Robert Nick ‘Bob’ Loran

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(Aug. 22, 1928 - Dec. 13, 2012)

Robert Nick “Bob” Loran died Thursday, Dec. 13, 2012 at St Vincent’s Hospital in Billings, Mont. He was 84.

Bob was born to Joseph Henry and Barbara Pfau Loran on Aug. 22, 1928 in Richardson, N.D. He left home at the age of 14 to pursue his dream of being a cowboy. He arrived in Ten Sleep where he went to work for the Orchard Ranch. It was there that he met his wife, Kay. They married in 1948 and had their first son, Nick.

They then moved to Nebraska to work on the Bixby Ranch and had three more children, Judy, Rocky and Casey. They moved back to Wyoming where Bob worked for various ranches and they had two more children, Dixie and Sheila. They moved to the South Fork in 1956 and ran a successful ranching and outfitting business for many years.

Bob loved the outdoors and especially working with horses. If a horse carried the B-L brand, people automatically associated it with Bobby Loran.  People often said that he had forgotten more about horses than most people will ever know.

In his later years, Bob loved taking drives into the mountains with his little dog, Smokey, as his constant companion. He also had a love for unique birds. He always had guineas, peacocks, pigeons, colorful chickens or other exotic birds around.

His grandchildren were the highlight of his life. Bob loved to tease and torment them and he wasn’t quite happy unless they would dish it back. He was quite the prankster and loved nothing better than a good joke.

Bob was preceded in death by his parents Joe and Barb; sister Irene DeWitt; wife Kay; and daughter Dixie.

He is survived by his sisters Rose Searcy and Dorothy Scott; children Nick, Rocky and Casey Loran, Wade Madson, Judy Brittain, Sheila (Richard) Lipps; and also numerous grandchildren, great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren.

A memorial service in celebration of Bob’s life will be held at Haskell Funeral Home in Lovell on Saturday, Dec. 29 at 2 p.m.

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