Glenn Catchpole

Glenn Catchpole entered the world on September 1, 1943, in a modest log cabin in Pagosa Springs, Colorado, during the final years of World War II. Born to Myron Catchpole and Elaine Blacker in one of Colorado's most remote mountain communities, his humble beginnings in the rugged San Juan Mountains would instill in him a deep connection to the American West that would define his character throughout his remarkable eight-decade life.

Glenn's childhood was marked by the geographic mobility that characterized many American families during the post-war economic expansion. His family moved through Wyoming, Colorado, and California before finally settling in Cody, Wyoming, at the start of his junior year in high school. This relocation to Cody proved pivotal not only for his education but for his personal life—it was while his family unpacked their belongings at their new home that he first met Judy Simonton, who would become his wife and lifelong partner.

As a student at Cody High School, Glenn demonstrated exceptional athletic versatility, participating in basketball, football, baseball, and track for the Cody Broncs. This athletic participation reflected the values of discipline and teamwork that would serve him well in his military career. After graduating from high school, he pursued mechanical engineering at the University of Wyoming in Laramie, choosing a field of study that aligned with Wyoming's natural resource industries and the postwar emphasis on technical expertise.

The escalating Vietnam War became the defining context for Glenn's transition from student to military officer. Rather than awaiting potential conscription, he volunteered for service in the United States Navy, beginning his military journey at Officer Candidate School in Newport, Rhode Island. He then proceeded to Naval Flight School in Pensacola, Florida, where he mastered the demanding curriculum designed to prepare pilots for high-performance military aircraft operations.

Glenn was ultimately assigned to Fighter Squadron 114 (VF-114), the Aardvarks, based in San Diego, California, where he served as a radar intercept officer in the sophisticated F-4 Phantom II fighter aircraft. His role as the "back seater" required mastery of complex radar and weapons systems while maintaining situational awareness in high-speed combat environments. He made two combat deployments to Vietnam aboard the USS Kitty Hawk, flying over 200 combat missions during these deployments—a figure that placed him among the most combat-experienced naval aviators of the Vietnam War.

Following his combat service, Glenn transitioned to an instructor role in the Naval ROTC program at the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque, where he and Judy welcomed their first daughter, Glenda. Upon leaving the Navy, the young family—including their springer spaniel, Tico—loaded up their red Toyota Land Cruiser and headed to Fort Collins, Colorado, where Glenn pursued his master's degree in civil engineering at Colorado State University.

Their time in married student housing proved memorable, with their son Fred born while they lived in a one-bedroom apartment shared with two children and a springer spaniel who had puppies—a situation Glenn and Judy would later recall with good humor as a "full home." After Glenn's graduation, they moved to Denver, where their third child, Katie, was born, before relocating to Cheyenne where Glenn began work at the Department of Environmental Quality.

The Cheyenne years on Ranger Drive became particularly cherished, as the family formed lifelong friendships while enjoying summer evenings when parents socialized and neighborhood children rode their Big Wheels down the steep street. This period established patterns of community engagement and family-centered living that would characterize the Catchpoles throughout their lives.

Glenn's move to Casper, Wyoming, marked the beginning of his transformative career in the uranium mining and production sector. Starting as a wellfield engineer in 1978, he developed expertise in solution mining technology—a sophisticated uranium extraction technique that required deep understanding of hydrogeology and subsurface engineering. His timing in entering the uranium industry aligned with significant developments in energy policy and uranium supply dynamics during the Cold War period.

Over four decades, Glenn rose through increasingly senior positions with various uranium production companies, becoming recognized as a subject matter expert in uranium solution mining and environmental management. His career progression culminated in his role as Chief Executive Officer of Uranerz Energy Corporation from 2005 to 2015, where he successfully transformed the company from an exploration enterprise into a significant uranium producer with commercial-scale operations in Wyoming.

Under Glenn's leadership, Uranerz initiated uranium production operations in Wyoming in 2014, marking the achievement of transitioning from development to actual production—a major accomplishment requiring successful navigation of complex permitting processes and technical challenges. The 2015 merger of Uranerz with Energy Fuels Inc. in an all-stock transaction valued at approximately $150 million created the largest integrated uranium producer in the United States at that time.

Glenn's expertise extended internationally through his role as general manager of the Inkai uranium mine in Kazakhstan, where he guided the project through all phases from acquisition to operational startup. The Inkai joint venture has operated successfully since 2008, validating the feasibility studies and operational plans that Glenn helped establish during his tenure.

Throughout his extensive career, Glenn's family remained his central priority. His marriage to Judy endured for over six decades, spanning military service, career transitions, and geographical relocations. Judy herself achieved significant professional accomplishments, serving as Wyoming's Superintendent of Public Instruction for two terms from 1995 to 2003, where she became known for her "Catchpole for Kids" campaign advocating for educational opportunities for Wyoming children.

Glenn took immense pride in his three children's achievements. Glenda became Executive Director of the Wold Foundation, and Glenn particularly treasured the opportunity to work with her at Uranerz, which he cited as a career highlight. Fred served 27 years in the Marine Corps, retiring as a lieutenant colonel after serving a combat tour in Iraq, and later became Chief Operating Officer of Eighty-Eight Oil. Katie married David Finnoff, a professor of economics at the University of Wyoming.

Nothing brought Glenn more joy than being with his nine grandchildren—Kassidy, Tristy, Brax, and Dax Thomas; Jackson and Ella Catchpole; and Tatum, Tyler, and Tass Finnoff. He was consistently the first to attend their concerts, recitals, presentations, and sporting events, and maintained the practice of reading bedtime stories to each grandchild individually.

Glenn's community involvement centered significantly on youth athletic development. He coached his children's soccer, t-ball, football, and basketball teams, and served for years on the board of the Casper Hockey Club when the rink operated from the old fairgrounds barn. His memories of parents gathering around the single space heater during cold January nights reflected both the challenges and dedication of early youth hockey in Wyoming.

His personal interests included extensive outdoor recreation—bird hunting with trips to Springer and South Dakota, elk hunting, skiing, and fishing. Perhaps his most meaningful personal project was designing and building the family cabin outside of Laramie, a two-decade endeavor that created a gathering place bringing "joy, solace, and fun for his entire family." He was described as being "most at peace in the mountains by the firepit, especially when surrounded by his grandchildren."

Glenn's later years were characterized by his "quiet, thoughtful presence" and his capacity to provide "sage, helpful advice." He communicated best through letters and emails to his children and grandchildren, creating written records that his family treasured. Never one to become flustered or upset, he possessed a "wonderful, big heart that always served others before self."

Glenn Catchpole passed away on April 2, 2026, at Central Wyoming Hospice from Alzheimer's and cardiovascular complications, less than four months after his beloved wife Judy passed away on December 4, 2025. His death marked the end of a life that exemplified the values of service, technical excellence, family devotion, and community engagement—a distinctive American narrative spanning from a log cabin birth during World War II to leadership positions in one of the nation's most strategically important industries.