Paul Daniel Pedry

Paul Daniel Pedry disappeared on July 7, 2020, at age 43. Law enforcement has no leads on his disappearance. Paul has not contacted family or friends. His health was so bad that he would have needed medical attention and no hospitals have reported a John Doe. Paul's loving family has concluded that Paul has passed from this life to the next.

Paul was born in Casper, Wyoming on August 27, 1976 to David and Danna Pedry. He was the third child born into a family of twelve children. Paul was very outgoing. He enjoyed meeting people and having adventures. One of the highlights of his youth participating in the 1990 Wyoming Centennial Wagon Trail, the summer he was 13 years old. He also enjoyed camping and hiking in the Wind River Mountains. Paul volunteered at True Care Women's Resource Center, whose mission is helping women find an alternative to abortion. Paul participated yearly in the Walk for Life sponsored by True Care.

Paul was homeschooled through high school. In his junior and senior years of high school Paul took BOCES classes at Casper Junior College for high school and college credit. His favorite subject was biology (maybe because his maternal grandfather, Dan Ellett, was a biology teacher at Natrona County High School for many years). Paul had the highest grade point average in his college biology class. Upon getting his GED and taking the ACT exam for college entrance, Paul applied to and was accepted at Thomas Aquinas College in Santa Paula, California. At the end of his junior year at TAC Paul had his first manic episode and was diagnosed with bi-polar. However, he returned to finish out his senior year and graduated in 2000 with a B.A. degree, presenting a thesis on Christian perfection worthy of distinction.

In the fall of 2000 Paul traveled to Austria, enrolled in the graduate program of the John Paul II Institute on Marriage and Family. After only one semester Paul was forced to return home for medical reasons. From the time he was young his dream was to be a priest. However, God had other plans for Paul. Each time he would apply for entrance into a seminary, he would have a manic episode and be turned away because of his erratic behavior. Paul tried twice to complete the nursing program at Casper College, only to drop out, again because of his mental health.

From a worldly perspective, Paul's life appeared to be a failure. But it was not so. His compassion, empathy and gentleness were life-long virtues that won him many friends especially during his years working as a Certified Nursing Assistance at Poplar Living Center and Shepherd of the Valley Care Center. Paul always tried to carry his weight. While attending college he worked summer for Hedquist Construction. He worked for the City of Casper Street Department and for a cleaning and lawn service in town. Paul worked at SAM's Club in Casper in the 3 years before his disappearance.

Paul was a member of the Newman Center at Casper College until he aged out. He was a member of Holy Name Society at Our Lady of Fatima Church and the Schola Cantorum Choir at St. Patrick's Church.

Paul was preceded in death by an infant brother Christopher John and in 2005 by his younger brother Joseph Pedry. His father, David Pedry, passed away on April 22, 2021. Paul is survived by his mother, Danna Pedry, and his siblings Timothy (Stephanie) Pedry, Danielle (Jeremy) Morriss, John (Noel) Pedry, Mary (Andrew) Wlazlo, Theresa (Tyler) Enders, Susanna (Casey) Gallinger, Petrina Pedry, Michael (Coby) Pedry, Rosemary (Tyler) Brown, and Philip Pedry. He is also survived by 37 nieces and nephews.

A tradition Requiem Mass will be held for Paul at 11 am on July 3, 2021 at Our Lady of Fatima Church in Casper.

Donations in Paul's memory made to True Care Women's Resource Center, 1746 South Poplar, Casper, WY 82601