Judy Catchpole

        It is with heartfelt sadness that we announce Judy Simonton Catchpole, 81, of Casper, Wyoming, passed away on December 4, 2025, at Central Wyoming Hospice from heart and stroke complications. Judy’s funeral will be held on Monday, January 5, at 11:00am at the First United Methodist Church in Casper, Wyoming.

       Judy loved people and connected them. She used her life-of-the-party personality and musical gifts to gather family, friends, colleagues, and strangers around the piano, to sing songs during the holidays or at important professional events. She could be counted on to play (by ear, she would always remind you) great sing-along music, including Happy Birthday, We Wish You a Merry Christmas, On Eagle’s Wings, and her favorite “Cowboy Joe”. Judy lived her life with no limits.

          Judy loved holidays, and she decorated her home to reflect the season. This included Valentine’s, May Day, Easter baskets, green on St. Patrick’s Day, handing out Halloween candy, family Thanksgiving dinners, and an amazing practice of putting up “just one more” string of Christmas lights. Judy loved parades, bugging main street, marching bands, flags, 4th of July, fireworks, shopping, airport and Disney gift shops, Target, Macy’s, Dillard’s, Eggington’s eggs benedict with no egg, Starbucks tea (“packed to the top” with ice), UW football games (if it wasn’t snowing), her WWW friends, Nancy Messer setting up her Christmas stained glass village, and sending Christmas cards.

         Her barrel racing career as a little girl in the Cody rodeo made her a lifelong lover of all things rodeos and parades…especially Cheyenne Frontier Days and the Cody Stampede. Her volunteer hours with the Girl Scouts and Camp Sacajawea, Manor Heights PTA, Casper Children’s Chorale, Methodist Church Cherub Choir, Kelly Walsh, and other organizations were all geared to make kids’ lives better.

         Judy’s family was her pride and joy. No one cheered louder than Judy Catchpole. Everyone wanted her to be on their side, and her children and grandchildren treasured her vocal presence at school activities and sports. She bundled up to watch many cold outdoor soccer, football, and hockey games. She rooted on her grandkids in all their academic endeavors and shared their successes with friends and families.

         Born in Mesa, Arizona on March 14, 1944, to Jim and Marge Simonton, her family moved to Cody when she was a young girl. Judy was always proud to call Cody her home; she was, at heart, always a Cody Bronc! She received her bachelor’s degree in elementary education from the University of Wyoming in 1966. She spoke fondly of her time at UW, her Tri Delta sisters, and her band called the Slap Happy Singers. Following graduation, she married her high school sweetheart, Glenn Catchpole, honeymooned in Jackson Hole, and then quickly moved to San Diego, California, where Glenn was assigned to his first squadron as a Naval aviator. As Glenn deployed to Vietnam, Judy had to quickly figure out “life in the big city” of San Diego. She always recounted driving to her first job as a first-grade teacher on the big interstates of southern California. During the stressful times of Glenn’s combat deployments to Vietnam, she made great friendships with her fellow teachers and the squadron’s wives.

          When Glenn received orders to Albuquerque, New Mexico Judy began teaching first grade. She loved teaching at a small, rural school, and often felt like she had the most impact of her career teaching those young students. She and Glenn had their first daughter, Glenda, before they moved to Fort Collins, Colorado. She and Glenn had their son, Fred, while living in a small (married student housing) 1-room apartment with their two children and an active springer spaniel dog, Tico! Then, moving to Denver, Judy and Glenn welcomed their youngest daughter, Katie, before moving to Cheyenne.

Judy loved her time in Cheyenne on Ranger Drive, making lifelong friends that she continued to stay connected with her entire life.

       The Catchpoles then moved to Casper, where Judy became the Methodist Church’s volunteer Cherub Choir Director. She also taught preschool at Grace Lutheran. Judy later became the Executive Director of the Republican Party, as well as a Natrona County School Board member. While on the Board, she was proud to have advocated for high school soccer to become a varsity sport within the district.

        Her love for people was obvious in her professional pursuits as well. She valued leading and participating in groups and teams that solved problems and made differences.

       Judy served two terms as Wyoming’s Superintendent of Public Instruction from 1995 to 2003. Throughout her life, Judy was a tireless advocate and cheerleader for Wyoming and the education of children. She particularly had a large place in her heart for early childhood education, and her “Catchpole for Kids” campaign slogan epitomized her profound belief in educating the children of her beloved state.

        Judy’s entire professional career was driven by her passion and desire to provide the best education for youth: from her time teaching preschool, serving on the Casper school board, serving as state’s education leader to serving on boards and commissions. She worked hard to ensure equal opportunity education for all students, not just the ones in the state’s largest districts. She helped work on policies establishing statewide learning standards, quality accreditation standards, sound statewide assessments, and effective technology and charter school policies. She was an active, driven leader that helped set the direction for one of the best education systems in the nation. She partnered and collaborated with folks from all backgrounds and beliefs to ensure Wyoming’s children could attend top-notch public schools.

       Judy had an eye for talent. She was a connector and had a knack for bringing passionate and innovative people together to accomplish goals. In the closing chapters of her professional career, she was a member of the UW College of Education’s advisory and advocacy boards, and she was elected as a lifetime member of Raising Readers. She was ultimately recognized with the UW College of Education’s Distinguished Alumni Award, and she received an honorary PhD from the University of Wyoming in 2019.

         Judy is preceded in death by her father (James Simonton), mother (Marjorie Simonton), and older brother (Steve Simonton). She is survived by her husband of 59 years Glenn Catchpole, brother George Simonton (Lyn), daughter Glenda Thomas (Mike), son Fred Catchpole (Beth), and daughter Katie Finnoff (David), as well as her nine grandchildren: Kassidy, Tristy, Brax, and Dax Thomas; Jackson and Ella Catchpole; and Tatum, Tyler, and Tass Finnoff; nephews Mike Simonton (Natania) and Ken Hager (Doreen).

       We are grateful for the teams of doctors, nurses, and caregivers that have helped Judy including Dr. Eric Cubin, Dr. Jonah Cubin, Dr. Lloyd, Dr. Thrasher, Dr. Yakel, Dr. Allaire, Dr. Swan, Dr. Wheeler, Dr. Wicks, Dr. Dowell, Dr. McGinley, Jamie Kidder, Ari Staffileno, Brooke Baker, Kenyne Humphrey, Breanne Johnson, Sage Brooks, Central Wyoming Hospice, Elkhorn Valley Rehabilitation, Mountain Plaza Assisted Living, Banner and Wyoming Medical Center, Wyoming Dementia Care, Home Instead and Cornerstone.

         In lieu of flowers, please make any memorial donations to the Judy Catchpole for Kids Scholarship. Donations can be dropped off at any Jonah Bank location or mailed to Glenda Thomas at PO Box 2302, Casper WY, 82602.