Robert E. Quade

Funeral services for ROBERT E. QUADE, 88. will be held at 11am Saturday, September 14, 2013 at the Colyer Funeral Home Chapel with Reverend Scott Firminhac officiating. Burial will follow in the Valley View Cemetery with military honors. Bob died September 7, 2013 at the home in which he was born, on the farm where his father and grandfather died. Memorial donations in Bob’s name may be made to the Goshen County 4-H Foundation, 4516 US Hwy 26-85, Torrington, WY 82240, or the Senior Friendship Center, P.O. Box 517, Torrington. Visitation will be at the funeral home Friday from 3pm to 7pm and the casket will be open briefly following the service. Arrangements are under the direction of the Colyer Funeral Home and friends may send condolences to the family at www.colyerfuneralhome.com. Bob was born December 18, 1924 to Carl and Louise Quade on the family homestead south of Torrington, Wyoming. A winter snowstorm prevented his parents from getting to town, so his aunt, a World War I Army nurse, was summoned from the neighboring homestead to deliver him. He grew up on the farm with five siblings. The children had to make their own fun, and among the things they did, was to set up a tin-can-and-string phone line to talk with the kids on the next farm. 4-H was a big part of life for the Quade children, and Bob excelled as a livestock judge, winning the state championship in 1942. He also showed the grand champion market hog at the Goshen County Fair. Bob joined the Army during WW II and served from 1943-1945 with the 720th Infantry, first in the Philippines, then as an MP in Tokyo. Among his duties in Tokyo were directing traffic in front of the Emperor’s Palace, and patrolling the streets on a Harley Davidson motorcycle. Some 50 years after his discharge, Bob and his "Army buddies" renewed friendships and enjoyed getting together for annual reunions. Bob married Elizabeth "Betty" Essert of Yoder, Wyoming on December 18, 1949, Bob’s 25th birthday. The couple lived in married-student housing on the University of Wyoming campus while Bob completed his degree in agriculture. The couple moved to Basin, Wyoming in 1950, where Bob worked as an assistant UW Agricultural Extension Agent. When a county agent position opened in Buffalo, the couple moved there in 1954 with their two young children, Gloria and Stan. Dave and Laurie joined the family later, and the family enjoyed life in the idyllic little town. A ranch in the foothills of the Big Horn Mountains provided Bob with an opportunity to raise livestock, and branding day was always a big, community event. As the county agent, Bob remained involved in 4-H in Johnson County. He was also a member of the Wyoming Wool Growers Association and was instrumental in establishing the annual ram sale. In 1960, Bob led a group of Wyoming area agricultural leaders on a Good Will Farm Tour to South America where they visited several countries, including Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay, Peru, and Chile. The purpose of the tour was to develop a better understanding between American farmers and other people of the world. The tour was in conjunction with the US Government’s Cultural Exchange program, and included meeting with South American producers, agricultural officials and government representatives. Upon the death of his father, Bob purchased the family farm and moved back to Torrington in 1973. A position as the county agent was also available for Bob in Goshen County, allowing him to continue his career in addition to returning to the farm where he was born and raised. Crops included corn and beans, as well as award -winning alfalfa. He continued to raise cattle, incorporating his father’s Angus herd with his Herefords. Bob continued his involvement with 4-H, and loved coaching the livestock judging teams, with two of his teams winning the top prize at the state fair and competing in the national livestock judging competition. He enjoyed working with young people and sharing his love of agriculture with the future farmers. Bob was very athletic and graceful. He loved playing and watching baseball, especially the St. Louis Cardinals, riding horses, skiing and dancing. He enjoyed attending UW and Torrington High School football and basketball games and visiting with other fans. He kept himself strong and fit his entire life, and was cutting and hauling his own wood just last winter. Until a few years ago, he hung upside down on an inversion machine every morning before breakfast. Bob enjoyed being active in the community and particularly anything to do with agriculture. He was a member of the Goshen County Stockgrowers Association and Farm Bureau, among other organizations. He was instrumental in the organization of the North Platte Valley Feeders Association and started a pesticide training program in Goshen County. He was a member of the Wyoming Association of County Ag Agents and enjoyed working with ag producers on an individual basis. He also belonged to the American Legion, the VFW and was a lifelong member of the Republican Party, even running for state senate in 1992. Bob was a humble man and didn’t appreciate shows of bravado. He valued hard work and conservation: making do with what he had. He made many friends even in his later years, and would drive into town every day to have dinner with Betty after she was placed in the Alzheimer’s unit of the Goshen Care Center. Bob is survived by his wife Betty of Torrington; daughters Gloria and Jerry Bruner of Rock Springs, Wyoming and Laurie Quade and Jason Jones of Cody, Wyoming; sons Stan and Meg Quade of Sheridan, Wyoming, and Dave Quade of Cheyenne, Wyoming; grandchildren Ben and Sylvia Bruner, and Pepper and Shawn Stevens all of Buffalo, Wyoming, Sam and Ashley Bruner of Lander, Wyoming, Dan Bruner, Eric and Sally Quade all of Laramie, Wyoming Elaine Quade of Cheyenne, Libby Quade of Howell, Michigan, and Simon Bagne of Cody; three great grandchildren; sister Dolores Kaufman of Torrington, Wyoming; many nieces and nephews; and his beloved canine companion, Ric. He was preceded in death by his parents; sisters Lillian Filter, Bernice Kerns, and Marjorie Raben; and his brother Lee Quade.

Robert E. Quade

December 18, 1924 - September 7, 2013