Wayne Stanley Nyhoff

Wayne Stanley Nyhoff was born on October 24, 1936 after a long wait to Allen Albert and Hazel Edna (Minton) Nyhoff and passed away on May 24, 2022 at the age of 85 years.

Wayne grew to adulthood on the family farm five miles north of Wray, he attended country school with the exception of one year in town school when he was eight years old and his father was employed by the City of Wray working at the city light plant. At an early age he started helping with the family farm working horses, cattle, sheep and all other farm animals and doing the work that any farm child would do, but he enjoyed it and worked hard. He would often talk to his friends about his days growing up on the family farm.   After eight years at country school, he attended Wray High School with the class of 1954.

He began his adult years working in the Wyoming oil fields, working on the Warner ranch and then being drafted in the US Army in 1959.  He spent his basic training at Fort Carson, CO and in mid August was assigned to Fort Devens near  the small town of Ayer, MA where he  met a special girl, Diana Horr.  After being discharged from active duty, they were married on June 24, 1961 in Ayer.

They made their home in Wray remodeling a house they moved in from the country.  They soon filled it with their two children, Kurt Lynn, 1962 and Dana Jillene, 1963.  His employment varied from the Wray Gazette, farm worker, and the county road and bridge.  He finally took a year out to get his GED and study at the Denver Institute of Technology for refrigeration and air conditioning.  He really enjoyed the people he worked for and after 25 years he thought he’d be happy in retirement.  But being retired didn’t agree with him and he took a position with Tri-State Generation and Transmission for five years and then the City of Wray Animal Control and cardboard recycle.  He finally retired to his recliner in 2018.

He worked tirelessly with his children, son in scouting and daughter in the 4-H horse program.  He was a wonderful husband, father and grandfather and great grandfather.  During those years he also spent his spare time with his wife building another home in the country, and remodeling two other houses.  He definitely was a Jack of all trades and Master of some! He and his wife enjoyed many adventures in later years raising terrier dogs which they showed in Colorado and other states. They also vacationed with family in various parts of the United States including Alaska and Hawaii.  Wayne’s greatest joy was being Scout Master for Troop 35 in Wray.  Even before that he was very involved with Cub Scouts and helped many young Cubs with their Pine Wood Derbies.  The Cubs he helped usually did very well in the competitions.  As Scout Master he took the boys on camping trips, scout camp at Red Feather Lakes, and whatever activities they participated in such as Wray Daze Parades.

Wayne was preceded in death by his parents, Allen and Hazel Nyhoff, in-laws Wilbur and June Horr and all of his aunts and uncles and several cousins.

He is survived by his wife of 61 years, son Kurt (Lillian) and daughter Dana Jodice (Jim), grand children Faith, Garett, and Joshua Nyhoff, Cameron Jodice, great grand children Vanek Scheilheimer, Alyssa and Zack Wallace; sister Shirley Johnson, Niece Rhonda (Larry) Hester and several other cousins, nieces and nephews.

A Memorial Service will be held at the Schmidt-Jones Funeral Home in Wray, Colorado on Monday, June 13, 2022 at 10:00 a.m. Cremation was selected and inurnment will follow the service at Grandview Cemetery.

Memorials may be sent to the Wray Boy Scout Troop 35 C/O Bob Shade, Treasurer, 421 Dexter St.,

Wray, CO  80758. Schmidt-Jones Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.