Henry Lauer "Hank" Neiman, 93, Hulett, WY, died Tuesday, December 8, 2015 at his home.

Henry was born October 24, 1922 in Larmar, Colorado to Albert Carmel and Annie Mabel (Gerber) Neiman. He was joined in family by sisters, Carrie, Ruth and Mary and brothers, Albert C., Ray, William and James S. Henry started second grade in Gordon Nebraska. He and Albert rode to school on horseback.

When Henry was twelve years old, the family moved to Skull Creek in Weston County, Wyoming. His dad had a small sawmill and sawed railroad ties. It was 2.5 miles to walk to the country school for all the children. Due to family obligations at the sawmill, Henry only completed the eighth grade.

The family moved to Osage, Upton and then in 1940 to Hulett, where his dad built a small sawmill. Hank and Albert worked in the mill. Later, his father bought the Irvin Richards ranch on Blacktail (later Neiman 77) and started another sawmill.

January 2, 1944, Hank went to Council Bluffs, Iowa, where he married Hope Evelyn Borne. The next day he returned to Hulett. October, 1944, he joined the Navy and left immediately. He mustered out in April, 1946.

Upon returning to Hulett after the war, he worked for his father at the Blacktail Ranch Sawmill, living in a small house there. Hank and Hope lived in three different places before starting his house in Hulett. This is where Henry and Hope welcomed this first daughter, Lydalou, then Dan, Phil, Walt and Crystal.

Hank and his brother-in-law, Richard Barbour, joined in a partnership known as B & N Loggers. They logged for different sawmills in the area. For a time, they worked for Lorey Anderson at Devils Tower. Several years later, they worked for Merle Johnson. When the logging business split, Richard continued to work for Merle and Hank went to work for his brother, Jim. Later years, Hank purchased the Penta-Vac-Pot and Pole from the Dick Bush family. Hank and his three sons built the sawmill, naming it Hulett Post and Pole, changing the business into a corporation.

Henry and Hope built a large home south of the sawmill, where they lived until 1995 when they moved back into Hulett. While at the mill, Hank, Dan and Phil worked together for many years but quit treating timbers. They produced the timbers for pole barns, selling them to other treating companies.

Hank was a progressive thinker and a leader in the ever changing logging industry of the hills. Some of his projects include: tandam axle log truck, first diesel truck to hall logs, built first rubber-tired skidder out of Kenworth truck, first directional falling shear, a factory rubber-tired skidder, first tree-length truck with a hop-on trailer knuckle boom log loaders, built the first grapple boom for skidding and was the first to completely automate logging operations with a feller buncher, boom delimber and grapple skidder.
Towards the end of his time at the sawmill, Hank took up raising cows, playing golf, fishing and playing poker. He could be seen with his dog at the golf course ponds fishing and looking for golf balls. The time Hank spent with Soren at the golf course was repeated frequently.

In 2011, Hank and Soren Ostby flew to Washington, DC for the American Legion, participating in the Honor Flight. This trip created many happy memories and plenty of stories.

Hank is survived by his wife, Hope Evelyn, children, Lydalou (Bob) Roloff, Dan (Jannice) Neiman, Phil (Sandy) Neiman, Walt (Sandra) Neiman, Crystal (Les) Sherrard; ten grandchildren, nineteen great-grandchildren and numerous nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents, sister Carrie and brothers Albert, Ray and Bill.

Memorials have been established to the Roy Montgomery VFW Post #80 or the Hulett Senior Citizens.

Visitation will be from 9:00 to 10:00 AM, Tuesday, December 15, 2015 at the Greater Hulett Community Center, Hulett, WY, followed by funeral service at 10:00 AM. Interment will be at the Hulett Cemetery. Lunch, provided by Buttons and Bows, will follow interment at the Greater Hulett Community Center.

Arrangements are under the care of Fidler-Roberts and Isburg Funeral Chapels, Sundance, WY. Online condolences may be written to www.fidler-isburgfuneralchapels.com.