George F. “Pete” Dana, 86, of Laramie, died Monday, May 2, 2016 at Ivinson Memorial Hospital. He was born October 23, 1929 in Waynesboro, Virginia but moved to Bradford, Pennsylvania in January of 1930. He was given his nickname by his mother at birth and he has been known as that through all his years. He attended three local schools, learned basketball in Junior High and was a guard on his nine man Senior High Team which went 20-2 in Division 1 and advanced to the Western Pennsylvania final game, losing by 4 points. This was the best team and record by a Bradford team before or after 1947.
From there he attended the Hill Prep School where he continued his varsity career for one more year in Potts Town, PA.
He then spent the next five and a half years at the University of Oklahoma and earned his BS & MS degrees in Petroleum Geology.
His first marriage resulted in one son and two daughters, George H. Dana of Glenwood, CO, Debra D. Clark and husband, Gary of Pagosa Springs, CO, and Sandra Dana of Kansas City, MO. He kept his three children and married Joan Nelson, an elementary school teacher of Cody, WY.
This marriage produced a son, Donald B. Dana and wife, Lenora of Loveland, CO and a daughter, Karin D. Henry and husband Tom of St. Louis, MO. Pete has ten grandchildren, five great grandchildren, and one great-great grandchild and two on the way.
Pete has been active and a participant in many sports and an observer of most. His best sports have been basketball and bowling, where he holds six Wyoming state titles and has finished as the 3rd and 8th in the National Senior Tournaments. He has bowled in 24 National tournaments and 52 Wyoming State and 51 Laramie City Tournaments.
He served as Laramie Bowling Association President for two five year terms and was on the State Board of Directors, for 29 years and state President for the 1981-1983 seasons and was elected as life member.
Pete overcame Lymphoma Cancer in 2001, chronic heart disease with a pacemaker and had broken his neck eight years ago.
He was a loving and generous father and took his children and grandchildren fishing and hunting at every opportunity. The love of the outdoors was instilled in him by his father before his death at age 39. His father, mother, sister, and brother preceded him in death.
Pete’s wife, Joan is a devoted and loving wife and mother despite his frequent absences during his geology career.
Pete and Joan enjoyed traveling in their younger years and favorite trips were to Alaska, Hawaii, and Las Vegas. He has been an active member of Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church for over five decades and also a member of the Cowboy Joe Club, an avid sports fan, and a lifetime member of the PBO Elks Lodge 582. He will be long remembered as an outgoing person by his family and friends.
A celebration of Pete’s life will be held at 2:00 p.m., Monday, May 9, 2016 at the Trinity Lutheran Church with Reverend Rachel Larson, officiating.
A visitation will be held from 10 a.m. – 12 p.m. Monday, May 9, 2016 at Montgomery-Stryker Funeral Home.
Memorials may be made to the Trinity Lutheran Church, 107 S. 7th St. Laramie, WY 82070 and/or to BPO Elks Lodge 582, 103 S. 2nd St. Laramie, WY 82070.
