Jean (John) Baptiste Iroz

Jean Iroz, 63, passed away March 8, 2019 in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, of complications following a kidney transplant. Jean was born August 15, 1955, in Sheridan, Wyo to Jean (Pete) Baptiste Iroz, a prominent sheep rancher near Clearmont, Wyo, and Fae Irwin Iroz of Clearmont.

Jean began school in Clearmont and after his father died his mother moved with him and his younger brother to Buffalo, where he graduated from high school. Jean was very talented with machinery and electronics and won prizes at science fairs, with a blue ribbon on an electric amplifier in the Industrial Arts Fair in Laramie.

Therefore, after high school, he attended the Denver Institute of Technology to become an electronics technician. He worked as a technician in Jackson, Buffalo, and Gillette.

In Gillette he met his future wife, Anita Norden from San Diego, Calif. They were married in San Diego and had three children there.

In California, Jean worked with computers and robotics and was the designer of the machine that puts the wrappers on Klondike Ice Cream bars! Unfortunately, the economy of California for engineers deteriorated so, in the early 1990s, John came back to Wyoming, working in Moorcroft and Sundance, before eventually moving to Rapid City, South Dakota.

He was preceded in death by his father, his mother Fae Iroz of Moorcroft; and is survived by his ex-wife, Anita of San Diego; daughter Dr. Alison Petit-Jean of Paris, France, grandsons Charles and Martin Petit-Jean of Paris; twin sons Brian Iroz of Seattle, Wash, Christopher Iroz of Scotland, Conn; brother Alfred Iroz and sister-in-law Joyce of Gillette; half-brother Mack Brislawn of Moorcroft; half-sister Karen Freytes of Moorcroft; nieces Maria and Maxine Iroz of Gillette; nephews Dominic and Michael Iroz of Gillette, Desmond Morgan of Evanston, WY, Vincent Morgan of Moorcroft; and step-nephew Jason Gompf of Gillette. A memorial service is pending.