Peter Chidsey

Surrounded by his family, Pete Chidsey of Powell, WY lost his courageous and hard fought battle with cancer at Powell Valley Hospice Center on Thursday, March 6, 2014.  Pete was born in New York City, New York on September 30, 1937, and lived in Arizona, New Hampshire, Washington D.C., Virginia, Illinois, Texas, and Vermont in his youth.  He graduated high school from the Vermont Academy in Saxtons River, VT.  Growing up, Pete loved the outdoors and capitalized on those interests by obtaining bachelor’s degrees in forestry and range management from Utah State University and later Colorado State University.  While attending college in Logan, Utah, Pete met his love Deborah “Deb” Taylor and married on December 24, 1960, in Yakima, WA.  Three daughters were born of this marriage.  Upon graduating college, Pete was hired by the US Forest Service and stationed his family in many beautiful places, including Alaska, Texas, Arizona, Big Creek and North Fork, CA; Ft. Collins, CO; Stub Creek Ranger Station during the summers in Colorado; Custer, SD; and Douglas, WY.  He later retired as District Ranger of the Medicine Wheel Ranger District of the Big Horn National Forest in Lovell, WY in September 1990.  In July of 1997, Pete and Deb moved to Powell, WY where Pete enjoyed meticulously caring for his lawn, nurturing a bountiful garden, trap shooting, fishing, bird hunting, gathering firewood, avidly reading, and grilling tantalizing morsels on his B-B-Que grill.  Throughout Pete’s lifetime he enjoyed other interests such as performing arts, listening to classical music, big game hunting, his dogs, and watching the financial market with his eagle eye - providing helpful advice to anyone who was interested.  Pete was a member of the Powell Rod and Gun Club and an active member of Powell’s St. John’s Episcopal Church, serving on the vestry and was chair of the Investment Committee.  He single-handedly cared for the lawn, sprinkler system, and performed many small repairs, including refinishing parts of the alter rail.

Pete is survived by his wife Deb of fifty-three years; his daughter Ginny (Cliff Smith) Chidsey of Cheyenne, WY; Allison (Woody) Evans of Cody, WY; Catherine (Paul) Willard of Manson, WA.  Pete was blessed with four grandchildren and three great-grandchildren – James Evans of Aloha, OR; Tawnya Evans Wagner and her three children of Las Cruses, NM; Eli and Cavan Willard of Manson, WA.  Also surviving is his sister Penny (Ferrell) Hays of Sugar Land, TX; and his three southern belle nieces Holly McPherson, Heather Boyett, and Kimberly Camp.  Pete leaves his faithful furry companion – Sadie who continues to give Deb enjoyment each day.  Pete is preceded in passing by his parents Dr. and Mrs. Alan Lake Chidsey of Sugar Land, Texas.

Cremation has taken place with Thompson Funeral Home, Inc. in Powell.  Later this summer with family and friends, a memorial service will take place at St. John’s Episcopal Church with burial at Crown Hill Cemetery in Powell, WY with a view of the Big Horn Mountains – one of his favorite places.  In lieu of flowers, his family respectfully requests memorial contributions be donated to Park County Library Foundation – Powell Branch, Powell Valley Medical Foundation - Hospice, Alan and Ellis Chidsey Scholarship Fund, a charity of one’s choice, or planting of a tree seedling in his memory.
Checks for memorial contributions can be submitted to the following:

Park County Library Foundation
P.O. Box 775
1500 Heart Mountain Street
Cody, WY  82414
Note in memo line:  Powell Branch
foundationadmin@parkcountylibrary.org
307.527.1886

Powell Medical Foundation
777 Avenue H
Powell, WY  82435
Note in memo line:  Hospice Program
Diane DeLozier at ddlozier@pvhc.org
307.754.7746

St. John’s School
Advancement Office
2401 Claremont Lane
Houston, TX  77019
Note in memo line:  Alan and Ellis Chidsey Scholarship Fund
Mark Dini, Director of Advancement at mdini@sjs.org
713.850.4120

St. Vincent Healthcare Foundation, Inc.
1106 North 30th Street
Billings, MT  59107
Note in memo line:  Big Horn Basin Cancer Center
Joan Hendricks at joan.hendricks@svh-mt.org
406.237.3600

American Forests:  Protecting and Restoring Forests
1220 L Street, NW, Suite 750
Washington, DC  20005
Phone:  202-737-1944
For on-line donation go to:  americanforests.org
  Then go to:  Ways to Give>Plant Trees>Gift of Trees in Memory
  A minimum gift of $25 will plant 25 trees

USDA Forest Service
Medicine Wheel/Paintrock Ranger District
604 East Main
Lovell, WY  82431
Note in memo line:  Plant-A-Tree Program – Pete Chidsey
307.548.6541
http://www.fs.fed.us/faq/ > Can I plant a memorial tree in a national forest?
A minimum donation of $10.00 can be mailed or dropped off at any US Forest Service Office to pay for 10-15 seedlings