Arthur "Archie" A. Lauer

Arthur "Archie" A. Lauer

Arthur A. Lauer, fondly known as "Archie" died at age 81 on Feb. 19 at his son's home at Laramie with his wife Rema and his family at his side.

Archie was youngest of 15 children born of Edward and Magdeline (Vollmer) Lauer on April 26, 1920, in Merna, Neb. Archie grew up on the Lauer family farm in Eureka Valley, Custer County Neb., and learned the skills of growing and harvesting crops with farm implements drawn by teams of horses. Archie was 18 when his father died and Archie and his brother Herb continued to operate the Lauer farm for a few years until the farm was sold to provide for their mother.

Archie met Rema White and later worked for her parents, Loren and Lizzie. On April 4, 1942, Archie was inducted into the U.S. Army and for 2 1/2 years was stationed at Dutch Harbor and Adak on the Aleutian Islands near Alaska. Archie and Rema were married on Jan. 14, 1945, in Paso Robles, Calif., at the Army Chapel and spent their honeymoon in San Diego and LaJolla. Archie spent his remaining service term in Germany as World War II came to an end and he was honorably discharged on Nov. 9, 1945.

In January 1946, Archie and Rema moved to Lusk and Archie began working for his brother-in-law, Roscoe Kilmer at the Kilmer Creamery. Later Archie worked for other Lusk businessmen including Bryan Burge, Paul Heany, and for Coye Jennawine at the Plains Equipment as a parts salesman.

Archie opened his own business in Lusk in 1957 as owner and proprietor of "Archie's Dairy Bar" which specialized in hamburgers, sandwiches, ice cream, floats, milk shakes and the famous "Jersey Cow" and "Jersey Calf" sundaes. Archie introduced the Niobrara Community to the "instant photo" developed by the Polaroid Land Camera, which he held for sale and demonstrated by taking photos of local customers as they frequented the Dairy Bar.

Archie spent a few years working at the Port of Entry at Lusk followed by Culver and Sons as a parts manager and self-trained bookkeeper for Leif Culver and Carl Peterson. In 1977 at the age of 57, Archie began working as supervisor and manager of a newly created Niobrara County Weed and Pest District, where he worked full time through Sept. 20, 2002, when he unfortunately was admitted to the Hospital in Casper for treatment resulting from prostate cancer and from there was unable to return to his home in Lusk. Archie's remaining life was spent in Laramie with his wife.

As supervisor of the Weed and Pest, Archie completed several college courses by correspondence. He became friends with and enjoyed the respect of many colleagues throughout the Wyoming Weed and Pest Districts and the University of Wyoming College of Agriculture and Extension Services. Archie began and implemented consecutive annual farmer and rancher meetings, bringing professionals, consultants, vendors and local agricultural producers together. A highlight of Archie's career was when he received the first Everett E. Johnson Award initiated by the Wyoming Weed and Pest Control in 1995.

Archie loved life in Lusk and Niobrara County where he and Rema brought up their two children, Diana and Warren. He served as commander of the Weiten-Dupes American Legion Post Number 4 in Lusk and also served as Adjutant for over 40 years. Archie had been the secretary and chairman of the annual outdoor presentation of the "Legend of the Rawhide", secretary of the Lusk Chamber of Commerce, and served as a member of the school board for the Niobrara County School District.

Archie was preceded in death by his parents, Edward and Magdeline; four brothers, Gustav, William, John and Albert; one sister, Victoria Wagner; three infant siblings; and one grandson, Dustin Arthur Lauer. Archie is survived by his wife, Rema Lauer of Lusk; two children, Diana Jean Larson and husband Larry at Gillette, and Warren Arthur Lauer and his wife Judy of Laramie. Along with dozens of nephews, nieces and cousins, Archie is survived by four brothers and two sisters; Edmond , age 96 of McCook, Neb. ; Leona Fogle, 95 of Hanford, Calif.; Nettie Kilmer, 94 of Fremont, Nebr.; Karl Lauer , 92. and his wife Alvina of Broken Bow, Neb.; Fred Lauer, 90, and his wife Marie of LaMirada, Calif.; and, Herbert Lauer, 85, and his wife, Velma of McCook, Neb.

Six grandchildren and five great grandchildren survive Archie's death; Michael J. Larson and his wife Dawn of Phoenix, Ariz.; Shannon Bethany Lauer of Santee, Calif.; Kara Jean Larson and her son Auston Larson, of Gilette; Jodi DeBerard and her husband Zachery and their children, Betty Jo Goodwin, Erin Conley and Sharon DeBerard of Laramie; Lauri Kelly and her son Marshall Kelly of Euless, Texas, and Aaron J. Goodwin of Laramie.

Funeral services were held in Lusk on Feb. 23 at p.m. at the Niobrara County Fairgrounds Auditorium, officiated by Rev. David Curtis, interim pastor of the First Christian Church, Laramie.

Pallbearers were Hugo Lenz, Wheatland, Babe Schnorenberg, Casper, Allen Mooney, Gillette, Robert Shoemaker, Wheatland, Stanley "Skip" Lewis, Douglas, and Wayne Tatman, Torrington. Pallbearers honored by name were Noal Larson, Darryl Manring, Ed Fulk, Billy Smith, Roy Reichenbach, Stan McNamie, Tom McNamie, Earl Lukkes, Everett Johnson, and Rich Schnorenbrerg.

Interment was held at Green Hill Cemetery in Laramie on Feb. 25 at 10 a.m. All arrangements were made through Montgomery - Stryker Funeral Home in Laramie, and through Cicmanec-Pier in Lusk. The family has requested that memorials to Archie's life be given to the Ambulance Service, the Veterans Memorial Fund at the Weiten-Dupes American Legion Post 4 at Lusk or the charity of their personal choice.

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