Passings Charles E. Mallory Charles Earl Mallory, 48, died June 22, in Torrington. He was born on Sept. 19, 1973, in Beloit, Kansas, to Donald and Betty (Taylor) Mallory. Mallory was raised in Kansas before enlisting in the U.S. Army. He served with the 425th Transportation Company while Mallory stationed in Iraq. Mallory also served with the Army Fire Department while stationed in Texas. While in the Army, he received the Rifle Marksman medal and the Army Achievement medal for the Rail Load Operation. Following his time in the Army, Mallory worked as a truck driver for the Clay Center Street Department and worked for WYDOT as a Highway Maintenance Technician. He worked in District 3 for nearly five years before moving to Torrington in District 2 in October 2018. Mallory had eight years of service with the state at the time of his death. He was considered to be highly self-motivated and a great person to work with. He was admired by his co-workers for his friendliness and positive energy. Somewhat a perfectionist, Mallory took accountability for his actions and was quick to apologize if something went wrong. He was a generous and kind person who would have given you the shirt off his back, if you needed it. Outside of work, Mallory had a great love for fencing. His dog “Sweetie Pie” was his best friend and the center of his life. He was a proud member of the American Legion. Wherever he went, he made friends and they became family to him.
Kenneth L. McHenry Kenneth Leroy McHenry, 82, died July 10, 2022, at his home outside Sheridan. He was born on Sept. 23, 1939 in Gillette to Laura Mae and Kenneth Clifton McHenry
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McHenry. Family legend says, when his mother, Laura, went into labor with McHenry on the family homestead south of Gillette, they couldn’t get her up and out to the truck. They ended up taking out the window and moving her, bed and all. The family lived north of Gillette, but moved into town after the McHenry’s father left the family. As a boy, McHenry sold newspapers to many businesses in town. After he sold out of papers he would go to the cafe where his mother cooked to help her and then would get a nice cafe meal. His mother died in 1950, leaving Ken, age 11, and his younger brother, Timothy, orphaned. Luckily they only had to live in foster care for a short time before their eldest brother Charles, who lived in Montana, gained custody of both boys. The boys both moved to Billings and went to school there through Jr. High. McHenry spent his summers living and working in Sheridan, at first for his brother and eventually on the John Wallop ranch. He stayed with his brother Holland. When McHenry was in Sr. High he wanted to stay in Big Horn, on the ranch, during school and John Wallop let him live there year round and the Schraders and Mr. Wallop watched out for him. During high school, he delivered prescriptions and loved to tell stories of delivering to the brothels in town where he said the madams were always kind to him. McHenry graduated from Big Horn High School in 1958. From 1959 through 1964, he served in the Army Reserves in the Corps of Engineers. He worked several jobs besides ranch hand. He worked for brother, Holland, at Mac’s Delivery, and in Gillette as a Sheriff ’s deputy before he began with the old Wyoming Highway Department in Sheridan in March 1963. He retired in December 1995 with more than 32 years of service to the state. Hunting was a big part of Ken’s early years. He was able to not only feed his family but made and enjoyed lifelong friends. He even “starred” in several hunting movies for Gruko films. Later in life he gave up hunting because he said he didn’t have the heart for it anymore. Another loved pastime was playing cards and games with family. Many hours
after family dinner were spent laughing, teasing and having fun and game nights were highlights for him, as for all his family. When his nephew, Charlie, moved to town there were also weekend cribbage games and marathon card nights. McHenry married Jacqueline Lee Manning in 1961. They had two children, Heather and Kenny. Ken and Jackie later divorced in 1975. McHenry was Uncle Kenny, Unc, Gramps and Grandpa the Great not only to members of his family but also to many family friends and always to small children who loved their Gramp. Sheridan/Dietz Port of Entry Inspector Davyd Mortensen is one of McHenry’s grandsons.
Sharon A. Van Court Sharon A. Van Court, 82, formerly of Cheyenne, passed away on July 8, 2022, in Loveland, Colorado. Van Court was born in Indianapolis, Indiana on Jan. 30, 1940. She grew up in a military family and lived all over the United States. She graduated from Cheyenne Van Court High School and continued on to receive a Bachelor of Arts Degree (1962) from The University of Wyoming. Van Court never married. She worked as a commercial artist for the federal government, various publishing houses and before coming to the Wyoming Department of Transportation. She worked in the Management Services program until her retirement in March 2010. In her retirement, she wrote and published the short story The Star Sentinel, published in November 2010. She also enjoyed softball, golf, fishing and following her favorite professional sports teams. A private funeral service was held at Cheyenne Memorial Gardens on July 14. Chaplain Don Blomberg officiated. n
