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Christopher Billie Ivanoff, born on April 7, 1960, in Peotone, Illinois, to Thomas G. and Shirley (Montpetit) Ivanoff, passed away on Oct. 31, 2025. Chris rode into the heavens the same way he lived life, behind the wheel of a classic car, steady and purposeful, with a heart full of dreams and a mind always working on the next project.
Known by many names — Husband, Dad, Grandpa, Brother, Son, Uncle, Deputy, Grandmaster, Sculptor, Artist, Chris — he worked hard to make an impact in every area of his life where he devoted his time. As a lifelong practitioner of martial arts, Chris repeated five tenets in his life on an almost daily basis. The thousands of students who he taught throughout his lifetime heard those words ring out: “Self-Control, Courtesy, Integrity, Perseverance, Indomitable Spirit.” He strove to apply those tenets to all areas of his life.
Chris lived his life in Peotone, Illinois, until 1976, at which time his family moved to Cody, Wyoming, to own and operate the Blackwater Lodge on the North Fork outside of Yellowstone National Park. That experience launched a lifetime love of the wide-open spaces of Wyoming. Chris graduated from Cody High School in 1978 and attended Northwest Community College in Powell where he became a certified structural pipe welder. Working for Marathon Oil Company out of college, Chris embarked upon a hobby that turned into a lifelong journey of growth and learning. As a young man, Chris began studying martial arts, eventually earning his 1st Dan Black Belt under Master Bill House at the Cody Martial Arts Academy. In July of 2025, in a ceremony in Sacramento, California, Dr. Ken Min of the UC Berkeley Martial Arts program bestowed upon Chris his 8th Dan Black Belt issued by the United States Grandmaster’s Society. This honor represented the culmination of over 46 years of experience, learning, teaching and effort dedicated to the study of martial arts.
Chris’ passion for martial arts led to the establishment of a taekwondo program through Powell Recreation District in 1987. That program led to Lone Wolf Martial Arts, which has been a vital part of the Powell community for over four decades. Sponsoring summer camps in the mountains around Wyoming, martial arts tournaments, and educating thousands of students, Chris felt that the promotion of the martial arts lifestyle was one of his greatest accomplishments.
Chris joined the Park County Sheriff’s Department on Jan. 22, 1998, as a detention deputy and moved into the Patrol Division in 2000, serving the Powell area. Chris was a member of the Sheriff’s Response Group (SRG) for 15 years. The SRG is a specialized team trained to respond to high-level incidents. Chris also served as a trainer in multiple disciplines for the department. For eight years, Chris was the Park County Sheriff’s Office Custody and Control trainer and served another eight years as the Less Lethal instructor. Additionally, he worked as an investigator in the Powell area. Chris retired from duty on Dec. 14, 2022, having served under three sheriffs in two different facilities.
Chris did not believe in wasting time. His welding education became the beginning of an artistic passion that filled many hours of his life. Never one to believe in spare time, Chris spent countless hours creating indoor and outdoor metal artwork which can be seen across Wyoming, in the homes of his family and friends, and even as far away as his hometown of Peotone, Illinois. Chris’ sculptures have been juried into yearlong exhibitions in Gillette and Sheridan as well as the Yellowstone Art Museum. At the time of his death, Chris was finishing up a piece titled, “Betsy on the Prowl,” a three-dimensional T-rex.
Chris found the love of his life when he traveled to Russia at the invitation of a former student and friend and met Liudmila “Mila” Efimova. After four years of a global romance, Mila moved to the United States to be with Chris. While dining at Chico Hot Springs Resort near Pray, Montana, Chris proposed and he and Mila were married on July 22, 2019, in Red Lodge, Montana. Their journey has been one of global travel, shared interests, and the fairy tale neither of them believed they would find at that point in their lives.
In retirement, Chris was able to chase his passions for old cars, motorcycles, travel and good friends! Chris never wasted a moment of this precious journey called life.
Chris frequently said that the moments in his life which brought him the greatest joy were holding his son, Lucas, for the first time; watching him graduate from the University of Wyoming as a civil engineer; and holding his granddaughter, Elliana. He also found deep joy in the role he played in raising his stepchildren. To many, he became like a father.
Chris is survived by his father, Thomas; his wife, Liudmila “Mila” Efimova, his son Lucas (Ariel) Ivanoff and their daughter Elliana, stepdaughters Polina Efimova, Courtney Shick, and Ayzlynn Hammond; stepsons Tanner Calkins and Christopher Morris; brothers Thomas (Debbie) Jr., Barry (Pam), Kelly (Tamra), Dennis (Mary) Pleckham, Neal (Phyllis) Pleckham, and sisters Dee (Larry) Bettenhausen and Sandy (Doug) Wilson; sister-in-law, Cindy Ivanoff; as well as many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his mother, Shirley; stepmother, Helen; and brothers Richard and Clay, and sister-in-law Marge Pleckham.
In lieu of flowers, gifts can be made in Chris’ name to the Park County Arts Council (parkcountyartscouncil.org/donate/) or the Wyoming Association of Sheriffs and Chiefs of Police (wascop.com/).
Services will be on Monday, Nov. 10, 2025, at 11 a.m. at Ballard Funeral Home in Cody, Wyoming. A reception will be held following the service at the Olive Glenn Golf and Country Club from 1-3 p.m. where family will host all who wish to share memories of Chris. Memories and condolences can be shared on Chris’s memorial page at BallardFH.com. Services will be live-streamed on Ballard Funeral Home’s YouTube page.
