Rollin “Rusty” Christopherson

Rollin “Rusty” Christopherson, a lover of old cars, a good laugh, and family, rolled off into the great car show in the sky in June 2025 in Lovell, Wyo. He was born in Cody, raised through 11th grade in Meeteetse (where he no doubt terrorized every teacher), and somehow managed to graduate from Burlington High School with his charm intact and diploma in hand.

Rusty served a two-year mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the Central Atlantic States, where he preached the gospel, met many people and probably offered to fix their carburetors. Upon returning home, he pulled off his greatest miracle — convincing Lois Ann Wiberg to marry him. The rest is a wild ride through decades of love, chaos, family, and a whole lot of stories that may or may not be entirely true.

A proud U.S. Army sergeant, Rusty studied business at Stevens-Henager College in Utah. He had brains, brawn, and a deep, inexplicable talent for identifying the make, model and year of any car older than 1985 — down to the hubcaps. He loved old engines, good conversation and could talk longer than a Wyoming winter if the topic was cars, faith or family.

Rusty was a lifelong member of the LDS Church, which meant he spent Sundays in a clean shirt, Monday nights with family, and the rest of the week welding stainless steel to support his loved ones. He loved life fiercely, laughed often, hugged hard, and lived bigger than his collection of grease-stained shirts.

But don’t let the grease-stained jeans and busted knuckles fool you — Rusty was sharp as a tack and endlessly inventive. He held three patents: one for a shock absorber, one for a valve that improved the dairy industry, and one delightfully named the “Confusion Ball,” which sounds like something that came out of a hardware store and a comedy skit at the same time. If it needed fixing, rethinking, or reinventing — Rusty was your guy.

He is survived by his loving wife and best decision-maker, Lois; his children Erik Christopherson, Vanessa Christopherson, Katie (Nick) Rosenbladt, and Tyler Christopherson; and a pile of grandkids who all inherited a little of his mischief. 

He was preceded in death by his parents, Joe and Coral Christopherson, several siblings, and his beloved son, Lance Christopherson, who no doubt greeted him in heaven with a warm hug and a fresh set of tools.

Services will be held on Saturday, June 28, 2025, at 10 a.m. at the LDS church in Burlington, Wyo.