Bill W. Garland, 88, of rural Jeffrey City, Wyoming passed away peacefully Friday, April 4, 2025 surrounded by his family at Banner Wyoming Medical Center, Casper, Wyoming.
He was born May 5, 1936 near Calvert City, Kentucky, son of Woodson and Ethel (Park) Garland. He grew up and attended school graduating from Sharpe High School in Palma, Kentucky in 1954.
On July 10, 1956 Bill married the love of his life Lyda Powers.
Bill graduated from Murray State College in 1958. They moved away from Kentucky due to Bill’s service in the United States Army. He was honorably discharged as a Captain in 1962.
Bill went to work for Allied Chemical Co. as a chemist in 1962 and the couple moved seven times through the years across the United States until Bill retired as Director of Manufacturing in Green River, Wyoming in 1987. They moved to Pavillion, Wyoming that year and began building the family farm and ranch, RingTail R Cattle Company, LLC. In 2004, Bill and Lyda built a new home outside of Riverton, Wyoming.
They moved to Homestead retirement community in Riverton in 2019. Bill moved to the family ranch near Jeffrey City, Wyoming after Lyda died in 2021 to live near his son Steve and wife Jennie Lou. He enjoyed living on the ranch that he had worked so hard to build and shared with his son and his family.
Bill contributed to every community in which he lived. He was a Superman of Metropolis, Illinois, a Kentucky Colonel, on the Board of Directors for Wyoming Farm Bureau Federation, was a Past President of Fremont County Farm Bureau, a Past President of the Wyoming Mining Association, the Past Executive Vice President of Southwest Wyoming Industrial Association and Past Chairman of the Board and founding member of Wyoming National Bank.
He was a member of Pavillion Community Methodist Church.
He is preceded in death by his wife, Lyda and his parents, Woodson and Ethel Garland and his sister, Clotene Peters.
Bill is survived by son, Steve (Jennie Lou) Garland near Jeffrey City, Wyoming; daughters, Debbie (Mark) Mosier of Sargent, Nebraska and Laura (Jon) Walker of Lander, Wyoming; eight grandchildren, Stephanie, Kari, Ryan, Amanda, Jessica, Jamie, Cooper and Mattie and 12 great grandchildren; brother, Gary (Nancy) Garland along with six nieces and nephews.
Bill had a love of the outdoors and enjoyed hunting and fishing through the years. Bill’s legacy of service, love for his family, and dedication will forever be cherished by his family and friends.
Private services will be held at the family cemetery on the ranch at a later date.
Memorials may go to the Wyoming LEAD Program, P.O. Box 5, Cheyenne, Wyoming 82003.
On-line condolences for Bill’s family may be made at TheDavisFuneralHome.com
Arrangements under the direction of Davis Funeral Home, Crematory, and Monuments of Riverton, Wyoming.