Image provided by: Morrow County Museum; Heppner, OR
About Heppner gazette-times. (Heppner, Or.) 1925-current | View Entire Issue (Aug. 6, 2003)
Page 4 - Special Edition • Morrow County Fair and Rodeo • Heppner Gazette-Tim es, Wednesday, August 6, 2003 Montgomerys honored as 2003 Grand Marshals Bob and Lorrene Montgomery It’s tim e to “cow boy u p ” for th e 2003 M o rro w County Fair and Rodeo, Aug. 13-17. H eading up the action fo r th e O re g o n T ra il P ro R odeo this y e a r are G rand M arshals B ob and Lorrene M o n tg o m e r y , lo n g - tim e rodeo-m inded enthusiasts and supporters. T h e M o n tg o m e ry s have devoted countless hours to local ro d e o s a n d o th e r horse events during past years. B ob served on the M orrow C o u n ty R odeo C o m m ittee from 1974 through 1982 as a livestock director and he was com m ittee chairm an for three years. H e also served on a board for ju n io r rodeos when they w ere held in H eppner. Bob continues to wear a fancy, engraved belt buckle given to him in appreciation for his dedication. B o b a n d L o r re n e , w ho w ere m arried in 1964, b e c a m e M o rro w C o u n ty residents w hen they m oved from B eaverton to lo n e in A u g u st 1969 to w o rk fo r Sw ede C arlson on his lone r a n c h e s . T h e y c h o s e to relocate where they could raise a fa m ily in a s m a ll-to w n a tm o s p h e r e a n d e n jo y a country lifestyle. So it w as natural that this horse-oriented fam ily becam e involved in W rangler Riding Club events a n d th e 4 -H a s w e ll as com m unity events including school activities and sports. “ I liked this area best,” says B ob, w ho experienced m any parts o f the co u n try during the 42 years that he drove trucks through seven w e s te r n s ta t e s . B e s id e s w orking at farm ing and with livestock, he drove large truck for h ighw ay construction in different areas. They now live in a hom e in Lexington. A ttracted to rodeos, B o b b e c a m e h o o k e d on roping events. He learned to “ pitch a fast loop” under the coaching o f Rod Murray. Bob once partnered with roper Ron Currin to place third in die team roping at the Heppner Rodeo. A t the 1971 local rodeo. Bob won third place in the M orrow County C a lf Roping event. “ Outstanding m em ories are o f those events when everyone from little kids to grandparents had so m uch fun participating,” Bob says. T he M ontgom erys recall the years w hen the rodeo events took place in the very large H eppner rodeo arena w here ropers needed a fast horse and a long rope. D uring B o b ’s board m em bership this rodeo changed fro m b e in g san ctio n ed by the N R A to PRCA. The new smaller arena built at Heppner in recent years m akes for a faster show, they say. Lorrene now devotes h er sp are tim e to craftin g , turning out m any decorative and useful item s. Previously she w orked outside o f hom e for m any years. She w as a 4- H sew ing club leader in lone fro m 1970 th ro u g h 1975. B efo re h e r re tire m e n t she served 13 years as Deputy Tax C o lle c to r a t th e M o rro w County Courthouse. Bob is a long-time Elks L odge m em b er and Lorrene is a supporter o f the Lexington V o lu n te e r F ire m e n F u n d . During recent years, golfing has replaced square d ancing and horses, yet rodeos always find th e M o n tg o m e ry s in th e cheering section. T his year they will be up front and center heading up the fair and rodeo p a r a d e , m a k in g a r e n a appearances at rodeo grand entries and cheering on both local and PR C A contestants. A s g rand m arshals, B ob and L o rre n e M o n tg o m e ry a re b e in g h o n o r e d f o r t h e i r d e d ic a ti o n and past contributions. Included in their family rooting section are L orrene’s tw o children. K athy and her husband, Mike Prater, who live in N a m p a , I d a h o , w ith daughter, M elissa. Son Rick Gilbert and his wife, Jennifer, live in Etna, C alifornia w ith d a u g h te r s , B r itta n y a n d Rachel. B o b ’s adult children are: Robert Jr., from Tangent, Linda M ontgom ery, Albany, and Sharon Perdue, E verett, W ashington. T he couple has g r a n d c h ild r e n , C h ris tin a , Zackery, and Carolyn Perdue, p lu s g r e a t- g r a n d c h ild r e n Mackenzie and Alexia Purdue. OTLD and Friends of the Library to hold book signing The Oregon Trail Library District and Fnends o f the Heppner Library will be holding a book signing, Aug. 16, im m ediately after the M orrow County Fair Parade. The book signing will be held at the St. P atrick’s Senior Center. D oug and Kathy Jory will be in attendance sharing stories and cow boy poetry, as w ell as, signing th eir book “ From Pendleton to Calgary,” an oral history o f Rodeo. Also, look for the Jorys on the O T L D float during the parade. During the gathering, the Heppner High School cheerleaders will be serving a beans and hot dog m eal, w ith drink. The cost o f the m eal is $3 per person. T his event is sponsored by the O T L D and Friends o f the H eppner Library. C om e ch eck o u t o u r course... R eason able ra te s! G re a t co n d itio n ! HEPPNER “1 “ ***• H a r d w a r e I (r/O n o 1 * p a r i l<M) e * * < | | 7m tJ/a£u e Marrfvror» For a ll your Banking Needs HARDWARE Visit us online to see all our branch locations! NNER BANK Your com plete hardw are ttore and hom e products center HELP IS IU ST AROUND THE CORNER U 'W elcom e fyaiA, a n d Rodeo fy a n i. 2 0 4 N. M a in • B o a rd m a n • (5 4 1 )4 8 1 -9 2 0 1 • w v d w .b a n rb a n k .co m 1 0 6 E . M AY A v e n u e • 6 7 6 -9 9 6 1
