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