Cody Gortmaker

Being the Park County coroner comes with hard days, but Cody Gortmaker says he still finds the job rewarding and enjoys the opportunity to serve the community. That’s why he’s asking voters to reelect him to the position.

“I get to walk alongside families on their hardest days and be there to help them,” Gortmaker said May 14, shortly after filing his candidacy. “Even though it’s difficult, it’s worth the hard work.”

Gortmaker also serves as a director of Ballard Funeral Home in Cody, while one of his deputies, Zach Thompson, is a director at Thompson Funeral Home in Powell. Gortmaker said their experience and resources help them carry out the duties of the coroner’s office and investigate causes of death.

“We get a lot of positive reviews and comments from law enforcement on how fast we can respond and the quality of the care we can show when we get there,” Gortmaker said. He added that, “Zach [Thompson] and I have a great relationship, and together we’re able to serve Park County in a way that I think we’re both proud of.”

Gortmaker generally handles cases in the Cody area, while Thompson generally handles those around Powell — though there are exceptions.

“It’s super unpredictable,” Gortmaker said, “so you just can never really prepare fully. You just do your best.”

His other deputies include Myles Haines and Charla Torczon, with Scott Vaughn in training.

Dealing with death

The Park County Coroner’s Office handles roughly 50 deaths each year. Those calls can include incidents in which criminal activity is suspected and suicides, but also natural deaths where a physician isn’t present; for example, Gortmaker was recently called for the passing of a nonagenarian who was on the verge of entering hospice care.

Gortmaker won a four-way Republican primary in 2022 with 45.3% of the vote — Thompson was third with 19.8% — then went unopposed in the general election.

Just hours after being sworn into office in January 2023, a Cody resident died of a fentanyl overdose, and Gortmaker wasn’t sure what that meant for the future. However, he said drug-related deaths have remained “sporadic” over the past few years.

Gortmaker said he recently reviewed the county’s suicide rate, which has been “very high” in the recent past.

“I won’t say it’s gone down,” he said, “but that curve has flattened, thankfully.”

Working to earn the office

Looking back to his election, Gortmaker feels he was pretty well prepared for the coroner’s role, with the biggest adjustments related to more time spent on-call and managing resources across the county. 

“I feel like we’re serving our families and law enforcement and other first responders well with how we’ve got it organized right now,” he said.

While no other coroner candidates have emerged so far, “I’m not entitled to anything,” Gortmaker said, “so I’ve got to work hard every day to earn it.”

Cody area voters also elected him to a volunteer position on the Riverside Cemetery District Board in 2024.

In announcing his reelection bid for county coroner last week, Gortmaker said the job requires “professionalism, compassion, integrity, and a commitment to serving families during some of the most difficult moments they will ever face.” He said he’s worked to do so with respect and dedication.