ProRodeo Sports News - August 7, 2020

Holly Van Cleve.

(Patti) Williams and Deb (Don Pourier) Wilburn; brother, Brock (Danielle); sisters, Brittany (Jeff ) Kreul and Kaylee Williams; paternal grandmother, Mona Williams; nieces Kaydence, Kingsley, Kylie and Kamryn; and nephew, Carter. His extended family was his step-father, Jack Kerstiens; his step-brothers Casey (Carrie) Kerstiens, and John (Megan) Kerstiens; and step-sister, Keri (Lex) Palmer. Also included are Arena Pourier and Colton Pourier. He had a step-brother, Donnie Moore; and step-sisters Jamie Crazy Bear, Tiffany Pesicka and Roni Daly. Memorials have been established to go to Piedmont Fire Department, South Dakota High School Rodeo Association and Gillette College Rodeo. To send flowers or plant a tree in his memory, visit the Heartfelt Sympathies Store.

PASSAGES

The family requests contributions be made in Casey’s honor to the Casey Cordell Memorial Scholarship Fund, Hondo National Bank, P.O. Box 708, Uvalde, Texas, 78801 Blake MatthewWilliams, a former PRCA team roper and steer wrestler from Piedmont, S.D., passed away July 18 in a car accident. He was 26. Williams BLAKE MATTHEWWILLIAMS born on Jan. 26, 1994, to JD and DebWilliams. His life was jam-packed with full-paced excitement until the end. He attended Piedmont Elementary School, Sturgis Williams Middle School and Sturgis Brown High School. After graduating from high school, Blake went to Gillette Community College where he received an associate degree in welding. He also obtained a horseshoeing certification from Pacific Coast (Calif.) Horseshoeing School and a firefighter certification. Most recently, he was employed at the Sanford Research Laboratory as an Infrastructure Technician. Blake took part in 4-H, Little Britches, high school rodeo and college rodeo. In 2012, he competed in the National High School Rodeo. He also participated in the PRCA and other associations. He won his share of buckles and saddles. Williams earned $3,058 in his PRCA career – $1,551 in team roping and $1,507 in steer wrestling. Williams was

HAROLD (CASEY) LLOYD CORDELL JR. Harold (Casey) Lloyd Cordell Jr., who qualified for the 1990 National Finals Rodeo as a team roping heeler, passed away July 24 at his ranch in Del Rio, exas. He was 52.

Cordell

Cordell Jr. was born on Dec. 15, 1967, in Silver City, N.M., and graduated from Cliff High School in NewMexico in 1984. He qualified for the NewMexico State High School Rodeo finals four times, before attending Cochise College in Douglas, Ariz., on a rodeo scholarship. While attending Cochise, he was a National Intercollegiate Rodeo regional qualifier and College National Finals Rodeo three-time qualifier. Cordell moved to Del Rio in late 1990 and established himself as a cattle trader. He loved Mexico and its people and traveled many miles trading there. He produced team roping events and contracted and provided roping cattle for the George Strait Classic team roping event. Over several decades, many cattle from the rodeo and roping industry’s most esteemed events had been filtered through his pens in Del Rio. Cordell is lovingly remembered as a true horseman and an independent cowboy with a colorful and fun-loving personality. He is also remembered as a loyal friend and a well- respected member of the St. James Episcopal Church and the Val Verde County community. Most importantly however, Cordell is remembered as a loving son and father and a steadfast friend and partner. Cordell was preceded in death by his father, Harold. He’s survived by his mother, Virginia ‘Ginny’ Cordell; daughter, Dakota; step- children Braelyn and Baker Moltz; and his love, BRIEFS Longtime photographer Jim Svoboda retires Jim Svoboda, of JJJ Photo fame, retired at the conclusion of the 99th Annual Nebraska’s Big Rodeo, his hometown rodeo, in Burwell, July 25.

ARRIVALS

CALLAN CHARLES CORBETT

A boy, born Aug. 4 to bareback rider Logan Corbett and his wife, Lacey, of Marion, Ill. Callan weighed 6 pounds, 7 ounces and was 18¼ inches long. This is WILLIAM WESLEY TUTOR A boy, born Aug. 1 to two-time Wrangler National Finals Rodeo- qualifying bareback rider Bill Tutor and his wife, Ashlyn, of

Corbett

the couple’s third child. Callan was welcomed home by his sister, Conlee, 4, and brother, Cannon, 1.

PRCA NOTES He was the all-around cowboy at the PRCA Valley City Winter rodeo. His biggest win was making lifelong friends in the rodeo world from Montana to Texas. One of Blake’s greatest joys was playing

with his nieces and nephew. In 2020, he was asked to be a godparent to his niece Kamryn. Williams was preceded in death by his grandparents Lavern and Bert Wilburn; and Sharke Williams. Williams is survived by his parents, JD

Tutor

Huntsville, Texas. William weighed 7 pounds, 8 ounces and was 20½ inches long. This is the couple’s first child.

During the final performance, Jess Helgoth, president of the NBR Board, presented Svoboda with a custom-designed belt buckle. Jim, 85, has been at work in a rodeo arena and behind a camera for the past six decades and has captured

50 years of the Burwell rodeo during his legendary career. Svoboda spent nearly 20 years as a successful, four-event, all-around rodeo competitor before a severely broken leg in 1974 forced him to become a full-time rodeo photographer.

Svoboda

ProRodeo Sports News 8/7/2020

ProRodeo.com

72