Obituaries: Hettinger

Frederick Allen Hettinger: 1959 – 2024

It is with great sadness to announce that Fred Hettinger has passed.

Frederick Allen Hettinger was born to Albert and Marianne Hettinger on Oct. 25, 1959 in Denver Colorado, the second son of what would eventually become a family of four boys for “Fuzz” and Marianne.

Fred was an outdoors guy, he loved hunting, camping, and fishing, things he did since he was able to ride his bike down CY Avenue with “Babe” on his way to the North Platte to throw in a line. Had he been older than five at the time, the Casper police officer who stopped him might have let him go catch those fish rather than bringing him home to mom and dad.

Active in sports while in school, Fred was a member of the 1977 Glenrock Herders State Championship Football team, that is still talked about today. Fred was a hard working man all his life, starting a full time summer job at a ranch near Lander at 14 years old. He was at his best on a drilling rig somewhere in the United States cutting core, running bits, consulting on Plug and Abandons. along with all the related tasks that make up drilling for gas and oil. It was an industry he loved to work in, something he definitely excelled at for over 30 years in “The Patch.”

Fred made many lasting friendships, namely Tom Rasmussen, Mike Reynolds, Rick Grant, and Steve Orszulak. He was a good “hand” to have around if you needed something repaired, or sewn. That guy could sew anything, from tents to intricate embroidery; something he did to pass the time sitting in a pickup on location waiting to pick up tools.

Fred had a daughter, Autumn Marie, who lives with his grandson and her husband in Oklahoma. He also was very close to his little buddy Grayson, who is one of his nieces’ children. His nephews from Canada, Robert and Randell, are the sons of his older brother, Jim and wife, Leony. His nieces, Kaitlyn and Hannah, who are both living in Wyoming with their partners, and his younger brother, Andrew and wife, Michaela, will all miss him very much.

Fred was preceded by his mother, father, and brother, Edward. After much thought, the family has decided to not have any services at this time; rather we will wait for Glenrock Days this summer to take his remains up to Mormon Canyon to spread his ashes in the mountains he loved to visit, while “shooting the loop” a final time for him. When the time comes, please plan on meeting up at the Knotty Pine for a Coors (in a can) and a shot of Crown in his memory.