John Earl Yeager, 86, died February 10, 2026, at his home in Sheridan. John was born on September 9, 1939, in a house his father built, in a “holler” near Fairview, West Virginia, where he contracted rheumatic fever at age three. Not expected to survive that illness he spent a year in bed, but he cheated death and went on to spend his childhood barefoot, fishing and hunting (squirrels, and anything else that moved) with his brothers. The family later moved to Canton, Ohio for several years.

He later joined the Marine Corps, serving in Japan and Quantico, VA. While at Quantico he met Judy Jorgensen, a beautiful young woman from Iowa, and they were married on April 7, 1961.  He often said it was the luckiest day of his life (and it was).

John and Judy moved to Iowa, then Florida, and finally settled in Wyoming in 1971. John operated the Mission Barber Shop in Sheridan until he became a brakeman on the Burlington Northern in 1974. John also owned and operated an outfitting business, guiding bowhunters from all over the country in the Big Horns. Years ago, his story about taking one of the largest elk with a bow in Wyoming appeared in Bowhunter Magazine.

John’s favorite time of the year was September when he would hunt in the Big Horns, camping at Bucking Mule, with his son.

Since John feared nothing and believed there was nothing he could not do, this led him to many adventures including bowhunting for bear in Alaska, flying a powered parachute, skydiving, and earning a pilot’s license at age fifty. Through it all he continued to defy the odds, cheatiing death on many occasions. Over the course of his life he broke nearly every bone in his body, managed a close encounter with a bear by kicking it through a tent wall, underwent multiple heart and other surgeries, beat cancer, survived alcohol and opioid addictions, and managed to live through many car, motorcycle, and boating accidents. On one notorious occasion he drove his snowmobile over a hill, only to discover mid-air that it was a cliff.

Diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease several years ago, like every other challenge he encountered, he gave it hell.

He was the father of four daughters and a son. Over the years he was also a loving dog dad to many beagles.

John leaves behind his “higher power” and wife of almost 65 years, Judy, as well as his daughters, Tary, Catherine, Susan, and Sherry, each one being told, whenever they called, that she was his favorite.  He also leaves many grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and one great-great-granddaughter, as well as some incredible friends,including T.R., his “ride-or-die” friend of more than fifty years.

He was sadly preceded in death by his only son and best buddy, Johnny, two years ago.  The last of his original family, John was also preceded in death by his father,mother, sister, and two brothers. 

Our family wants to thank all those who helped us care for John during the last few months, including Sheridan Hospice staff (Kara, Calista, Adrienne, Jodene, Heather,Lexie, Chris, and Brenda), and Busy Bees Home Health Care (Jenny, Lois, Liberty, Kiaya, Katie, and Pam). Finally, we want to thank the Sheridan VA hospital for the wonderful care provided to John through the years, with special gratitude to Daunee, Tammara, Mikki, and Erica. If we have missed anyone, please know we appreciate you, too.

No public service is planned, though a gathering of friends will take place at a later date. No flowers please. If you feel led, a donation to a local animal shelter would be appreciated.

Far better is it to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs, even though checkered by failure... than to rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy nor suffer much,because they live in a gray twilight that knows not victory nor defeat.   Theodore Roosevelt

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Military Honors will be held on Monday, May 25, 2026, at Champion Kane Funeral Home. A Celebration Of Life will be announced soon.

Champion Kane Funeral Home has been entrusted with local arrangements.

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