John Robert "Sonny" "Gutts" While
Page by Bob Leathers
John Robert "Sonny" While (While Family Collection from Joyce McCartney)
Life Story
1931August 14: John Robert While was born in Hanna, Wyoming to John "Jack" Jr. and Janet "Jessie" (Tennant) While.
1940 about: Sonny and his brother Don had their pictures taken on a pony by a professional photographer who arrived in Hanna with a pony and a cowboy outfit.
Jonn "Sonny" While and brother Don "Duck" While (While Family Collection from Bob Leathers)
1949: John "Sonny" While graduated from Hanna High School.
John Robert "Sonny While. Graduation Picture. 1949 (While Family Collection from Joyce McCartney)
John "Sonny" "Gutts" While. 1949 (Hanna Miner 1949)
1951 March 30: Sonny joined the U.S. Air Force and became a member of the Lackland Air Force Base Squadron 3718.
1955 March 29: John Robert While was discharged as a Ssgt. in the US Air Force.
1955 October 9: John "Sonny" Robert While, age 24, married Dorothy Helen Shephard in Rawlins, Wyoming.
1958 May 27: Sonny While and Dorothy Helen While divorced in Rawlins, Wyoming.
John While and Dorothy (Shepard) While had one child together:
- Robert "Bobby" While
1970's: Sonny worked for the Energy Development Mine in Hanna.
1992: Sonny While was living three house to the west of his mother on Tipperary in Hanna, Wyoming.
2000 December 26: John Robert While died north of Hanna, Wyoming at age 69. He was buried in the Hanna, Wyoming Cemetery in the same plot as his brother-in-law Richard Buckingham.
While, John Robert. (Monument); Aka: While, Sonny (BL)
Cemetery: Hanna
Headstone: "Aug. 14, 1931 - Dec. 28, 2000; SSGT. US AIR FORCE"
Plot: 439
Plot: 69
Born: Aug. 14, 1931
Died: Dec. 28, 2000
Aged: 69 y's, 4 m's, 14 d's
Note: Services for Hanna resident John R. While are planned for 11a.m. Wednesday, Jan. 3, at the Rostad Mortuary Chapel.
Members of Rawlins Elks Lodge 609 officiate. Visitation begins at 9am Wednesday and extends until the service begins. Interment and graveside services are planned for 1 p.m. Wednesday at the Hanna Cemetery. John While, a Hanna native and longtime resident was found dead north of Hanna on Dec. 28, 2000. He was 69. John While was born Aug. 14, 1932, at Hanna, the son of John and Jesse (Tennant) While. He attended Hanna schools, and joined the U.S. Air Force after graduation. John was a member of the Lackland Air Force Base Squadron 3718. Mr. While married Dorothy Shepard on October 9, 1955. They had a son, Robert. He tended bar at several locations in Rawlins, was employed with the Energy Development mine in Hanna, and worked for Carbon County School District 2 in Hanna before retiring. John loved hunting, fishing, snowmobiling and Wyoming Cowboy football and basketball. He was a member of Rawlins Elks Lodge 609 for 26 years. Survivors are son Bob Ross, and sisters Violet Roop of Laramie, Edna Lacy of Virginia, and Joyce McCartney of Hanna. He was preceded in death by his parents, sisters Dorothy Leathers and Frances Duffy, and brother Hank While. The family has requested that gifts in memory of John While be made to the Jim McCartney Heart Transplant Fund in care of The Rawlins National Bank, Hanna branch, Box 10, Hanna, 82327, or to the Elks West Fund. Rostad Mortuary is handling arrangements. (Rawlins Daily Times, Dec. 2000)
Note: Born on August 14, 1931 in Hanna Wyoming. Died on December 26, 2000 in Hanna, Wyoming.
Services will be held at Rostad Mortuary Chapel on Wednesday, January 3, 2001 at 11 A.M. with Rawlins Elks Lodge officiating. Casket bearers are Jim Clegg, Earl D. Bud Milliken, Bill Klemola, Chuck Ross, Ed McAtee, and Glen Beach.
