Charles Dunning

Charles Dunning, 93, passed away peacefully on August 4, 2019 at Davis Hospice Center. Charlie was born on November 29, 1925 in Ashland, Montana and spent his life ranching. Family, cattle and horses were his life, hobby and passion. After high school, he enlisted in the United States Army and served in Europe during WWII and was awarded a Bronze Star. He attended the University of Montana-Bozeman where he was a member of the rodeo team and competed in the first College National Finals. He worked on different ranches, including 10 years as cow manager for the Padlock Ranch, 14 years as general manager of Big Creek Ranch, and 28 years ranching in Cheyenne and Pine Bluffs. He married his college sweetheart, Shirley Kelly, in 1951 and they raised four children. Charlie is survived by his wife, Shirley; children Mark Dunning (Suzi), Kay Albershardt (Jim), Karel Mirabal (Frank), and Karen Dunning (Howard Higgins); eight grandchildren; nine great-grandchildren; two sisters, Sister Marie Carmel and Lena Harris; and one brother, Dick Dunning. He was preceded in death by his parents, Forest and Beatrice Dunning; and seven siblings, Les, Leonard, James, Frank, George, Mina and Pat. He was buried in a private ceremony in Sheridan, Wyoming. A memorial service will be held Saturday, September 21st from 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. at the Cheyenne Hills Church Barn. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Wyoming Cowboy Hall of Fame, of which he was inducted into in 2017, or to the Grand Encampment Museum.