Karyne Susan Dunbar

Sept. 22, 1945 - July 1, 2024

Karyne Susan Dunbar, 78, lost her battle with cancer and passed away July 1, 2024, at her Shell, Wyo., home.  Sitting by her side was her life partner of 19 years James Johnson.  

Karyne was born Sept. 22, 1945, in Moline, Ill., to parents Russel and Margaret Dunbar.  After attending Northern Illinois University, she married Daniel Foote and gave birth to son Sean and two years later, Shane.  

In 1981, she would find her way to Wyoming to teach middle school and high school art in Greybull.  After a 32-year-long career, Karyne retired from the Greybull Schools and turned her attention to producing original and symbolic art works while operating her studio/gallery called The Art Shelter.   

The Art Shelter hosted many events and featured numerous visiting artists through the years.  Karyne’s artwork can be found all around the world.  As fate would have it, the piece that has been seen the most, would also be her largest in scale and not far from home:  “The Cowboy and The Indian” murals that remain on the grain elevator buildings in Greybull.  

Karyne rightfully earned and received the Wyoming Governor’s Art Award in 2018.  

Karyne loved life, her family and friends and stayed young-at-heart throughout her days.  

She was preceded in death by her parents and her older brother John.  

She is survived by her two sons along with grandchildren Kegan, Megan (Sean & Stacy’s) and Logan (Shane and Tracey’s) and also her great grandchildren Emily, Reagan, Hudson and Lincoln (Megan’s).