Walter Kawulok

Walter Raymond “Ray” Kawulok, 87, of Ranchester, Wyoming, passed away peacefully on November 23, 2019.

He was born on April 27, 1932, in Kooi, WY to Frank Alois & Mary Lucy (Soltis) Kawulok, Sr.

Ray graduated from Ranchester High School (Rustlers) in 1951 and lived in the Sheridan/Ranchester area his whole life. At a young age, he moved from Kooi to live and work on the Kawulok ranch on Wolf Creek. Which he talked about quite regularly when we took drives remembering the old times. Ray worked on the Kawulok Ranch, HN Ranch, Padlock Ranch & the Fiedor Ranch, later retiring from Sheridan Memorial Hospital after 29 years working in Engineering/Maintenance Department. He married Margaret Davis and had two children. He later divorced. While delivering coal to Eaton’s’ Ranch in Wolf, WY he met Helen Gethine Cook, they married on November 23, 1965, and lived together in Ranchester, Wyoming for 47 years till Helen passed in 2013.

Ray was a member of the Elks. He enjoyed hunting, fly fishing, planting flowers, gardening, caring for sheep for a number of years and later replaced them with llamas. One could always find him up in the Big Horn mountains spending time with family and friends. He always enjoyed having a few Budweiser’s with anyone that would visit. With over 65 years of hunting his pride and joy was his old 1943 Ford Jeep (named: The Grey Ghost) he always said he drove the jeep places many people wouldn’t even walk. To him it was unstoppable.

Upon living in the same residence for 53 years he accumulated many things over the years and always seemed to have an extra item when any family or friends needed help he was there. He was always quite the handyman till his later years.

He is preceded in death by his parents, wife, and siblings: Rose M Bocek, Mary V Wolney, Kathryn L Kukuchka, Jacob R Kawulok, Anna E Kettley, and Frank K Kawulok Jr.

He is survived by siblings: Dorothy Williams of Sheridan, WY, Jeanette Bauder of Davenport, IA,
son: Walter (Kristyanne) Kawulok Jr, Ranchester, WY, daughters:  Letty Rae (Jay) Shaffer, Rapid City, SD; Joyce (Mark) Allen, of Upton, WY; Elizabeth (Dean) Roberts, of Sheridan, WY; and Louisa Kawulok, of Ranchester, WY.  Also survived by eight grandchildren: Morgen Chase, Syrenda Hepp, Echo Wulff, Myria Burgess, Jason Allen, Kevin Allen, Whitney Campbell, and Sarah Bacon, plus nine great-grandchildren.

A Celebration of Ray’s life will be held at 2:00 pm on Wednesday, December 4, 2019, at Champion Funeral Home with a reception immediately following.

Condolences may be mailed to PO Box 155 Ranchester, WY 82839.

Champion Funeral Home has been entrusted with arrangements.