Bennie Lyle Hutson

Bennie Lyle Hutson
October 3, 1932 – April 19, 2018

Surrounded by family, Bennie Lyle Hutson, 85, died and went to be with the Lord on April 19, 2018. He joined his beloved wife of 61 years, Claire Elaine (Fryer) Hutson, whom he met when she was in nursing school and he was in the US Navy.

He was born October 3, 1932 in Minden Mines, Missouri, to Erma Mae Houghton Hutson and Charles Edmund Hutson.

He worked in the coal mines of Missouri and attended the University of Nebraska, Lincoln, before beginning his career with the Federal Aviation Administration after his honorable discharge from the US Navy. Through the years he took his family to live in many interesting places across the Midwest—Clinton, Missouri; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; North Platte, Nebraska; and Hill City, Kansas; the West—Lander, Wyoming and Grand Junction, Colorado; and Pacific Northwest - King Salmon, Kodiak, and Anchorage, Alaska. His work with the FAA took him and his family on many adventures where for many years he maintained equipment in Flight Service Stations in airports and remote areas before joining management. After his retirement from the FAA in Alaska, Ben and Elaine had a few more moves, initially to a farm in Windsor, Missouri, a short stint in Longmont, Colorado, then returning to Lander, Wyoming, where they lived many more years before moving to Camp Verde, Arizona, in November 2014 to escape subzero winters. He returned to Wyoming in the spring of 2017.

An avid outdoorsman, Bennie was a legend to his children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. He spent a lot of time over the years gold panning, dousing, hiking, hunting, fishing, and exploring. He was a rock hound, a history buff, and fascinated by alien lore. He enjoyed yardwork and gardening. He liked gun shows, antiquing, garage sales, and coin collecting. He loved to visit with family and friends and share meals, have barbeques, and host picnics, whether at a steakhouse or in the dining room, backyard, city park, or mountains. He instilled his love of nature, wildlife, and the outdoors throughout his family.

He dearly loved spending time with his family and everyone's extended and blended families and friends. He was a happy man, beloved by all, and known for his good humor and kindness, which everyone will miss.

He was a Christian and active in many church activities including being a deacon, church treasurer, singing bass in the choir, going on mission trips, including to Four Corners, where he learned to make Navajo Indian Tacos, which he and his family enjoyed through the years since. He enjoyed participating in Christmas and Easter plays, running the sound board, and leading men's breakfast bible studies among several congregations through the years.

He is survived by his seven children, and all their families; children: Matthew (Sue) Hutson of Lander, Wyoming; Susan Harrington, of Casper, Wyoming; Kathleen (Randy) Lussier of Mesa, Arizona and West Yellowstone, Montana; Jeffery (Kim) Hutson, of Lander, Wyoming; Sheila (Craig) Hutson-Thompson of Casper, Wyoming; Shawn (Debbie) Hutson (Major USA Retired), of El Paso, Texas and Ruidoso, New Mexico; and Jennifer (Ron) Cox of Casper, Wyoming. He also leaves behind twenty-six grandchildren: Donna, Kelly, Charlie, Traux, Edessa, Emily, Mason, Brandi, Joni, Necama, Cody, Travis, Jedediah, Bennie, Tony, Carly, Jacqueline, Kristophor, Jessica, Maximo, Christopher, Catalina, Claire, Forrest, Alexander, and Jonathan; and twenty-nine great-grandchildren: Kaitlyn, Zoe, Ryleigh, Abigail, Camden, Harper, Lane, Emmalea, Callie, Tyler, Kaitlyn, Skylee, Blair, Sadie, Madeline, Lila, Kynleigh, Gabriel, Aleister, Eris, Jedediah II, Jaiden, Brodie, Maddie, Melanie, Logan, Drake, Lillie, and Resi; and one brother, Wilbur (Barbara) Hutson; along with loving in-laws (Nancy Rowland, Carol (Tom) Voyles, Lynn Fryer, and Marcia (Randy) Blanton, scores of nieces and nephews and all their families, and a host of long-time friends.

In addition to his wife, he was preceded in death by two grandchildren (Matthew Charles Hutson, Jr. and Zachariah James Rodgers), two brothers (James "Jim" Hutson and Robert "Bob" Hutson), infant sister (Donna Rose Hutson), and his parents.

Services are Friday, June 15, 11 a.m., First Baptist Church, 339 Sweetwater Street, Lander, Wyoming. Inurnment services with military honors will follow in Mount Hope Cemetery in Lander, with a reception at the First Baptist Church afterwards. Memorials may be made to the charity of your choice.

He leaves us with a legacy of acceptance, helping others, and trusting in the Lord.

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