Harold Kenneth Bachtold

Graveside service with military honors for Harold Bachtold, 80, of Gillette will be 11:00 a.m., Wednesday, March 29, 2023 at Mt. Pisgah Cemetery. A luncheon will follow in the Mt. Pisgah Community Room.

Harold K. Bachtold who was born on November 12, 1932 in Ryan, Oklahoma to Henry and Minnie Bachtold passed away quietly March 23, 2023 in the Campbell County Hospital following a difficult battle with COVID. He was preceded in death by his parents, brother Eddy Lee, sister Mary Beth, wife Loraine, son Kirby Lee, and grandsons Alexander Scott Thompson and Brandon T Bachtold. Constantly at his side and carefully attended to in his final days in the hospital were his daughter, Elizabeth Thompson who lives in California with her husband Scott, son, Harold C and grandson Blake who both currently live in Gillette, WY. He was reminded by them every hour of every day that he was so loved and would never be alone or forgotten and that his beloved angel Loraine was patiently waiting for him. He is survived by his daughter, Elizabeth Dee Thompson (husband Scott); son, Harold Cricket Bachtold and grandsons Kirby A (wife Sam); Blake C (wife Shelby); nine great-grandchildren, and two great-great-grandchildren.

Harold was a quiet man, real cowboy and true patriot who grew up in the Great Depression on a hard scrabble farm in Oklahoma. After graduating from High School, he joined and served in the Army in Korea as a frontline soldier and marksman who received numerous Military Honors for his accomplishments and bravery including the Korean Ambassador for Peace medal. After getting out of the Army he moved to Kansas in 1955 to find work where met his soulmate Loraine, they were married just a few months later…he knew he had found his Angel. Harold continued working in the oilfield for Halliburton in Kansas where he fathered three children. In 1964 they packed up everything moved to Oklahoma where he went back to school and earned a Diesel Mechanic degree in just 2 years and achieved a place on the Dean’s Honors Roll with a 4.0 GPA.

After earning his degree, he went back to work for Halliburton in 1966 and then moved to Glendive, Montana. In 1972 he packed up his family one last time and moved to Gillette, Wyoming where his three children attended school and graduated from Campbell County High School. He continued to work at Halliburton in Gillette as the Lead Mechanic where he also mentored many new equipment operators and mechanics during the crazy boom years of the oilfield.

Living frugally and saving everything he and wife Loraine could, he managed to retire early at age 58 and left Halliburton in 1992. After retiring he sold their long-time home on Richards Ave and bought a small ranch just outside Gillette where he lived for over 35 years with his now deceased wife. Harold loved to ride and often took his horses deep up into the Bighorn Mountains. Some years back he also went on a recreation of the great Centennial Migration West where everyone wore period clothing and rode in wagons and on horseback, it proved to be the ride of a lifetime for him and something he was extremely proud of. He also loved to fish and once even flew up to a remote Canadian lake to fish for Northern Pike, he joked that he could catch fish on a bare hook up there and caught enough fish to last him his lifetime.

During his retirement he and wife Loraine quietly spent their time on many pet projects and hobbies around the ranch peacefully whiling away the days and nights out in the countryside where he felt at home and at peace. Harold considered himself quite the ‘horse trader’ and was very fond of attending local auctions where he could always find his friends bidding on machinery and horses. Always the loyal soldier he served on the Honor Guard in Gillette for many years and he served as the Commander of VFW post 7756 in Gillette taking great pride in being able to continue to serve his country and honor his fellow veterans. He was a member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars and the American Legion for half a century. He also loved to dance and was extremely good at it, he and his wife could frequently be found at all the dances in Gillette and just about every country dance they could find from nearby Buffalo to Spearfish where they floated across the dance floor…oblivious to everything except each other. Right before her death Loraine told Harold he owed her a last dance.

His absence and friendship will be deeply felt by his family and many friends. He is now, once again rejoined with his angel Loraine in Heaven where she finally gets her last dance as they waltz their way across heaven, dancing together in each other’s arms for eternity.

Please note that a ‘Celebration of Life’ gathering/event for Harold K Bachtold will be held sometime this coming June, hosted by his daughter Elizabeth and son Harold C. The exact date, time and place will be advertised in the newspaper approximately 1 to 2 weeks beforehand. It will be open to all of his family, friends and acquaintances or anyone who was bettered by Harold’s life. RSVPs will kindly be requested. Condolences may be sent in care of Gillette Memorial Chapel 210 West 5^th Street, Gillette, WY 82716. Condolences may also be expressed at www.gillettememorialchapel.com