Robert J. Rymill

Robert Rymill dies April 26

Robert J. Rymill, 84, Fort Laramie, died at West Nebraska General Hospital in Scottsbluff April 26. Funeral service was held at Torrington April 29.

Rymill was born November 25, 1891 at Homer, Neb., the son of Samuel and Mary Ellen (Atkin) Rymill. He grew up and went to school at Homer and in 1914 he moved with his family to a homestead south of Lusk. Rymill moved to Lusk where he was in the hardware, furniture and mortuary business.

He married Nellie M. Hall on June 4, 1919 at Harrison, Neb. They moved to Fort Laramie in 1922. Mrs. Rymill died in 1946. Rymill married Nancy Jones at Fort Laramie on October 8, 1948.

Since coming to Fort Laramie, Rymill has owned and operated a lumber and hardware business, the Continental Bulk oil plant in Ft. Laramie and Lingle and a grain elevator business in Ft. Laramie and Lingle.

Rymill and George Houser were instrumental in acquiring Old Fort Laramie for the state of Wyoming. It is now Fort Laramie National Historic Site. When it was under state control, Rymill was appointed the first director.

He was a member of the Fort Laramie Community Church where he served many years as a trustee. He was a charter member of the Lusk Lions Club and a charter member of the Lingle Lions club, having over 50 years of service.

He was a member of Fort Laramie Community Club, Wyoming Historical Association, Fort Laramie Historical Association, Goshen County Historical Association and he was a past president of Wyoming Pioneer Association at Douglas.

Rymill was a past director of the Highway 26 Association and a past president of the North Platte Valley Associated Chambers of Commerce. He served 25 years on Fort Laramie District II School Board.

He was the mayor of Fort Laramie for 12 years in the 1920's and 30's and was again serving as Mayor at the time of his death. He was also a past treasurer of Ft. Laramie.

Rymill has over 25 years service as a Boy Scout Leader.

He was a State Senator from Goshen County for four terms. He served continuously on the education and appropriation committees. He was a past president of the senate and served as acting Governor three times.

Rymill resigned the last two years of his last term to accept an appointment as State Director of the Agriculture Stabilization and Conservation Office in the United States Department of Agriculture.

He served eight years as director of ASC and then returned to the hardware, lumber and grain business at Fort Laramie.

Rymill is survived by his wife, Nancy of Ft. Laramie, by two daughters, Mrs. Edith Johnson of Torrington and Mrs. Herbert (Anna) Pomeroy of Ft. Laramie, by two sons, Robert J. Rymill, Jr. of San Antonia, Texas and A. Lowell Rymill of Omaha, Neb.; by one sister, Mrs. Amy Hogan of Denver, by eight grandchildren and six great-grandchildren. In addition to his first wife Nellie, he was preceded in death by three brothers and five sisters.

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