William “Todd” Sermon, 86, of Laramie, passed away on Wednesday, August 21, 2019, at Laramie Care Center. He was born on February 15, 1933 in Independence, Missouri to William and Martha (Rogers) Sermon. Todd grew up in a family very active in Democratic politics in Independence, Missouri, in the political world of Harry Truman.   There he developed two of his lifelong passions: politics and the Episcopal church.  He fueled that political passion by earning a degree in political science at Colorado College.  He remained active in politics and he faithfully worked for Albany County Democrats until he became too frail to participate. He called himself a ‘yellow dog Democrat’.  In 1960 Todd attended the 1960 Democratic National Convention which nominated John Kennedy.  He brought speakers to Laramie, including Sen. John Kennedy and Sen. Barry Goldwater.  Sen. Goldwater confided to Todd that when he returned to Washington, he and other senior Republicans were going to demand that President Nixon resign, which he did days later.

In 1961 Todd moved to Laramie to build the Holiday Inn, which he ran for fourteen years and which brought dozens of well-paying union jobs to Laramie.  During those years he became an expert skier, spending as much time skier in Aspen as possible.  He studied with world-class instructors there and skied with members of the Bonnie Belle ski team, several of whom remained friends.  He also owned bars in Laramie and Fort Collins and ranched at the Horse Creek Ranch.  During much of his life he sold insurance in Missouri and Wyoming.  He married Kris Utterback in 1990 in Laramie. He taught her, as well as his children decades earlier, to ski, and they happily skied together in the Snowy Range and around northern Colorado.

His love for the Episcopal church developed as early as his political passion.  As a boy he sang in his mother’s choir at Trinity Episcopal Church in Independence.  The only surviving information about that musical foray concerns nearly setting Margaret Truman’s hair on fire during a service, although he always claimed he only watched and didn’t hold the lighter, an excuse his parents didn’t find exculpatory.   Ms. Truman apparently never told her father, then Senator Truman, about the incident.

Todd served as an Episcopal Lay Eucharistic Minister at St. Luke’s in Medicine Bow for about 10 years.  Perhaps the proudest moment of his life came when he was ordained an Episcopal Priest in 1995. He served churches in Medicine Bow, WY, Cripple Creek, CO, Meeker, CO, and Chadron, NE, as well as serving as supply priest in churches around Wyoming, Colorado and Nebraska.

Many people remember Todd for his great stories from his long life, a few of which are recounted above. He came by his storytelling ability honestly; his mother’s uncle was humorist Will Rogers.  Todd loved to socialize.  He was at ease talking to anyone, and his sales background helped him ask people to come to church, vote for a candidate, or buy insurance.  Even in his last months in the nursing home, the staff loved to visit with him.

Todd was preceded in death by his parents, William and Martha Sermon, and his sister, Edith Selders.

He is survived by his wife, Kris Utterback of Laramie; his children, Anne Stoothoff (Eric) of Yakima, WA; Marie Zumwalt of Fresno, CA; Bill Sermon of Ann Arbor, MI, and Amanda Sermon of Salt Lake City, UT; seven grandchildren; one great grandchild; and his beloved dogs Red and Hugo..

Funeral services will be held at 2:00 p.m. Friday, August 30, 2019 at St. Matthew’s Cathedral, the Rt. Rev. John S. Smiley presiding and the Rev. Melinda Bobo preaching.  Inurnment will follow at St. Matthew’s Columbarium, followed by a reception at Canterbury House, 110 S. 9th. Memorial donations may be made to St. Matthew’s Cathedral at 104 S. 4^th St. Laramie, WY 82070 or to Home On The Range Animal Haven, PO Box 1674, Laramie, WY 82073.