Vincent John “Vince” Siren passed away on Monday, November 18, 2024, in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Vince was born in Dillon, Montana, on October 24, 1935, to Sylvester John and Edna Johnson Siren.
He graduated from Laramie High School in 1952. He received a B.S. Degree in Accounting from the College of Commerce and Industry at the University of Wyoming (UW) in 1956. He received a Masters in Business Administration in 1974, also from UW. He played trombone for several years in the UW Band, starting while he was still in high school. He was an active member of Sigma Chi Fraternity and continued to enjoy fellowship in the Tulsa Alumni group.
After graduation, Vince was employed by Pan Am Petroleum as an Accountant. He grew with the company and about a year and a half later, because of his on-the-job training in tabulation, he was chosen to program the company’s computer. This appointment made him the first professional computer programmer in the State of Wyoming.
He was later employed by IBM for five years as a Systems Engineer and eventually joined the Sooner Pipe and Supply Corporation as a Systems Analyst. He was recently honored for 40 years of membership in the Oklahoma Society of Certified Public Accountants.
Vince entered military service as a Second Lieutenant, graduating from the ROTC Program at the University of Wyoming. He served in the U.S. Army Infantry as an Airborne (Paratrooper) qualified Infantry Officer. After two years of fulfilling his active-duty requirement, he completed his military service in the Army Reserves, having achieved the rank of Captain.
A private pilot, Vince was a long-time member of the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA). He thoroughly enjoyed his hobby of flying and was frequently able to spend time with family and friends by flying to visit. He navigated the airways of the Rocky Mountains and flew to North America’s highest airport in Leadville, Colorado which overlooks the United States from an altitude of 9927 feet. His favorite flying experience was flying over the Dead Sea from Israel.
Vince’s family and friends will remember him as a kind, generous, brilliant, and witty man. He is survived by his sister Anne Siren Levig of Sun City West, Arizona, niece Debra Levig Grabau of Virginia, Minnesota, nephew Michael Levig of Duluth, Minnesota and a large extended family. He is preceded in death by his parents.
A funeral Mass is scheduled at 10:30 a.m. on Wednesday, December 4, at St. Paul’s Newman Center in Laramie, Wyoming. Interment will follow at Greenhill Cemetery with Military Honors. A vigil will be held at the Newman Center on Tuesday, December 3, at 6:00 p.m.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the University of Wyoming Foundation or to St. Paul’s Newman Center in Laramie.
Today is a funeral mass for my longtime friend Vince Siren. He was a close friend for many years, even though he had not lived in Laramie for a long time. He had an illustrious career as an accountant, especially for oil companies, which led to his living in Tulsa for many years. Despite that, Laramie was always home to him. He visited several times a year and he always made sure that we had time together. We also visited frequently and at length on the phone. He was also a fellow Sigma Chi and donated to several of our fundraisers and scholarships. His first comment on each phone call was “what’s new in Laramie” and “what’s new with the Sigma Chi’s?”. He was born Oct 24, 1935 and was always proud to say he was five years old when our chapter was founded on the same day in 1930. We always got together when he was in Laramie usually for lunch at Altitude, where he had to have his beer cheese soup. We also gathered at the Cavalryman where he had to have an extra soda bread and the mushroom appetizer. For many years we took two ladies with us, Eileen Routson and Helen Dunnebecke. His CPA experience made him a perfectionist for precision, reminding me several times of exactly what time we would be there. I’ll miss him being my human clock. Vince had a wide group of friends in Laramie with whom he always kept in touch. He was also very generous to many local charities as well as those in Tulsa. Here, he endowed three scholarships at the University of Wyoming and was a strong supporter of Sigma Chi, the Albany County Public Library, the Laramie Plains Museum, the Cathedral Home for Children and the Ivinson Memorial Hospital Foundation. I’ll always remember his robust and hearty laugh, his intelligence and his genuine caring and concern for others. I had a nice and extended visit over the phone with his only sibling, Anne Siren Levik, on Sunday evening during which we shared many memories. And so my friend Vince, those of us who benefited from your presence in our lives, we will miss your contact with us. But please know that we are better people for having had you in our lives.
We loved Vince and his amazing kindness to everyone. He was always so generous, never forgot a birthday, anniversary or special event in our lives, and truly cared how we were doing in our family. He will be very much missed. May we all learn to be more like him, and learn to remember others. All our sincere condolences and love. Darwin and Stacey Tarwater
My dear cousin Vince has been a very special part of my life and the lives of my family. I will forever be grateful for the many times we shared together over the years. Vince's visits to Arizona through the decades demonstrated his love for our family, always being genuinely interested and caring about my wife Janice and I as well as our children, grandchildren and great grandchildren. In recent years, Vince and I had the good fortune of visiting with each other frequently by phone. Those sometimes lengthy conversations covered everything from family happenings, University of Wyoming football, music, current events, history, love of country and many of our lifetime experiences, often including some good hearty laughs. Vince's genuine, kind, loving example and dedication to family has enriched and blessed our lives and he will be greatly missed.
Glad we got to chat on your birthday. RIP, OUR FRIEND. Pat and Karen
A big part of our extended family. Thanks for our nice chat on your birthday! Pat and Karen Hand
Our dear friend, Vince. A member of our extended family. We had. A nice chat on your birthday, thanks. Pat and Karen Hand….GO WYO,!
So sorry to hear of Vince's passing - he has always been a great supporter of the Eppson Center for Seniors and I will miss his thoughtful letters and his grateful spirit! Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends during this time. Tammy and the Eppson Center Staff
We loved Vince and his amazing kindness to everyone. He was always so generous, never forgot a birthday, anniversary or special event in our lives, and truly cared how we were doing in our family. He will be very much missed. May we all learn to be more like him, and learn to remember others. All our sincere condolences and love. Darwin and Stacey Tarwater
Vince! You are a good dude! I will miss your smile, your laugh, and the timber in your voice, and your insight. You have guided me since before I could read . Denver misses you. Tulsa misses you. Casper misses you. Laramie misses you most. Goodbye Vince. Vaya con Dios. Tell my folks howdy.
We are so sad to hear of Vince's passing. Vince was my husband's godfather, and part of his life, all his life. Vince was a mentor, a friend, a man of faith, and a wonderful presence in our lives. I appreciate the kindness he showed to me and our daughters. His laugh was so robust and wonderful! We will miss him greatly. Sherrie Rubio-Wallace, Warren Wallace, Sarah and Suzy
Beautifully said Sherrie! Vince was in our lives for a long time. A very interesting man.
I remember Vince fondly from his days as a student in Accounting at the University of Wyoming. While at UW, he was a student of mine and a student assistant to Dr Jean Messer. After leaving UW, I had the pleasure of keeping in contact with Vince whenever he would return to Laramie. Many visits, especially at the College of Business awards banquets ( prior - College of Commerce and Industry) and other University activities. He will be missed by so many! My deepest sympathy to all of his family and friends. George McGrail