Memorial Page
Robert Arthur VanAlyne, Jr
June 15, 1952-August 1, 1985
Laramie County Sheriffs' Office
Deputy Sheriff
Circumstances:
Robert was born in Cheyenne, Wyoming, and educated in Cheyenne schools. Upon graduation from Cheyenne Central High School in 1970, he joined the Army and served in Vietnam for a year.
When he returned from the service he went to school at Laramie County Community College and obtained an Associates Degrees in Law Enforcement and History. He went to work for the Cheyenne Police Department, the Green River Police Department and the Laramie County Sheriffs Department. While a deputy for the Laramie County Sheriff 's Department, he died in the line of duty while trying to rescue a family during a flash flood.
Robert received the Carnegie Heroism Award, the Civil Air Patrol Heroism Award, the Laramie County Sheriff s Department's Medal of Valor, and the Law Enforcement Officer of the Year Award, following his death.
He is survived by a son, Robert C. VanAlyne, who lives in Cheyenne, Wyoming. His parents are Robert and Dolfe VanAlyne who live in Cheyenne, Wyoming. His siblings are Roger P. VanAlyne, Rodney K. VanAlyne and Barbara Nash.
Norbert E. Tuck
May 21, 1899 - February 15, 1961
Laramie County Sheriff
Circumstances:
Sheriff Tuck was killed February 15, 1961, when his car was struck by a freight train on the western city limits of Toledo, Ohio. He had gone to Toledo to transport a prisoner back to Wyoming on a non-support charge. Authorities believed that Sheriff Tuck saw the flashing train crossing signals too late, since his car left 200 feet of skid marks on Highway 30, eventually coming to rest broadside on the railroad tracks.
Arthur Emil Osborn
1882 - August 1, 1927
Laramie County Sheriffs' Office
Deputy Sheriff
Circumstances:
Deputy Sheriff Osborn was apprehending Herman Barker who had cashed some stolen bank bonds at the American National Bank in Cheyenne. Stationed at Pine Bluffs, Osborn proceeded to a point on the Lincoln Highway about 5 miles west of Pine Bluffs. He flagged the Barker vehicle down and when he approached it on foot, Barker picked up a gun from the seat beside him and shot Osborn twice. Barker later was killed in a shoot-out in Tulsa, Oklahoma. The information on the Osborn shooting came from a woman who was with Barker and later arrested. Osborn was deputy to Sheriff George Carroll of Laramie County. Barker was the son of Ma Barker and brother of "Doc" Barker and Fred Barker.
Frank B. Roach
March 12, 1874 - May 1, 1916
Laramie County Sheriffs' Office
Sheriff
Circumstances:
Sheriff Roach was killed on May 1, 1916, 18 miles southeast of Granite Canyon, Wyoming, while pursuing horse thieves. Sheriff Roach had been called to the area by a local rancher who had reported the theft of three horses. Sheriff Roach, along with a posse, went by automobile to the Webster Ranch, where he was killed by Clyde Pearson. It was said that Roach was game to his last breath and went down fighting in a desperate attempt to uphold the law.
Adolph Cuny
1842 - July 22, 1877
Laramie County Sheriffs' Office
Deputy Sheriff
Deputy Adolf Cuny
Born 1842.
Died in the line of duty July 22, 1877.
Lived in Ft. Laramie area where he was an Indian interpreter and confidant of Chief Red Cloud and Crazy Horse.
Deputy Cuny owned the Three Mile Hog Ranch, and the General Store in Fort Laramie in what was then Laramie County.
Details of that fateful day in 1877; as reported in the Cheyenne Daily on Sunday, July 25, 1 877 Sheriff T. Jeff Carr deputized C.B. Hays who was tasked with "looking after road agents" which he was doing when he contacted suspects "Dunk" Blackburn and Billy Webster.
In need of assistance Deputy Hays deputized Adolf Cuny and with another man by the name of Sprague they contacted Blackburn and Webster at Six Mile Ranch (in then north Laramie County).
They surprised the some of the suspects in the ranch house at Six Mile and while Deputy Cuny maintained watch over the some of the suspects Deputy Hays went outside to locate others he felt where in the area.
Deputy Hays had not travelled far from the house when he heard shots and upon returning found Deputy Cuny, "shot through the body" and dead. It was reported that Webster was Deputy Cuny's killer.
NOTE: Deputy Cuny left behind his wife Joesephine Cuny (Bissonette) and 8 children.
1) Louise Martha
2) Charles
3) Lizzie
4) Millie
5) Susie
6) Lottie
7) Jule Francis
8) Adolph
One of Deputy Cuny's descendants, Jim Rainforth, a 3rd generation Police Officer –– Ret. from the Orange New Jersey Police Department furnished much of the aforementioned information. I would like to thank Officer Rainforth and after many years, thank he and his family for the "Ultimate Sacrifice" made by Deputy Sheriff Adolph Cuny to the people of Laramie County, and the State of Wyoming.
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