Casper Star Tribune Casper, WY 22 Aug 2007 John David Traut CASPER -- A celebration of the life of John David Traut, 80, will be held at St. Marks' Episcopal Church at 10 a.m. on Thursday, Aug. 23, 2007. He died Aug. 21, 2007 at the Central Wyoming Hospice Home. He was born Dec. 17, 1926 in Casper, the third of four children of John L. and Lydia (Miller) Traut who were both Germans from Russia. He was raised in Casper and graduated from NCHS in 1945. He served with the U.S. Army in Alaska during the WWII. Upon his return, he attended Casper College and the University of Wyoming. He received a Bachelor of Science degree in Geology in 1951. He started his career with Marathon Oil Company as a petroleum exploration geologist and remained there until 1974. In 1974, he started a geological consulting firm with Earl Hegna and Johns Kerns -- Hegna, Kerns and Traut. In 1979, he formed Tyrex Oil Company. He took the company public as an over-the-counter stock on NASDAQ in 1980. He retired from Tyrex in 1996. He was a member of the AAPG and the Wyoming Geological Association, past president of the WGA, a Fellow of the Geological Society of America and a Frank Morgan recipient for meritorious achievement, Wyoming Geological Association in 1978. It was during his course work at the science camp in Centennial that he met Virginia Ann Norton from National City, Calif. They were married on Oct. 27, 1951. They began their great adventure together with his employment with the Ohio (Marathon) Oil Company, living and working in all of the Rocky Mountain States as well as Guatemala. They had two daughters, Barbara and Nancy, who shared many wonderful adventures with them. Upon retirement, he became interested in the construction and design of jewelry. He fed that interest through many classes at Casper College Visual Arts Department. In addition to many wonderful friends, he is survived by his daughters, Barbara Traut of Ft. Collins, Colo.; and Nancy D'Hooge and her husband of Lakewood, Colo.; sister, Katherine Clark and her husband of Casper; brother, Wyborne of Corvallis, Ore.; four granddaughters and a grandson; a favorite niece, and her husband of Casper; two nephews, an uncle, four great-nephew and two great-nieces and numerous cousins. He was preceded in death by his beloved wife in 1985, a brother, Leroy, his parents and his best friend, Mary Lou. In lieu of flowers, a donation to the Central Wyoming Hospice or to the Casper College Visual Art Department would be appreciated by the family.