Friends and family of 77-year old Wallace “Wally” Petrie, will meet for a memorial celebration Saturday, Oct. 2, at 4 p.m. at the Stagecoach Museum in Lusk.
Donations in his memory may be made to the Stagecoach Museum-Niobrara County Historical Society, P.O. Box 367, Lusk, WY, 82225.
Wallace L. “Wally” Petrie was born August 13, 1943, in Hastings, NE, to Arthur and Leona Petrie. He died July 25, 2021 in Cheyenne, Wyo.
Wally grew up in Holstein, NE, with his sister Bonnie and his two brothers Richard and Donald. Wallace was a loving father and grandfather who made many friends throughout his life.
He graduated from Holstein High School in 1961, and continued his education at Northwest Community College and the University of Nebraska, earning his Bachelor’s degree in education in 1965.
Wally then began his teaching career in Filley, NE in 1965. He continued his education while teaching and completed his Masters degree in education at Chadron State College in 1973.
After Filley, Wally was a teacher in Wyoming at Cody and Lusk through 1986. He taught a variety of junior high and high school subjects, took great pleasure in coaching several sports and served as a Closeup sponsor, accompanying students to Washington D.C.
After leaving teaching, Wally became a corrections officer and sergeant at the Wyoming Women’s Center in Lusk.
Wally was a passionate lifelong student of American government and history, and was particularly fascinated with the events surrounding the founding of the United States and the early history of Wyoming, especially the Lusk area.
These interests fueled several notable creative projects and his involvement with the Stagecoach Museum as a board member and board president.
Wally loved to share his knowledge of Niobrara County history with family, friends and passers-by.
He was an animal lover, an avid outdoorsman and traveler, and was particularly fond of spending time touring Alaska and adventuring with his brother Don.
Wally was preceded in death by his brother Donald and sister Bonnie.
He is survived by his brother Richard of Kansas City and his sons Chris and Jason, of Cheyenne and Green River, respectively, and two granddaughters Samantha and Jessica.