Kelly Walsh High School Wrestling Room Named for Jerry Howie

The Natrona County School District board of trustees on Monday approved naming a high school wrestling room for a former teacher and coach.

At its board meeting, the trustees named the Kelly Walsh High School wrestling room for Gerald (Jerry) Howie, who taught industrial arts for more than 30 years, according to the recommendation in the meeting agenda.

He is the late husband of trustee Dana Howie.

Jerry Howie already had received credit for teaching students how to create or fix things with their own hands and learn the value of such talent.

The “Howie Industrial Arts Teaching Tree” has spread throughout the community. His influence has led to several of his former students being Career and Technical Education teachers, according to the resolution read by Board of Trustees Chairman Ray Catellier.

Howie was known for his passionate wrestling coaching that developed skills and life lessons to his athletes.

He started his wrestling career with Natrona County High School’s first state championship wrestling team in 1968.

Howie became assistant coach and then head wrestling coach for Kelly Walsh High School. The program grew into a competitive contender for individual and team state titles for years.

In 1996, he led the Trojans to a second-place team finish at the state tournament, the team’s best effort in its history at that time.

"It is only fitting that the wrestling room where the future of the program will continue to grow and succeed bears his name," the resolution says.