Wayne "Tuffy" Barent

Wayne "Tuffy" Barent, 84, longtime Ogallala resident, died Thursday, April 7, 2016, in Perkins County Health Services in Grant.

Wayne was born April 4, 1932 in Seneca, the son of John and Inez ( Smith) Barent. Tuffy attended District 66 School. After graduating from high school in Mullen he attended Chadron State College.

At the end of the first semester at Chadron, Tuffy and a friend spent two days camped in the Dean's office trying to start a rodeo team. After the Dean threw them out of his office he decided to go to Sol Ross College of Alpine, Texas, to participate with the rodeo team. In 1953 Tuffy entered the National Collegiate Rodeo finals where he won one go-around in bareback riding. Tuffy was the Nebraska State Bareback Champion from 1956 to 1958.

Over the years Tuffy worked for ranches, highway construction, the Gerald Gentleman Power Plant, and sold crop insurance for 25 years.

On April 4, 1980, Tuffy was united in marriage to Barbara A. Fries. The couple resided in rural Ogallala.

Tuffy was a member of the Ogallala Elks Lodge and the Ogallala Roundup Rodeo Committee.

Preceding him in death were his parents; brother Joe Barent; sister Mildred; and brother-in-law Bus Sevier.

Survivors include his wife Barbara Barent of Ogallala; his sons: Dwayne Barent of Sidney, Dean (Kerri) Barent of Worland, Wyo., Dan Barent of Buffalo, Wyo., and Randy (Roberta) Barnes of Halsey; sister Lavina Sevier of Seneca; brother Boyd Barent of Lakewood, Colo.,and sisters-in-law Marjorie Barent of Valentine, Lori (Timothy) Rettele and Connie (Craig) Kerchal, all of Benkelman; Janet (Kurt) Applegarth of Palisade, and Susan (Galen) Todd of Wauneta; and brothers-in-law: Jerry (Cindy) Fries, Kenneth (Marla) Fries, Richard (Valerie) Fries, and John Fries, all of Benkelman. Also nine grandchildren, eight great-grandchildren, and several nieces and nephews.

Visitation will be Tuesday, April 12, from 1 to 6 p.m. at Draucker Funeral Home. The family will greet friends from 4 to 6 p.m. The funeral service will be Wednesday, April 13, at 10:30 a.m. in the Ogallala First United Methodist Church with Rev. Chuck Rager officiating. The Service will be live streamed from drauckerfuneralhome.com and from unitedmethodistchurch.com, for those unable to attend. Interment is in the Ogallala Cemetery. Online Condolences may be sent to drauckerfuneralhome.com. A memorial has been established in his memory.

Draucker Funeral Home of Ogallala is in charge of arrangements.