Del Jenkins

A celebration of the life of Del Jenkins, an 88-year-old Buffalo resident who passed away Sunday at the Johnson County Health Care Center in Buffalo, will be held Friday, March 21^st at 2:00 p.m. from the Harness Funeral Home Chapel in Buffalo with Pastor Fred Schurman officiating. A private family interment will take place at a later time.  Donations in Del’s memory may be made to the Bread of Life Food Pantry at 178 S. Main in Buffalo, Wyoming 82834. Online condolences may be made at www.harnessfuneralhome.com.

Delbert White Jenkins III was born July 24, 1936, in Seattle, Washington to Delbert Jr. and Theresa Jenkins. He grew up and went to school in Seattle and Bremerton, Washington and during his junior year in high School he moved with his family to Falls Church, Virginia where he graduated from Falls Church High.  After high school, he attended Airplane and Power plant Mechanic School in Williams Port, Pennsylvania. After mechanical school, he worked and learned to fly at Baily’s Crossroads Airport in Falls Church. He was married on October 24, 1961, in Washington D.C. to Nancy Nieman, and they made their home in Alexandria, Virginia and later moved to Montana, living in Helena and Billings for a short time.  In 1967, they moved to Buffalo and Del along with Nancy managed the Buffalo Air Service. Del and Nancy were divorced in 1983 and following the divorce Del worked for a time in Alaska flying for the BLM Fire Service. He later returned to Buffalo and in May 1992 he married Lula Wagoner, and they lived and worked together on the Power River Ranch and later moved to Crazy Woman. Del attested to accomplishing the three things he wanted to do most in life, which were fly airplanes, live in Alaska and be a rancher.

After the death of their spouses Del and Nancy were remarried on July 7, 2021, and they lived in Buffalo until his death.

Del was honest, outspoken and lived a very carefree, adventurous life.  He loved camping and picnics in the mountains and road trips in their motor home. He enjoyed wrestling with his grandkids and late-night card games with the family.  He loved guns, coin collecting and talking politics with the guys.  Del is survived by his wife Nancy Elizabeth Jenkins of Buffalo; one son, Delbert Wade Jenkins and his wife Deborah of Rawlins, Wyoming; one daughter Veronica Lee Webb and her husband Bryan of Kansas City, Missouri; two brothers, Ray Jenkins and his wife Sandy of Bluewater, New Mexico and Steve Jenkins and his wife Susan of Front Royal, Virginia; five grandchildren, Dustin Dewald, Raechel Geis, Zachary Jenkins, Blake and Dylan Webb; eight great-grandchildren and numerous nieces and nephews.  He was preceded in death by his parents.