Allen W. Votroubek

Allen W. Votroubek, 74, of Newcastle, WY passed away Feb. 17th at home surrounded by his loved ones.

Al was a man with strong family ties. Born to parents George and Annette (O’Dea) Votroubek of Quinn, SD, he grew up with older brother Bob, younger brother Bruce, and sister Marjean, aunt Joanne, and cousin Dick Rockafellow around him. He met the love of his life and his future wife Ellen Madsen through his brother Bruce.  Allen & Ellen were married in 1969 and started a family of their own. Daughter Carrie was born in 1970, and son George in 1973. Aunt Joanne Oltmanns also lived near them when Al’s children were young.  He always enjoyed spending time with his cousins, Ken, Keith, Kevin, and Kurt, and the boys had many (mis)adventures.  The youngest cousin, Klayton, was just a year older than Al’s daughter, and came on many of the family’s trips. In his later years, some of Al’s happiest days were spent with his grandson Jesse fishing, flying drones or just hanging out around a campfire. Family remained a constant source of happiness and pride throughout his life.

Al had a talent for fixing most anything mechanical and took great joy in making things run. In his teen years, Al worked with Marvin Curtis at the family’s Skelly Station working on cars, which started him down the path to repairing things. After attending school in Quinn and Wall, SD, he followed his interest and attended Denver Auto Tech in Denver, CO, upon graduation applied these skills in the US Army as a Wheel Vehicle Mechanic and a Sharpshooter. A longtime friend Zane Rhynard brought him to WY where he   turned his talents to the mining industry in WY as a heavy machinery mechanic, first in Medicine Bow with Shirley Basin Uranium Mine and Medicine Bow Coal, and later in Wright with Thunder Basin Coal.  In 1996, Allen & Ellen moved to the Black Hills near Newcastle, WY from where Allen continued work until his retirement in 2012. 

The need to fix things wasn’t restricted to his work life. Al found pleasure in bringing vehicles and machinery back to life and always had project cars – particularly Festiva’s - and equipment at home to tinker with in his spare time. 

His passion for vehicles didn’t stop at fixing them. Al enjoyed a bit of speed! Al, Dale Kjerstad and George Krebs also built and raced a stock car at Black Hills Speedway. In his younger days, Al could be found riding his motorcycles with abandon off-road and on. He raced in the Badlands Baja & Hill Climbs in Sturgis. Al even had a big road bike for cross country trips. When he wanted to go for a little ride, you never knew which state you would end up in.

Al enjoyed the outdoors his entire life. In grade school Al, brother Bruce and friends “The Curtis Boys” started a hunting & trapping club and hunting and fishing became lifelong passions. While living in Medicine Bow, he loved driving through the Snowy Range and Shirley Mountains, looking for all kinds of wildlife. He hunted with friends in the Snowy Range, Jackson Hole, the Big Horns & the Black Hills. He also loved fishing with friends and family and kept a boat for summer fishing on Lake Oahe, but mostly he prized sharing that time with grandson Jesse. Al taught Jesse how to drive the boat, tie lures, and to catch fish. 

Al meshed his loves of the outdoors and vehicles. He went 4-wheeling on back roads through the Black Hills with his daughter, son, grandson, and friends. He even took up mountain biking! At one point, Al and his friend Jack rode the entire Michelson Trail. To combine two of his pastimes, Al mounted a gun rack to his mountain bike so he could go to hunting areas that could only be accessed by biking or hiking. 

Al’s sister Marjean introduced him to golfing. They traveled all around Wyoming and South Dakota to golf as well as longer adventures to Nevada where they could golf, gamble and see family and friends. Al even went golfing in Alaska when visiting friends and was able to experience some “combat fishing” for salmon and deep-sea fishing for halibut.

He was most proud of his children and grandson.  He was able to watch them grow and become loving and caring adults. Al had a lot of family and friends and was grateful for all the lives he touched thru his life. 

He is survived by his wife of 52 years, Ellen; daughter, Carrie (Votroubek) and her husband, George and son, Jesse McCormick of Casper, WY; son, George Votroubek and his wife Dawn Marie Maurer of Monroe, WA;  brother, Bruce and his wife, Nancy Votroubek of Spearfish, SD;  aunts, Joanne (O’Dea) Oltmans of Dickinson, ND and Betty (Votroubek) Bryan of Mitchell, SD; uncle, Curly Crocker of Rapid City, SD; Richard Rockafellow of Phillip, SD; sister-in-law’s, Valerie (Joe) Duwenhoegger of Rapid City, SD and Dawn Wood and brother-in-law’s, Randy Madsen (Wendy) and Mart Madsen all of New Underwood, SD; and Colgan Huber of Bison, SD and many, many cousins, nieces, nephews.

He is preceded in death by his parents; brother, Robert Votroubek; sister, Marjean (Votroubek) Huber; and one niece, Natasha Votroubek.

A memorial service is to be held at Kinkade Funeral Chapel in Sturgis, SD at 11:00 am, Friday, May 6th with burial immediately following at Black Hills National Cemetery. A luncheon will follow at the VFW Hall also in Sturgis.

In lieu of flowers the family has asked for donations to Weston Home Health Care (hospice) or to the Go Fund Me for the medical expenses of Riley Schlidt of Gillette, WY, the grandson of Al’s dear friends Gary and Vickie Schlidt. https://gofund.me /db97547f.