, November 24, 2014 with a Rosary to follow at 7:00 p.m.The Celebration of Life service will be 10:00 a.m. on Tuesday, November 25, 2014 at the Holy Rosary Catholic Church in Lander.


Funeral Home:
Hudson's Funeral Home
680 Mount Hope Drive
Lander, WY
US 82520