John Curtis McGuire

A celebration of life for John Curtis McGuire, who passed away on December 2, 2013, will be held Monday, December 9, 2013 at 11 am at Gillette Memorial Chapel. Private burial will follow at Mount Pisgah Cemetery in Gillette. Visitation is from 4pm to 6pm on Sunday, December 8, 2013. John Curtis McGuire was born November 30, 1929 in a small home on the prairie southeast of Akron Colorado. John was the seventh of nine children. He spent his younger years growing up in Akron before moving to Searcy, Arkansas where he graduated from high school in 1947 and then attended Harding College. He was a voracious reader throughout his life and especially enjoyed the Longmire Series by Ucross, Wyoming author Craig Johnson.In 1951 John was drafted into the United States Army during the Korean War. After two years he was honorably discharged as a Corporal. During his time in the Army, John was a cook and developed his famous culinary skills. He was known for his farmer's breakfasts that "could feed an army" of children and grandchildren.John married Alice Marie Smith in Brush, Colorado on August 30, 1953. About that same time, John began his career in the oil patch as a roughneck. John and Alice lived in Brush, Fort Morgan and Sterling, Colorado until 1959 when his employer, Petroleum Incorporated, transferred John to Gillette. His poker-playing skills allowed John to secure the money for the down payment on the family's first home. As a young man in Gillette, John loved and thrived on the exciting opportunity presented by discovery and exploration of the Powder River Basin. In 1978, he left Pet. Inc. and the comfort of a regular paycheck to form Powder River Royalty. He truly loved the oil and gas business and being THE BOSS. He looked forward to starting each day at the Village Inn with his oil field cronies, hearing the latest news and telling/retelling the countless number of stories gathered over a span of more than 50 years. His wildcatter spirit was well suited to take advantage of whatever opportunities came his way in the oil field or as a real estate developer of his land surrounding the Gillette Golf Club that became known as Country Club Estates.John was an avid fisherman who loved to troll for walleye at Keyhole on a regular basis and was proud of the many "whoppers" he caught over the years. He also spent many weekends at the family cabin at Lake Pactola in the Black Hills. He made many friends in Lake Havasu, Arizona where he and Alice went to escape the Wyoming winters and give John an opportunity to fish all year round. He loved to work outside grooming his property and could fix anything using the John McGuire principals of engineering that only seemed to require duct tape and baling wire. John raised a garden each summer and was very proud of his tomatoes, potatoes and zucchini.John was a private pilot and loved to fly despite having walked away from three crashes. He enjoyed telling the story about the time he and his good friend, Archie Ochs, flew his Tri-pacer to Baja Mexico, camped on the beach and traded the local fishermen cigarettes and playing cards for buckets filled with lobster tails. John and Archie then treated all the guests at Rancho Las Cruces Hotel, which included the late actor and singer Desi Arnez, to a lobster dinner courtesy of the two American "gringos." This and hundreds of similar hunting, scuba diving, golfing, water/snow skiing adventures were told and retold over the years much to the delight of John's children, grandchildren and most recently, his great grand-daughter. John loved life and lived it to the fullest making each and every day full of adventure and purpose.John was a member of the Church of Christ, loved the Lord and was passionate about his faith. He gave generously to many in need and was especially committed to the Mountain States Children's Home in Longmont, CO. John's greatest accomplishment was his family. He is survived by his wife of 60 years, Alice, and his three children, Susan Barlow of Newport Beach, CA, Craig (Beckie) McGuire of Highlands Ranch, CO, and Jennifer (John) Haste of Broken Arrow, OK; six grandchildren Lindsey (Kevin) King of Brooklyn, NY, Clark McGuire and Morgan McGuire of Los Angeles, CA, Nathan Aman of Oklahoma City, OK, and John and James Klobe of Newport Beach, CA, and one great granddaughter Grace King of Brooklyn, NY. He is also survived by his brother, Stanley Troy (Jeanine) McGuire of Snohomish, WA, his sister, Audrey Vaughn of Anaheim, CA., numerous nieces and nephews, and his business assistant of 40 years, Janis Price of Gillette.He was preceded in death by his parents; three brothers, Noland, Erwin, and Doyle McGuire; three sisters, Joyce Salling, Delilah Beethe, Cassandra (Muriel) Ireland, several nieces and nephews, and his special feline friend, Baxter. A memorial has been established to Close to Home Hospice in Gillette, a wonderful organization that provided exceptional care in the final chapter of his life on earth.Funeral Home:Gillette Memorial Chapel210 West Fifth Street Gillette, WYUS 82716