Robert "Chico" Pistono

Robert "Chico" Pistono passed away peacefully on September 24, 2024, at the Davis Hospice Center in Cheyenne, Wyoming.

Chico was born on January 28, 1941, in Ogden, Utah, to Mario Robert and Mary Kathryn (Kantor) Pistono. He spent his early years in the coal-mining towns of Elko and Kemmerer, Wyoming, before his family settled in Green River, where he earned the nickname “Chico.” He graduated from Green River High School in 1956 and continued his education at Eastern Montana College on a football and basketball scholarship, later earning a biology degree from Montana State University. While in university, he also served in the Army National Guard.

Chico began his career as a ranger in Yellowstone National Park, igniting a lifelong passion for wildlife conservation. He went on to work for the Wyoming Game & Fish Department for 36 years as a fish biologist. Throughout his distinguished career, Chico worked at the Storey and Clark’s Fork fish hatcheries, served as a habitat biologist in Lander, and eventually became assistant chief of fisheries in Cheyenne.

A passionate advocate for stream habitat improvement, Chico's efforts significantly boosted trout fishing in Wyoming. He played a key role in protecting the endangered Wyoming toad and securing in-stream flow water rights for the state. His work touched nearly every river and stream in Wyoming, improving ecosystems for generations of anglers. Chico’s love for fishing extended well beyond Wyoming, taking him to Alaska and Baja, Mexico.

An active participant in Wyoming’s political landscape, Chico held leadership roles in the Wyoming Public Employees Association, where he worked across party lines to champion workers' rights and outdoor enthusiasts' interests. His involvement with the Wyoming Outdoor Council and Trout Unlimited allowed him to continue his conservation efforts. Chico also spent over a decade coaching Little League and Babe Ruth baseball in Lander.

Chico was preceded in death by his parents, Mario and Mary Kathryn Pistono; his younger brother, Richard; and his sister-in-law, Judy. He is survived by the love of his life, Sandra Anderson Pistono of Cheyenne; his eldest son, Mike, wife Dominique, and beloved granddaughter, Madeleine, of Littleton, Colorado; his youngest son, Matteo, and wife Monica, of Encinitas, California; and his nephews, Troy of Green River, Paul of Houston, and Craig of Denver.

A memorial service will be held at Schrader’s Funeral Home in Cheyenne on Friday, October 4, at 2 pm., with a reception to follow. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to The Wyldlife Fund at www.thewyldlifefund.org/donate.