(PHOTOS) ‘Abundant generosity’: Mourners pack church to honor beloved Casper doctor on Monday

CASPER, Wyo. — Annual family fishing trips weren’t taken lightly by Dr. Sam Vigneri.

The beloved Casper doctor and fly-fishing expert was known for his attention to detail, but he was also known for what his son described as “abundant generosity.”

Ben, the oldest son of Sam Vigneri and his wife, Stacia, recalled with great detail the annual family summer fishing trips. They were usually a few hours behind schedule after Sam shopped for needed supplies and packed the vehicle, stopping for photos along the way at places they’d already stopped on earlier trips, documenting the growth of his kids.

“I never understood why he did it until I grew older,” said Ben, addressing the packed St. Patrick’s Catholic Church on Monday morning. The sound of quiet crying and sniffles were broken with laughter as he recalled the vacations.

Ben said his father barely fished himself on family trips.

“He was naturally generous to others, because helping others thrive is what gave him the most fulfillment,” he said.

The community support and tributes followed almost immediately as word of his sudden and unexpected death on Sunday, Sept. 8. He was 56. Hundreds of his former and current patients at Women’s Health Associates told stories of Dr. Vigneri’s care and dedication over two decades of practice, many times claiming that he saved the lives of their children during difficult births.

“These are never easy times for us,” he said. “We come here today to remember this man, generous in small personal ways. To remember this man, his sense of humor, devotion to family, who was a beekeeper and giver of honey, who tended the two apple trees in his orchard, and found beauty in all of God’s creations.”

“We remember a man who was teaching himself how to play guitar and to speak Spanish,” he continued.

Rev. Jacobson used the service to urge people who might be facing difficulties to reach out for help.

“Have the courage to ask the difficult questions, to accompany somebody else even in the midst of grief, of depression, of the challenges of life,” he said. “Have the courage to listen to their story, and to walk with them.”