Richard R. ‘Dick’ Wilder

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(March 9, 1926 - Oct. 17, 2013)

Richard R. “Dick” Wilder died peacefully at Spirit Mountain Hospice in Cody on Oct. 17, 2013, after a courageous battle with cancer. He was 87.

Dick was born in Powell on March 9, 1926. His parents, Tom and Maude Wilder, arrived in Powell in 1911 by CB&Q emigrant train from Kansas, homesteaded and raised their family on the Shoshone Project.

Dick grew up on the family farm and graduated from Powell High School in 1944. He served in the U.S. Army Air Corps during World War II and married Marge Fryer of Powell in 1946.

Dick attended the University of Wyoming on the GI Bill. Dick and the UW School of Pharmacy’s history are uniquely tied together. The school was founded in 1946 as part of an expansion at UW following World War II. He was a member of the school’s first class, which consisted of 23 students — 21 men and two women. Dick received a bachelor of science in pharmacy degree from UW in 1950 and continued to support the school by serving as a member of the UW School of Pharmacy Advisory Committee.

This fall, Dick was honored as the University of Wyoming School of Pharmacy Outstanding Alumnus for 2013. Dick was also honored in 2009 with the Distinguished Alumnus Award for Northwest College.

Following graduation, he and Marge purchased Cody Drug in Cody. They owned and operated Cody Drug from 1951 until 1991. During his long and successful career, Dick was active in numerous professional and civic organizations. In 1962–63, he served as president of the Wyoming Pharmaceutical Association (now the Wyoming Pharmacy Association, WPhA) and was secretary/treasurer of WPhA from 1963–66. For his outstanding record of community service, Dick received the Bowl of Hygeia Award for Wyoming in 1975.

The list of his civic and community activities includes being president and/or treasurer of the following boards: Trinity Lutheran Church; Cody Chamber of Commerce (Cody Club); Park County School District No. 6; Cody Volunteer Fire Department (active member); Cody Volunteer Fire District Board; Riverside Cemetery District Board; Park County Historical Society and Wyoming State Historical Society; and the Wyoming Retail Merchants Association. He was also a member of the Park County Travel Council, Cody American Legion Post No. 20; life member of B.P.O.E. No. 1611; and 50-plus year member of the Cody Lions Club.

Recently, Dick was a founding member of the Cody Heritage Museum project and the Field of Honor American Flag display.

In addition to Cody Drug, Dick and Marge owned and operated WyoFoto, Sage Gift Shop, Ken-Mar Flowers, Post Office Store, Shoshone Distributing Company, M & M Company, Eastgate Shopping Center and Wilder Enterprises. Involvement in the Cody community, Park County history, church, patriotism and volunteerism were passions of Dick’s, but his family was truly his greatest love. Family memories in Crandall at Wilder Cabins No. 1 and No. 2 beginning in the 1950s included Labor Day and Memorial Day weekends, birthdays, anniversaries, family reunions or any excuse for a weekend getaway or family celebration.

Dick and Marge traveled the world. Dick never met a stranger, whether behind the prescription room counter at Cody Drug or on a train platform in Italy.

In addition to his wife Marge, Dick is survived by their four children: Rick (Mary) of Denver, Steve (Sherry) of Las Vegas, Jean of Cody and Tom (Jackie) of Cody; eight grandchildren; 11 great-grandchildren and numerous nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his son Mike, grandson Mike and granddaughter Shara.

Funeral services were held at Trinity Lutheran Church in Cody, on Wednesday, Oct. 23.

Memorial donations in Dick’s name can be made to the following organizations: Cody Heritage Museum (PO Box 701, Cody, WY 82414); Spirit Mountain Hospice (1021 9th Street, Cody, WY 82414); NWC Foundation for Scholarship (231 West Sixth St., Powell, WY 82435).

Ballard Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements and an online memorial is available at www.ballardfh.com.

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