Larry L. Jorgenson

He grew up in Hayti where he was a star basketball player for the Hayti Redbirds. In high school, he spent his summers working at the Sutton Brothers Cattle Ranch in the Black Hills area of South Dakota.

Larry attended the University of South Dakota, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science. He then went on to study Law at the University of Wyoming and became a member of the Wyoming and South Dakota Bar Associations in 1967.

Larry and Paula (Gaetze) were married in Mitchell South Dakota in 1967 where they began their 57 year marriage together. Larry and Paula welcomed two sons; Michael in 1970 and Christopher in 1973.

Larry started his 45 year legal career as a law clerk for the U.S. Federal Court of Appeals (10th Circuit) in Cheyenne. He served as a U.S. Magistrate and Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Department of Justice. Larry moved his young family to Jackson’s Hole in 1973, where he spent the majority of his legal career practicing privately.

While he was a product of South Dakota, Wyoming quickly became Larry's home. He saw himself as a steward of the state and worked to preserve the unique way of life and natural beauty that Wyoming offers.

Larry served Jackson Hole and Teton County both as a conservationist and community leader. Larry was elected to and served on the Teton County Board of Commissioners from 2003-06. He was elected Supervisor for the Teton County Conservation District, served on the Board of the Wyoming Association of Conservation Districts and was an organizer of the Upper Snake River Watershed Council. He also served on the Teton County Library Board, the Teton County Historical Society and was a longtime Board Member for First Interstate Bank.

He was a man of deep faith. He was active in the Presbyterian Church of Jackson Hole, serving as a deacon and an elder and participated in two mission trips to Guatemala. 

Larry loved expressing his deep connection to nature through the written word as a poet and novelist. In his retirement, he found great satisfaction in publishing two books, “Not Water Over the Dam” and “Escape to Justice and Love.”

But his biggest love of all was family. Larry saw his family as his greatest achievement and it is through them his legacy will continue. In addition to his wife he is survived by two children and three grandchildren: Michael Lawrence (Elizabeth Maiden) of Jackson's Hole and their daughters Sayre and Lucille; Christopher Forest (Ania Mikolajec) of London, England and their daughter Victoria. He is preceded in death by brothers Bill and Glenn and sister Ruby.

In lieu of flowers, a contribution in his name may be made to the Presbyterian Church of Jackson Hole (PO Box 7530, Jackson, WY 83001) and the Senior Center of Jackson Hole (PO Box 4677, Jackson, WY 83001).

A Celebration of Life will be planned for later this spring.