Honorary casket bearers are Wally Shepherd, Sr. And Bob Ross, Jr. Interment will be at Hanna Cemetery at 1 P.M. Wednesday, January 3, 2001. Arrangements under direction of Rostad Mortuary. (Rostad Mortuary Pamphlet)
Note: Authorities have found the body of a Hanna man they suspect died while trying to walk about four miles into town from his stranded car in cold weather. John While, 68, was reported missing by his family Tuesday after he did not come home from a fishing trip Christmas night, authorities said. Searchers found his body Thursday after someone reported seeing his silver Toyota near a road 4.2 miles north of Hanna. While probably became disoriented by fog when he left the car Monday or Tuesday, authorities said. The body was discovered 1 3/4 miles from the car in a draw, near an abandoned mine. Below-zero wind chills were reported at about the time While became stranded, Carbon County Sheriff Jerry Colson said. “There’s no evidence of foul play, “he said. “His wallet and his papers were intact. A security guard at a mining operation noticed the car early Tuesday morning but did not report it, authorities said. (Unknown Newspaper, 2000)
Cemetery: Hanna
Headstone: "Aug. 14, 1931 - Dec. 28, 2000; SSGT. US AIR FORCE"
Plot: 439
Plot: 69
Born: Aug. 14, 1931
Died: Dec. 28, 2000
Aged: 69 y's, 4 m's, 14 d's
Note: Services for Hanna resident John R. While are planned for 11a.m. Wednesday, Jan. 3, at the Rostad Mortuary Chapel.
Members of Rawlins Elks Lodge 609 officiate. Visitation begins at 9am Wednesday and extends until the service begins. Interment and graveside services are planned for 1 p.m. Wednesday at the Hanna Cemetery. John While, a Hanna native and longtime resident was found dead north of Hanna on Dec. 28, 2000. He was 69. John While was born Aug. 14, 1932, at Hanna, the son of John and Jesse (Tennant) While. He attended Hanna schools, and joined the U.S. Air Force after graduation. John was a member of the Lackland Air Force Base Squadron 3718. Mr. While married Dorothy Shepard on October 9, 1955. They had a son, Robert. He tended bar at several locations in Rawlins, was employed with the Energy Development mine in Hanna, and worked for Carbon County School District 2 in Hanna before retiring. John loved hunting, fishing, snowmobiling and Wyoming Cowboy football and basketball. He was a member of Rawlins Elks Lodge 609 for 26 years. Survivors are son Bob Ross, and sisters Violet Roop of Laramie, Edna Lacy of Virginia, and Joyce McCartney of Hanna. He was preceded in death by his parents, sisters Dorothy Leathers and Frances Duffy, and brother Hank While. The family has requested that gifts in memory of John While be made to the Jim McCartney Heart Transplant Fund in care of The Rawlins National Bank, Hanna branch, Box 10, Hanna, 82327, or to the Elks West Fund. Rostad Mortuary is handling arrangements. (Rawlins Daily Times, Dec. 2000)
Note: Born on August 14, 1931 in Hanna Wyoming. Died on December 26, 2000 in Hanna, Wyoming.
Services will be held at Rostad Mortuary Chapel on Wednesday, January 3, 2001 at 11 A.M. with Rawlins Elks Lodge officiating. Casket bearers are Jim Clegg, Earl D. Bud Milliken, Bill Klemola, Chuck Ross, Ed McAtee, and Glen Beach.
Honorary casket bearers are Wally Shepherd, Sr. And Bob Ross, Jr. Interment will be at Hanna Cemetery at 1 P.M. Wednesday, January 3, 2001. Arrangements under direction of Rostad Mortuary. (Rostad Mortuary Pamphlet)
Note: Authorities have found the body of a Hanna man they suspect died while trying to walk about four miles into town from his stranded car in cold weather. John While, 68, was reported missing by his family Tuesday after he did not come home from a fishing trip Christmas night, authorities said. Searchers found his body Thursday after someone reported seeing his silver Toyota near a road 4.2 miles north of Hanna. While probably became disoriented by fog when he left the car Monday or Tuesday, authorities said. The body was discovered 1 3/4 miles from the car in a draw, near an abandoned mine. Below-zero wind chills were reported at about the time While became stranded, Carbon County Sheriff Jerry Colson said. “There’s no evidence of foul play, “he said. “His wallet and his papers were intact. A security guard at a mining operation noticed the car early Tuesday morning but did not report it, authorities said. (Unknown Newspaper, 2000)
(Image by Bob Leathers for the Hanna Basin Museum Website)
2020
John While, Richard Buckingham, 2020. (Image by Bob Leathers for the Hanna Basin Museum Website)
2021
John While, Richard Buckingham, John Buckingham, 2021. (Image by Bob Leathers for the Hanna Basin Museum Website)