Earl Michael

TORRINGTON, WY…..A celebration of life for EARL MILAN MICHAEL, 95, will be held on Saturday, January 23, 2010 at 3 pm at the Colyer Funeral Home with Reverend Burton Kugler officiating. Interment will follow at Valley View Cemetery. Visitation will be held at the Colyer Funeral Home Chapel on Friday from 3-7pm. Memorials can be made to the Goshen County 4-H Foundation. Earl passed away on January 19, 2010 at Goshen care Center at the Alzheimer’s Unit in Torrington, Wyoming. Arrangements are under the direction of the Colyer Funeral Home and friends are invited to send condolences to the family at www.colyerfuneralhome.com. Coming from humble beginnings, Earl was born to Alfred and Lucille (Downing) Michael on April 20, 1914 in Clarinda, Iowa. The family migrated from Clarinda to Albion and Kearney, Nebraska before finally settling on a farm near Henry. Earl received his early education at the Kautzer School before graduating from Torrington High School as salutatorian of the class in 1932. He married the love of his life Olive C. Shields on October 4, 1932. They farmed in the north Huntley, Wyoming area for many years and ranched south west of Huntley where they raised short horn cattle. In 1965 Earl was appointed by the Honorable Governor Clifford Hansen to the Wyoming Sate Board of Control as Superintendent of Water Division #1 in southeast Wyoming, where he was dubbed “Mr. Water” or the “Water Wizard” for his expert knowledge of the North Platte River and the Sate Wyoming water laws and regulations. He was well respected, admired, and even revered for his knowledge among local and state levels of governing bodies and could argue and debate water laws with the best of them! In 1975 he was the recipient of the Head gate Award for his years of service on the 4-States Irrigation Council. Earl served in many capacities on the local, county, and state boards among those being the Goshen County Fair, Huntley Presbyterian Church, and 4-H leader for 30 years, Wyoming Farm Bureau Board of Directors and Natural Resource Council. He retired after 19 years of service from the State of Wyoming but continued to serve in the capacity as a consultant for several more years after. At the time of his death, Earl was a resident of Goshen Care Center. He is survived by two sons; Dr. Harry (Bonnie) Michael of Warden, MT, and Russell (Nikki) Michael on their farm south of Henry, NE, two daughters, Jeanne (Jim) Wamboldt and Janice (Galen) Alexander all of Torrington, WY, 14 grandchildren, 31 great- grandchildren, and 14 great-great grandchildren, and one sister Cordice (Dinger) Dickson of WA. He was preceded in death by his parents, wife Olive, one sister Eileen Shields, twin infant brother, infant son Frederick, daughter Ruth Hauf, great granddaughter Gay Lynn Sinner, and great grandson, Cameron Stoner.

Earl Michael

April 20, 1914 - January 19, 2010