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Larry Dale Yonts was born on July 21, 1939, in Powell, Wyoming to Harold R. and Eva F. (Losey) Yonts. He died on April 15, 2024, in Powell, Wyoming. He grew up on the family farm on Whistle Creek along with his three brothers and one sister.
He graduated from Byron High School in 1957. He then attended Northwest Community College and completed his education at the University of Wyoming in 1961, earning a degree in electrical engineering. He headed east to Pennsylvania where he worked for Westinghouse and other companies for several years before deciding enough was enough and he returned to the farm in 1972.
Upon returning to the farm, he immediately took on most of the husbandry chores and allowed his father to relax a little as all his siblings were now at jobs or at college in Laramie. He worked to expand the number of sheep being raised and even devised a coyote-proof pen for use when they were grazing on the range in the McCullough Peaks. Being an engineer he had to always look for ways to improve operations, so he ripped out the ditches for watering the crops and installed piping throughout the farm to water the various crops being grown more efficiently. In his spare time, and we all know farmers have lots of spare time, he was an original member of the Byron Solid Waste Disposal District when they began operations in 1981.
Larry was a proud member of the IOOF (Odd Fellows) Lodge #17 from his time at Northwest to his death. He was proud of many things with the lodge, but always talked about two major accomplishments. He was determined to follow in his father's footsteps and be selected as Nobel Grand of the Powell Chapter. Larry not only completed that goal, but he was selected as the Grand Master of the State of Wyoming in September 2019 and was currently serving as the Grand Patriarch.
In his later years he moved into Powell and lived at the Rocky Mountain Manor. He was always there to help with activities and could be found in the basement most nights putting together a jigsaw puzzle — a hobby that started on the farm that is shared by all his siblings. He kept himself active by being a foster grandparent at the local elementary schools, and as a senior companion where he visited with homebound seniors.
Larry leaves behind his brothers Bob of Casper and Delmer (Peggy) of Grant-Valkaria, Florida, sister-in-law Kathy (Books) Yonts along with nieces Cindy Pope, Marissa Yonts and Hillery (Craig) Masterton and nephews Clint (Tami) Yonts, Cal (Suzanne) Yonts, Craig Yonts, Travis (Allie) Yonts, Dylan (Henriette) Yonts, Ty (Katie) Pangburn and many great nephews and nieces.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Harold R. Yonts and Eva F. (Losey) Yonts, brother C. Dean Yonts, sister Linda Pangburn, brother-in-law Gary Pangburn, and sisters-in-law Barb (Strube) Yonts and Shirley (Schrage) Yonts.
Services will be held at 2 p.m. on April 26, 2024, at the Thompson Funeral Home in Powell, Wyoming. Burial will follow immediately at the Crown Hill Cemetery.
Note that shortly after the burial, the interment of Linda and Gary Pangburn will take place at the Crown Hill Cemetery.
