Earl Dillard Mansfield, 90, of Glenrock, Wyoming passed away on August 21, 2026, at Central Wyoming Hospice & Transitions in Casper.

Earl was born at the family home in Louisiana to John and Lela (Reid) Mansfield. He attended local schools but left in the 9th grade to work on the family farm, eventually working for local businesses. He moved to Burlington, Iowa at age 20, where he worked at Leopold Desk Company and later, at Georgia Pacific. Fishing and hunting became favorite activities, and ones he shared with friends.

He met Marcia Louise Christensen thanks to mutual friends, and the couple married on June 17, 1960. They had one daughter, Gayle Ilene, born on March 25, 1961. The family moved to Sperry, Iowa in 1971, owning 14 acres of land. Earl farmed a portion of the land and also remained a factory worker. He and his family began the enjoyable activities of nature photography, bird watching, and feeding and providing shelter for songbirds. These activities remained an important part of Earl’s life to his older age.

Because of his love for the outdoors and the American west, the family moved again in 1978, this time to Casper, Wyoming. Earl and Marcia longed for trees and a smaller community, and therefore, moved to western Montana in 1981. They chose to live off-grid on 20 acres of mountain land in the Sapphire Range south of Missoula and north of Hamilton. Here they created and tended a large garden, raised some livestock, and improved their hunting abilities. Earl began working seasonally for Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks, enjoying the elk herds he loved so much, serving as a liaison between ranchers and Montana FWP. He conducted his duties of “elk herding” for nearly 15 years before retiring.

He and Marcia spent the next nearly 30 years living in Denton, Montana in the central part of the state. He continued pursuing natural work, voluntarily installing and maintaining bluebird boxes and sponsoring a section of highway to clean up litter. He and Marcia continued feeding and setting up houses for songbirds on their property. Earl also served a few seasons as president of the local senior citizens group, organizing monthly gatherings at the Town Hall. He pursued his love for elk and other wildlife by visiting the Charlie Russell National Wildlife Refuge numerous times and hiking and camping in the mountains around Lewistown.

In October 2023, after increased health concerns, Earl and Marcia moved to Glenrock, Wyoming to be near their daughter and son-in-law. The family visited wild horse management areas, Esterbrook, Natural Bridge, and other locations, often taking picnics along their routes. A favorite place was nicknamed “The Powder River Resort,” a ranch owned by friends near Kaycee, Wyoming. Earl and Marcia stayed many times relishing the company of friends and watching the wildlife and observing the livestock, all of which peacefully shared the landscape.

Before his passing, Earl was able to celebrate 66 years of marriage with his wife and his 90th birthday at which friends and family gathered with him.

Earl is survived by his wife, Marcia of Glenrock; daughter Gayle (Greg) Irwin of Casper; brother Shelby (Maggie) of Prairie City, Oregon; numerous nieces and nephews; other relatives, and countless friends in all the states in which he lived. He was preceded in death by his father, John, mother Lela, brothers Anthony and Russell, sister Zannie Marie (Mansfield) Regan, sister-in-law Mildred, brother-in-law Victor Regan, and niece Tammy (Mansfield) Nelson.

One of the greatest gifts Earl gave his family was a love and appreciation for the natural world.

He enjoyed elk and nature, dogs, cats, and horses, and his heart broke for children battling cancer. Therefore, in lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, the Dedman-Hokanson Animal Shelter in Fort Benton, Montana, or St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital.

No services are planned. The family wishes to extend their gratitude to Central Wyoming Hospice & Transitions for the compassionate care during Earl’s last week of life on this earth.