Pat Meenan

– KATI-KAWY Station Owner – 1957-1981, Free For Program Host

Patrick Henry Meenan became business partners with Ken & Misha Prather in 1957 when they came to Pat to help them set up their new ownership in KATI. As a Certified Public Accountant with offices in the Midwest Building Pat was offered a 1/3 interest in the station. In 1963, he acquired 100% ownership in the station when the Prathers wanted to leave Casper to start a new radio station in Boulder, Colorado (KDEY). Meenan owned the station until 1981. Also, while he owned the stations (KATI & KAWY), he also was a local and statewide politician. Meenan was a former city councilman and Mayor of Casper, a six-time Wyoming State Legislator elected from Natrona County and Speaker of the Wyoming House in 1987-88.

REPRINT OF PATRICK HENRY MEENAN’S OBITUARY (Courtesy of Associated Press) August 17, 2001

CASPER, Wyo. (AP) — Former Wyoming House Speaker and Casper Mayor Patrick Meenan died after a battle with lung cancer. He was 73. Meenan had been battling cancer the last 18 months and suffered a stroke last week. He died Thursday at United Medical Center with his family at his bedside. “He was clear-minded and in good spirits until the end,” said his son, Kevin, the Natrona County district attorney.

Patrick Meenan served 20 years in the state House, ending his career as speaker in 1987 and 1988. The Republican was praised by colleagues from both sides of the aisle. Ex-lawmaker H.L. Jensen, a Democrat from Jackson now living in Cheyenne, said Meenan always voted his conscience, even if it meant crossing party lines. “He was the finest speaker I served under in 16 years in the House,” he said. “I’m really sad. We were close friends for 25 to 30 years.”

Former Rep. Matilda Hansen, a Laramie Democrat, said, “You could always trust what he had to say and what he was going to do.” Sen. Carroll Miller, R-Shell, was in his first year in the House when Meenan was speaker. “He took care of us freshmen,” Miller said. “He had a feeling for other people’s feelings.” Said former House Speaker John Marton, of Buffalo: “He was fair with both parties.” Because Meenan had trouble getting up in the morning, he always scheduled meetings of the Corporations Committee in late afternoon but never missed a roll call, Marton said.

Meenan was an accountant and owned the first FM radio station in Wyoming, KAWY, along with KATI-AM. Later he became a broadcast consultant. He was born in Casper and graduated from Natrona County High School, then earned a bachelor’s degree from Notre Dame University. He served 10 years on the Casper City Council and two terms as mayor from 1962-65. Among his major projects was paving Casper streets.

Survivors include his wife, Shirley, sons Kevin, of Casper, and Michael, of Denver, daughters Maura, of Boston, and Kelly, of San Diego, and four grandchildren.