John Robert "Sonny" While
Notes from Bob Leathers
Life Story
John Robert "Sonny" While (While Family Collection from Joyce McCartney)
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)
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.
Hanna Man Found Frozen to Death
Victim Apparently Succumbed Walking Back From Stranded Vehicle
by Mervin Mecklenburg Times staff writer
RAWLINS--- A Hanna man was found Thursday frozen to death after he apparently became stuck 4.2 miles north of town and walked away from his car. Investigators are unsure when John While, 69, died, but they suspect it happened Christmas night as he was returning home from a family dinner.
A statewide bulletin. About noon Thursday, two days later, Dispatcher Rose Wilson with the Carbon County Sheriff’s Office received a report that While may have gone fishing at the Bow Arm access at Seminoe Reservoir. Sheriff’s Lt. Harold Newbrough went to the access site to investigate, but never saw While’s vehicle. But at 1:45 p.m., as Newbrough was at the fishing access, Wilson received a second call from a supervisor at the RAG Shoshone Mine north of Hanna. He reported an abandoned silver Toyota along County Rd 291. Hanna Search and Rescue was called out,” Newbrough said.
The sheriff’s office also called pilot Brad Cary from Saratoga, who took to the air with Saratoga Search and Rescue member Cory Oxford along as spotter. Colson got his dog Hooch, who often helps with searches. Newbrough said it took him about a half an hour to get to the vehicle. “ When I got there, I established a command post, and the Hanna Search and Rescue was already there,” Newbrough said, adding While’s vehicle was off the road and stuck. “After I established a command post, Search and Rescue started a search along the county road and a little ways away from the road in case he wandered off,” Newbrough said. While was located by Hanna Police Chief Kevin Koessel, who was assisting Search and Rescue personnel. The body was located about 150 yards off the road down a draw in an abandoned mining operation.“There’s no evidence of foul play,” Colson said. “His wallet and his papers were intact.”Colson says no one knows for certain what happened, but it appears after While became stuck, he attempted to walk the 4.2 miles back to Hanna and froze to death. The body was found about 1 3/4 miles from the vehicle. The vehicle had been noticed earlier, but not reported. “The vehicle was first noticed by a security guard the morning of the 26th,” Newbrough said. “He didn’t think much of it. It was foggy, and he assumed the owner was going to come back and get it.” There is no way to know how long the vehicle had been there at that time.The weather Christmas night was foggy, and While may have become lost. He may also have become disoriented because of hypothermia, Newbrough said, adding the chill factor Christmas night may have been below zero. “He wasn’t dressed really warm,” Newbrough said, adding the man was wearing jeans, a baseball cap and no gloves. (Rawlins Daily Times)
Hanna Cemetery Records
While, John Robert. (Monument); Aka: While, Sonny (BL)
Headstone: "Aug. 14, 1931 - Dec. 28, 2000; SSGT. US AIR FORCE"
Plot: 439
Plot: 69
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 Duffly, 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)
Headstone: "Aug. 14, 1931 - Dec. 28, 2000; SSGT. US AIR FORCE"
Plot: 439
Plot: 69
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 Duffly, 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)
John Robert "Sonny" While and Richard Carl Buckingham Plot. 2021. (While Family Collection by Bob Leathers)
John Robert "Sonny" While (While Family Collection. 2021. from Bob Leathers)