Bob Willoughby

Mass of Christian Burial for Bob Willoughby, 89-year-old Buffalo resident who passed away Sunday at the Veteran’s Administration Hospital in Sheridan, will be celebrated Tuesday, May 31st at 10:00 a.m. at St. John The Baptist Catholic Church in Buffalo with Father Pete Johnson as Celebrant. A Vigil Service will be held and the Rosary recited on Monday at 6:00 p.m. from the Harness Funeral Home Chapel in Buffalo. Interment will be in Willow Grove Cemetery with a military graveside service held on Friday, June 3rd at 10:00 a.m. Donations in Bob’s memory may be made to the Wounded Warrior Project or to Disabled American Vets in the care of the Harness Funeral Home at 351 N. Adams in Buffalo.  Online condolences may be made at www.harnessfuneralhome.com

Robert Francis Willoughby was born on December 3, 1932, in Chariton, Iowa to Gail and Josephine Willoughby. He moved with his family to Burns, Wyoming where he grew up and went to school, graduating from Burns High School with the class of 1950.  In 1951 Bob joined the U.S. Marine Corps and served at posts in the U.S. He received an honorable discharge from the Marines in June of 1952 and moved back to Burns and worked in Cheyenne at various jobs.  He was married on September 4, 1953, in Pine Bluffs to Elizabeth Farris and they made their home in Cheyenne.  In 1958 Bob joined the Wyoming Highway Patrol and was located in Rawlins and was later transferred to Medicine Bow, Sundance, and Gillette, Wyoming.  In 1970 they moved to Windsor, Colorado where he was employed by Eastman Kodak as a Security Foreman. In 1989 and he and Betty moved to Buffalo where Bob was a dispatcher for the Buffalo Police Department for nine years.  He continued working at part-time jobs in Buffalo until he fully retired in 2012.  After retirement, he continued living in Buffalo until his death.

Bob was a workaholic and enjoyed spending time gardening and working on his yard.  His passion was spending time with his family. He is survived by his wife Betty Willoughby of Buffalo; two daughters Betty Jean Willoughby of Medicine Bow, Wyoming, and Brenda Sue Willoughby of Buffalo; three grandchildren, Charity Knopp of Gillette, Wyoming, Karla Bernal and her husband Sergio of Fredrick, Colorado and Garth Nicholas of Buffalo; and seven great-grandchildren.  He was preceded in death by his parents, one infant daughter Elizabeth, two brothers Alva and Sidney Willoughby, and one sister Beulah Hankins.