Charles "Chuck" E. Engebretsen
November 26, 1944 – October 18, 2024
Charles “Chuck” E. Engebretsen, born November 26, 1944, in Lusk, Wyoming, passed away from this life into the arms of Jesus on October 18, 2024. Services will be held Friday, October 25, 2024 at 1 p.m. at the Congregational Church in Lusk, Wyoming. Interment will follow at the Lusk Cemetery. Raised on the family ranch in Keeline, Wyoming, Chuck’s roots in the land and community ran deep. He was the son of Floyd and Wanda Engebretsen, and he carried forward his family’s ranching legacy with pride and dedication.
Chuck attended grade school in Keeline, Wyoming and then attended school in Lusk, Wyoming graduating from Niobrara County High School in 1963. He went on to the University of Wyoming, where he earned his B.A. in Business and Finance in 1967. On September 5, 1965 he married the love of his life, Mary A. Amend. To this union a son Merritt and a daughter Marlisa were born. Together, they built a life of love, hard work, and service, moving to the Amend family ranch in Lost Springs, Wyoming, in 1970. The ranch, established in 1908, was not only a home but a source of deep pride for Chuck as he continued his family’s tradition of ranching.
Chuck’s commitment to his community was just as strong as his devotion to the ranch. He served on numerous boards and committees, always giving back to the place he called home. He was appointed by Governor Matt Mead to the Wyoming Parks and Cultural Resources Board, serving two terms from 2011 to 2021. He was a lifetime board member of the Wyoming Stock Growers Association of Converse County, where he also served as the state Region III Vice President. Additionally, Chuck was actively involved with the University of Wyoming Alumni Board, the American Heritage Board, the Wyoming Pioneer Association, and his local Congregational Church Board. His contributions to the Converse County Republicans and the Converse County Community Planning Committee further exemplified his dedication to civic involvement.
Chuck’s love for Wyoming and its ranching community extended beyond his professional and civic duties. He cherished the simple yet profound moments of life on the ranch—cool, crisp fall mornings, baby calves on the spring grass, and the tradition of early morning phone calls to friends and family. His life was shaped by the land, and he took great pride in nurturing the future of Wyoming’s ranching heritage.
He is preceded in death by his parents, Floyd and Wanda Engebretsen; his brother, Nels Engebretsen; his brother-in-law, Marvin Amend; and his sister-in-law, MaeAnn Manning, and her husband Bob.
Chuck is survived by his devoted wife, Mary; his sister, Pat Kagie (Fred); his sister-in-law, Lynna Faye Engebretsen; his son, Merritt Engebretsen (Karen) of Casper, Wyoming; his daughter, Marlisa Hall (Shawn) of Veteran, Wyoming; and his beloved grandchildren, Kasi Dearman (Alex), Austyn Engebretsen, Harrison Hall, Jadyn Hall and great granddaughter Dinah Dearman.
Chuck leaves behind a legacy of hard work, service, and love for his family, his community, and the Wyoming ranching tradition. He will be deeply missed by all who knew him, but his spirit will live on in the land he cherished and the people he touched. Memorials may be given to the Wyoming Pioneer Association or the Congregational Church.
Pier Funeral Home in Lusk is in charge of arrangements.