Jim Lupher

Jim Lupher was born January 31, 1931 on the C.B. Hamilton Ranch, one mile from where he lived most of his life.
Jim started school when he was five years old.  He got a job herding sheep when he was eight years old from which he earned $9 and bought two shirts and a pair of corduroys for school clothes. At age 12 he earned $84 in the hay field working 42 days.  He used this money to hire Ken Davis to put a dug way in the home place.
He was the youngest boy to play varsity basketball as a 13 year old freshman at Mountain View High School.  He attended the University of Wyoming and got a basketball scholarship to Casper College in 1948.  He had to come home early that winter to help out on the ranch as the weather was so severe.  After that year he wanted to see the world so he worked building telephone lines across the western United States.
In 1958 he married Myrna Behunin and they had five children, Gail, Nate, Wade, Wes, and John. Jim and Myrna moved back to the valley and bought the ranch from his mother Allene after Gail was born.  He later bought the neighboring Jackman and Brown ranches.  When cattle prices fell he worked at the mines as an iron worker for five years.
He served as a 4-H leader in the 1970’s for the Smiths Fork Stockmen and was on the Bridger Valley Water Conservancy District Board for 20 years during the time that the Stateline Dam was constructed.
He loved rodeo and competed riding saddle broncs, calf roping, and team roping as well as serving as a judge for the rough stock events at many of the rodeos. He also enjoyed bowling, golf, baseball, and chariot racing.
His primary interest was growing excellent cattle, winning many grand and reserve champions. He taught his boys well as they have carried on the ranching business.
In late years when had to go south for his health, he became a cowboy poet and western singer.  He was loved by all those who heard him sing were able to experience his exceptional sense of humor.
He was preceded in death by his mother Allene Chase, brother Charlie Lupher, sister Merlyn Fern Eardley, and daughter Gail Branham.
He is survived by his wife of 54 years Myrna, and sons Nate (Raquel Minton), Wade (Angie), Wes (Becky), John (Tamara), and 12 grandchildren.
Memorial Services will be held Tuesday, April 24 at 1:00 p.m. on the Lupher Ranch, County Road 266, three miles south of Mountain View on Highway 410.  Following the services a luncheon will be served at the American Legion Hall in Fort Bridger.
Memorial Donations can be sent to the Mountain View Senior Citizens Center.