Myriel "Butch" S. Jordan

Funeral Services For M. S. Jordan Held in Wheatland Last Wednesday

Funeral services for Highway Patrol Sgt. Myriel S. Jordan were held from the Wheatland Methodist Church last Wednesday with burial in the Wheatland Cemetery.

Sgt. Jordan died August 18 of a heart condition after being hospitalized in the Platte County Memorial Hospital in Wheatland for eight days.

The Rev. Frank Bozart, who is also Niobrara under sheriff, presided at the services. He was assisted by the Rev. Clifford Polson, Sr. of Wheatland. Casket bearers were all patrolmen and for the most part man who had taken their patrol training under Sgt. Jordan. They were Robert Langtry, George Wilcox, Clifton Ritchie, P. C. Carmine, Roland Brown, and Gene Curtis. The esteem in which he was held by his fellow officers was shown when officers from three states attended the funeral.

The family requested that memorials benefit the First Methodist Church at Wheatland.

Mr. Jordan had been a resident of Lusk for 24 years first coming to Lusk as a meat cutter and later became Lusk chief of police. In November 1944 he joined the Highway Patrol and with the exception of a short time when he was in Rock Springs he was stationed at Lusk his entire career.

He was the son of Mr. and Mrs. Edward A. and Cora Van Dyke Jordan born April 9, 1897 in Wheatland. During his high school years he was a member of the famous Wheatland high school basketball team that won 72 of 73 games in the four years he played on it. The only loss was by one point. During World War I he served in the Marine Corps. He and Hazel Ramsey were married June 1, 1919.

When in Wheatland he was fire chief and one year served as president of the Wyoming Volunteer Fireman's convention. He was secretary of the Tri-State Peace Officers Association for 11 years. In recognition of his service, last year the Association presented him with an engraved gold watch.

During World War II he served as commander for a time of the Home Guard and through the years he participated in many community activities. He was a keen sportsman and loved gardening raising prize vegetables year after year on land south of Lusk in co-operation with Earl Quigley. He was an ardent promoter of highway safety and built many outstanding floats for local and other parades in nearby communities such as the Douglas State Fair. He was enjoyed too, for his many pranks, both among peace officers and about his home community , only a year ago masquerading as an undesirable transient during the Lusk 75th Anniversary and fooling those who knew him best.

One of his greatest services to the Wyoming Highway Patrol was in the training of new patrolmen. At the time of his death he was in charge of the district comprising Crook, Weston, Niobrara, Converse and Goshen counties.

In addition to his widow, Hazel of Lusk, he is survived by four daughters, Mrs. Martha Schroefel of Phoenix. Ariz., Mrs. Maxine Paisley of Gillette, Mrs. Evelyn Wade of Aurora, Colo., Mrs. Ellen Bonner of Laramie; two brothers, Lawrence of Wheatland and Ray of Grand Junction, Colo. one sister, Mrs. Florence Quick of Grand Junction, Colo. and eleven grandchildren. Mrs. Jordan plans to move to Wheatland to make her home by October 1.

Thon Book No. 10
Sgt. Jordan Dies of Heart Attack Sat.

Wyoming Highway Patrol Sgt. M.S. (Butch) Jordan, 65, died of a heart condition in a Wheatland hospital at 4:00 p.m. Saturday. Funeral swervices were held from the Methodist Church in Wheatland at 2:30 Wednesday and burial was in the family plot in the Wheatland cemetery.

Sgt. Jordan had had a heart condition in recent years, but the condition was not thought serious and he did pass his last Patrol physical.

Sgt. Jordan, whose nickname of Butch was derived from the fact that he was once employed as a meat cutter, had been stationed in Lusk most of the years he served on the Patrol. He as eligible for retirement, but preferred to keep on duty.

He was Lusk Chief of Police in the early 1940's before joining the Patrol.

Nothing has yet been determined about Jordan's replacement here or is it known if the sergeant for this district will be stationed in Lusk or elsewhere in the district.

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