Matthew Ryan McGraw: December 21, 1985 – March 27, 2022 (age 36)
Matthew grew up in Lansing, Michigan. He made it to All-American in cross-country during college, then moved to Poplar Bluff, Missouri, where he started his career as a police officer. He dedicated 12 years to being a police officer, and he was the man who wanted to make a change. If he could make a difference in just one person’s life, he would.
In 2013, he moved to Wyoming, where he met his wife, Jennifer. Together they bought a home and built a wonderful life together. Matthew was a light in so many people’s lives. He always could make you smile. He was sarcastic, fun, and, above all, one of the most caring people to walk with us.
He loved his sports and was a die-hard Michigan STATE fan. Every day he would represent “Go green go white”! When he wasn’t rewatching the 19th highlight of the game, he loved spending time with his family. Matthew lived through three amazing kids that looked up to him everyday, and he was also a bonus father to four more wonderful kids. He was always ready for his snuggles, movie night, and nerf wars, and, if he had to, he always had his basketball shorts under his pants “because he never knew when he was gonna have to dunk on one of these kids”.
Matthew did everything he could to help others. His family was his reason. It didn’t matter who you were if you were family to him — he was there. He wanted to be surrounded by his loved ones in every way he could. He could show off his BBQ skills or have everyone over for a “competitive’ game night. He found passion and peace being in the great outdoors and just soaking in the serenity, and solitude, that the mountains and plains provided…unless the elk were in the rut — then he never relaxed. He was preceded in death by his father (Robert McGraw) and his grandparents.
Those left to carry on his memory are his sweet children (Alex, Lilly, and Zayden); his bonus children (Derek, Little Matt, Patrick, and Elizabeth); his loving wife Jennifer (Jones); his mother Brenda (Desch) Arnold; his stepfather (Loren Arnold); his sisters Jennifer (Preston) Robinson and Jessica (Terry) Phillips; his brothers Loren (BooBoo) Arnold, Ashley Freemen, and Mike Iler; his childhood brothers Alex (Sara) Beuno, Matthew Sinclair, Mike Cook, Greg (Aj Bishop), and Mevlin Louis; and many nieces, nephews, aunts and uncles.
Services will be held at Bustard’s Funeral Directors at 600 CY Ave., Casper, WY 82601 on April 5 starting at 10 a.m. Please do not send flowers; instead, use the money that would have been spent on flowers as a donation for a trust fund for the children. The dress code is green and white, to represent Michigan STATE.
Herschel “Gene” Buck: August 28, 1938 – March 25, 2022 (age 83)
Herschel Gene Buck passed away on March 25, 2022. He was born on August 28, 1938 in Sheridan, Wyoming to Eleanor Genevieve (Ruby) Buck and Irwin Jennings Buck. The third child, he followed sisters Roberta (Schutte) and Marilyn (Harrington). He is survived by his wife of 56 years Patricia (Rhynard) Buck, his son Roy Buck (wife: Ronda), his daughter Diane Daughton (Husband: William), six grandchildren (Rachel Adamson, Stevi Sy, Kurtis Buck, Ashlynn Daughton, Tess Daughton and Bridget Daughton) and seven great-grandchildren.
As a child, he lived in the Big Horn Mountains in the summer while his father worked for the highway department. The family also lived on his grandfather Ruby’s farm on Shell Creek. While there, he attended school and enjoyed his teacher Mrs. Ferman, played with neighbor children, sang duets for school programs, and helped with farm chores.
Later, he spent summers working for his grandfather, clearing irrigation ditches, driving the tractor, and raking and stacking hay. A favorite memory was of trips to Buffalo with his grandfather, which were always capped off with a milkshake at the Creamery.
After his early school years at Shell Creek, Gene attended schools in Sheridan. He made two lifelong friends there: Darrol Woods and Joe Towns. He was gifted with a beautiful tenor voice and sang in several choirs. He graduated from Sheridan High School in 1956.
After graduation, he enlisted in the Air Force. He was stationed around the U.S., in Guam, and in Japan. His specialty was in radio and electronic communication. This specialty would lead to a job with AT&T when he returned to the States. He worked for Ma Bell from 1962 to 1990.
After retirement, he went back to school and received an AA degree in photography from Casper College in 1992. Later he enrolled at Montana State University and earned a BA in Photography. Following graduation, he opened H. G. Buck Photography, where he specialized in wedding photography.
Throughout his later years, Gene volunteered for many different organizations. He repaired cassette players for Talking Books through the Telephone Pioneers. He taught Red Cross courses and helped displaced families receive food and lodging vouchers after fires. Gene and Pat drove the last car for the MS150 for almost 30 years. Additionally, they drove a route for Meals on Wheels for 10 years. They loved traveling the states and visiting Canada and Alaska.
He and Pat joined First Christian Church in 1966 and for many years Gene truly loved singing with the choir and helping with odd jobs around the church. He enjoyed crafting the little figures used for the Worship and Wonder program.
He loved to help people and was good at repairing things. As his oldest granddaughter, Rachel, said when her piggy bank broke into dozens of pieces, “Papa will ‘pix’ it.” He was well-loved by his family and is truly missed.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Meals on Wheels.
Arrangements are entrusted to the care of Bustard & Jacoby Funeral Home, 600 CY Ave., Casper, WY 82601.
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