PRORODEO Sports News - March 27, 2026 Digital Edition

PRCA PASSINGS

GOLD CARD MEMBER FRANKLIN ‘TEX’ APPLEDOORN PASSES AWAY PRCA Gold Card Member Franklin “Tex” Appledoorn passed away Monday, Feb. 16 at the Hilltop Home of Com fort in Killdeer, N.D. He was 93 years old. Born in Zenith, N.D., Appledoorn moved to Dickinson, N.D., with his parents, William and Sarah Appledoorn, when he was 5 years old. From an early age, Appledoorn had a rope in his hand, roping everything in sight–includ ing neighborhood kids. His love for roping turned into a love for horses. Finally, he convinced his dad to purchase a horse, allowing him to work on the HT Ranch near Amidon, N.D., during the summer of 1950. A 1951 multi-sport athlete and graduate of Dickinson High School, Appledoorn began working on the Connolly Ranch and soon after began rodeoing. Appledoorn attended Dickinson State College from 1952 53, participating in football and basketball, before serving in the United States Army from 1954-55. He was stationed in Fairbanks, Alaska, along with his brother Clairion. They lived in the gym and ran the sports program for the Army and played football and basketball. Appledoorn returned to college in 1956 and competed on Dickinson State’s first rodeo team in 1957 and 1958, spe cializing in calf roping, steer wrestling and ribbon roping. The team won the Rocky Mountain Region title in its first year. On June 10, 1958, Appledoorn married Pauline Kuntz. They spent their honeymoon at the College National Finals Rodeo in 1959. The couple moved to the Rock Springs Ranch located along the Knife River, east of Killdeer, N.D. Appledoorn rodeoed extensively throughout the Dako tas, Montana and Canada. He won the Dickinson Match of Champions and was the non-RCA calf roping champ from 1960-1969. He went on to earn RCA/PRCA honors, including a state non-RCA steer wrestling title in 1959 and RCA titles in 1960, 1964 and 1967. Appledoorn was named an all-around cowboy and an RCA champion in 1965, 1967 and 1968. A favorite mount of his was a big gelding named Wyoming Baldy, which he trained and used for calf roping, hazing and team roping. Rodeo helped Appledoorn get his start in the ranching business, where he broke many horses and bought and sold numerous others. He raised commercial cattle for more than 50 years and often said ranching was something you could never quite get out of your blood. In addition to his rodeo and ranching accomplishments, Appledoorn served as chairman of the Killdeer Mountain Roundup Rodeo for 31 years and was a life member of the Killdeer Saddle Club. He also served on the North Dakota High School Ro

deo Association Board for 10 years and later as a county commissioner for 12 years. He was a member of the Ezra Barrow American Legion in Killdeer and many other community organizations. He was also a member of St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Killdeer and was inducted into the North Dakota Cowboy Hall of Fame in 2003. Appledoorn was named Rodeo Rancher of the Year (2000-2001) by the Dickinson Roughrider Association and was a PRCA Gold Card member. He also received the Outstanding Service Award from the Killdeer FFA Rodeo and was honored in 2023 with induction into the Dickinson State University Hall of Fame as a member of the univer sity’s first rodeo team, which placed third in the nation alongside the Rocky Mountain title. Appledoorn truly treasured the time he spent with his grandkids and great-grandkids, and will be fondly remem bered for his storytelling and jokes. He is survived by his son, Bernel (Elayne) Appledoorn; daughter, Janel (Shawn) Lee; grandchildren, Chance (Keri) Appledoorn, Kailey Appledoorn (Luke Morast); great-grandchildren, Kade, Cale, Kace Appledoorn and Liddon Morast; sibling, Marjorie Samek; and many nieces and nephews. Appledoorn was preceded in death by his wife Pauline Appledoorn; parents, William and Sarah Appledoorn; siblings, Clarian and Robert Appledoorn and Bernadine Braun; sister-in-law, Irene Hamilton; brother-in-law, Neil Hamilton; mother-in-law, Helen Kuntz; and father-in-law, John Kuntz.

MARCH 27, 2026 PRORODEO SPORTS NEWS DIGITAL MAGAZINE 49