Passings

Denton R. Dudrey

Denton Ray Dudrey, 77, passed away on June 14, 2023 surrounded by his loved ones. Dudrey was born Sept. 11, 1947, in Sheridan, Wyoming.

He earned his geology degree from the University of Wyoming.

Dudrey began his career with WYDOT in 1993 as a project geologist, retiring in May 2014, with 21 years of service to the state, all of which were in Cheyenne.

He also served his country in the U.S. Army, serving in Vietnam and receiving the Bronze Star. Later, he was a part of the American Legion in Pine Bluffs.

Kenneth H. Fink

Kenneth Herman Fink, 80, died June 2 at the Billings hospital from complications following surgery.

Fink was born in Lovell, Wyoming, to Herman and Minnie (Doerr) Fink on March 1, 1943. He was the oldest of four brothers.

He attended and graduated from Lovell High School.

On Aug. 5, 1967, he married Sherry Torghele at Bethel Lutheran Church in Lander.

Fink began his career with the old Wyoming Highway Department, WYDOT’s predecessor agency, in 1962 as summer help in Lovell. He returned as temporary help each summer through 1966, while he was earning his bachelor’s degree in civil engineering at the University of Wyoming. He graduated from UW in 1967 and accepted a permanent position with the WHD in Laramie as an engineer. He was promoted in 1973 to resident engineer in Cheyenne. The following year, he joined the Construction and Maintenance Program as a staff engineer. Fink’s next promotion came in 1978, when he moved to Casper as district maintenance engineer. He remained there until 1993 when he became the District 5 DE in Basin. He retired in 1996 with more than 29 years of service. Fink later worked for Big Horn County for several years.

He enjoyed being involved with his church and community.

Harry M. Huson

Harry Marshall Huson, 93, passed away in Casper, Wyoming, April 13, 2022, with his daughters by his side.

He was born in Sheridan on October 5, 1928, to Mae Chase and Harry H. Huson. He attended schools in the Arvada/Clearmont area graduating from Clearmont High School in 1946. While attending school in Arvada, he met, and in 1947, married Vera L. Dabney. From this marriage, three daughters were born: Marsha, Lucinda (Cindy), and Karen. The family lived in Newcastle and Casper before he and Vera moved to Laramie where he graduated from the University of Wyoming in 1970 with a degree in mechanical engineering. They then moved to Cheyenne to continue his career with the Wyoming Highway Department. He retired in 1988 after 39 years of service.

He especially enjoyed spending time with family hiking, fishing and snowmobiling at the cabin in the Big Horns. In retirement, you could find him on the golf course in the summer, and in the winter he and Vera traveled extensively, spending many winters in Tucson.

He was a life-long member of Newcas- tle Masonic Lodge No. 13 Rite (receiving an Honorary 33rd Degree), Sheridan Scottish Rite, Kalif Shrine of Sheridan, and Korein Shrine of Cheyenne (Frontiersmen’s Group). He volunteered for Meals on Wheels as a driver and as a repairman of machines to resell at their thrift store for more than 35 years.

Craig R. Neuman

Craig R. Neuman, 73, passed suddenly after a three day illness at Banner Health in Greeley, Colorado, surrounded by his loving family.

He was born June 17, 1950 in Elyria, Ohio, to Rudolph and Mary Arlene Neuman.

Neuman loved his farm in Grafton, Ohio, where he raised livestock and crops. He was involved in FFA as teenager and as an adult was a member of the VFW and American Legion. He served in Vietnam from 1970-71, where he was awarded the Bronze Star, Seven Air Medals, Army Commendation Medal, and Army Service Medal. He was the first deputy K-9 handler on the Lorain County Sheriff’s Department in Ohio. He moved to Wyoming where he served with the Wyoming Highway Patrol for 16 years, retiring in 2000 as a lieutenant. After retirement, Neuman worked as a security officer at the Federal Building in Cheyenne.

He enjoyed talking to people and never met a stranger. Neuman loved dogs, and always had one or more of these loyal friends by his side throughout his lifetime. Neuman will be dearly missed by his family and friends.

Services were held at Wiederspahn-Radomsky Chapel of the Chimes. Interment with full honors was at the Cheyenne National Cemetery.

It’s scholarship season! WTDEA chapters award scholarships for hardworking undergrads

The WTDEA State Board, the Headquarters chapter and the District 2 and District 4 chapters have awarded scholarships to qualified applicants. The awards help offset the college tuition costs of full-time undergraduate studies at the school of their choice. Congratulations to all of this year’s recipients.

The WTDEA State Board awarded two $600 scholarships this year. Bailey Ferree, daughter of Shannon Ferree with Compliance and Investigation at Headquarters, and Payton Miller, daughter of Shaneal Miller with Rock Springs Maintenance. Each undergrad will receive $600 to use toward tuition the 20232024 school year.

This year, Headquarters awarded two $500 scholarships. One to Sarah Ellis, daughter of WHP Sgt. Duane Ellis, who will be continuing her education in early childhood education with a minor in Spanish at Colorado State University. She currently works at a preschool and volunteers in elementary schools in her quest to be an elementary school teacher in a Title 1 school.

The second scholarship was awarded to Bailey Ferree who will be attending Chadron State College to pursue a degree in secondary English education.

In District 2, the WTDEA chapter awarded one $500 scholarship and it went to Riley Shaw, daughter of Douglas Area Maintenance Supervisor Rick Shaw

WTDEA Facebook page

The WTDEA would like to remind all employees who are social media followers to follow the WTDEA Facebook page for updates and upcoming news and events. Check it out and kindly give it a “like.”

The District 4 chapter awarded two $500 scholarships. One went to Lainey Konetzki. She is the daughter of District 4 Maintenance Engineer Larry Konetzki and wife, Lisa, of Sheridan. She has been attending Sheridan College the past two years and will be transferring to West Texas A&M in the fall. With two years of prerequisites and a farrier science certificate in hand, she is excited to continue her studies in equine industry and business. Konetzki hopes of opening her own equine business which will include using her farrier training and passion and experience training horses.

Another went to Parker Speidel, the son of Sundance Maintenance Foreman Rusty Speidel and wife, Amanda. After graduating from Sundance High School, he will be attending Northwest College, in Powell, to pursue his dream of becoming a pilot. He kept busy as Senior Class President and was a member of his local FFA Chapter, National Honor Society, band and golf team.

WTDEA is an association whose mission is to “provide direct communication for all WYDOT employees, promote safe, efficient working environments, with positive changes for the future.” Membership is open to all employees. Proceeds from membership, as well as fundraising efforts, help support each of the Districts’ scholarship programs.