ProRodeo Sports News - February 3, 2023

Berry, Odessa Smith, and Remick Smith; one great-grandchild Aurora Gildhouse. DR. CHARLES ‘BUD’ TOWNSEND Longtime award-winning rodeo announcer Dr. Charles “Bud” Townsend of Canyon, Texas, passed away Jan. 21, 2023. He was 93. Townsend

at the National Cowboy &Western Heritage Museum for his book, “San Antonio Rose, The Life and Music of BobWills.” He also won a Grammy for his album notes, “BobWills &His Texas Playboys: For the Last Time”. Townsend continued to interview western musicians and collecting their stories. He also announced at the Lubbock Cowboy Symposium for years. His memory of his rodeo experiences never failed him, and his speaking engagements never ceased. Townsend was preceded in death by his wife, Mary, and his son, Charles ‘Buddy’ Townsend Jr. He is survived by his son, Dr. Bill Townsend and wife, Dr. Janet Townsend; daughter Dr. Mary Townsend and husband, Dr. Michael Guttenplan; and Cindy Townsend Aycock, surviving wife of Charles ‘Buddy’ Townsend; seven grandchildren and 12 great grandchildren. Memorials can be made to the Charles R. and Mary Townsend Scholarship at West Texas A&MUniversity. WTAMU Foundation, WTAMU Box 766, Canyon, Texas, 79016-0001.

PASSAGES

JIM SMITH

PRCA Gold Card Member James “Jim” Franklin Smith, a four-time qualifier in steer wrestling for the National Finals Rodeo in

1966-67, 1971-72, passed away on Jan. 1. He was 85. Smith was born on Oct. 4, 1937, in Okemah, Okla., to O.F. and Lillian Smith. Raised in Okemah, Smith always wanted to be a cowboy. He found his true calling in

was born Nov. 5, 1929 in Nocona, Texas, and grew up on his grandfather’s farm. In his youth he and his friends rode steers, but he only won second one time. His rodeo competition

Townsend

Smith

was brief. Townsend enjoyed mimicking the rodeo announcers to his young friends. When an announcer did not show up at a Ringgold, Texas, rodeo his friends urged him to volunteer. He announced on a crystal microphone which would stop working if it got too hot. His professional rodeo announcing career began in 1946 when he was 16. For the next 50 years he announced rodeos for Bobby Estes, Homer Todd, Cotton Rosser, Beutler Brothers, Everett Colborn, the Steiners, and Walt Alsbaugh. At Rodeo Cowboy Association conventions, he booked rodeos from Fort Worth, Texas to Omak, Wash.; Greeley, Colo., to Belle Fourche, S.D.; Ponca City, Okla., to North Carolina and the Deep South. Townsend continued his education, attending Midwestern State at Wichita Falls, Texas, Baylor University and received his PhD in history from the University of Wisconsin. He became a professor of history at West Texas A&M in Canyon, as well as Texas Tech University and Hardin Simmons. He spent 27 years at West Texas A&M, and retired Professor Emeritus. He always said he learned to teach graduated from high school, but she never quit learning. Mary received her master’s degree and taught school. They had three children, Bill, Mary and Charles. When Bud and Mary retired, they traveled the world, including horse races at Saratoga, N.Y. Townsend was inducted into the Texas Rodeo Cowboy Hall of Fame in Fort Worth; received an American Cowboy Culture ‘Lifetime Achievement Award’ and ‘All Around Cowboy Award’ in Lubbock; Rodeo Historical Society’s Rodeo Hall of Fame at the National Cowboy &Western Heritage Museum, Oklahoma City; andThe Cowboy Hall of Fame in Fort Worth. He also received Canyon’s Man of the Year honor in 2019. He won the 1975Wrangler Book Award

steer wrestling when he purchased a 3-year-old gelding from Everett Crandall whom he called Old Colt. Smith rodeoed in the PRCA from 1961 to 1974. He finished a career-best eighth in 1966 and ‘71. He mounted and hazed for numerous bulldoggers throughout the years at the RCA rodeos and NFR with his bulldogging team of Hoddy and Old Colt. After his rodeo career, Smith ran cattle on his ranch in Castle, Okla., and trained bulldogging horses for people such as Walter Merrick and Dallas Cowboys running back Walt Garrison. Later, he and his wife, Delores, raised and trained racehorses and barrel racing horses. He hauled his wife, Delores, and daughter, Jamie, to numerous rodeos and barrel futurities, and later on hauled his son, Justin, to high school rodeo’s where he hazed for many of the high school bulldoggers. One of his proudest Commissioner from 1995-1998. He also was inducted into the Okemah Hall of Fame and the Claremore (Okla.) Rodeo Hall of Fame. Jim and Delores loved their family, taking pride in their children and grandchildren. One of his favorite things was to watch his grandkids rodeo and play sports. Another proud moment is when his grandson Denver, won the College National Finals Steer Wrestling title in 2017. He also enjoyed his phone visits when Denver would call and let Jim know how he did at the PRCA rodeos in the bulldogging. He is preceded in death by his parents and his wife, Delores. He is survived by his daughter Jamie Wiedel and husband Andy: his son, Justin Smith, and wife Garett: his brother, Pat Smith and wife Kaye; his sister, Ernestine Standley; four grandchildren, Jayci Gildhouse, Denver

HOWARD NUERNBERGER

Howard Nuernberger, a former PRCA cowboy, passed away on Dec. 17, 2022 at Hot Springs Rehabilitation

center after suffering a stroke. He was 87. Nuernberger was preceded in death by his wife, Janice Nuernberger

and his beloved daughter, Laurie Wallis.

Nuernberger

Nuernberger is survived by sisters, Sheila Watkins and Karen and Louie Shoemaker. Son, Howard Paul (H.P), Stepson, Bill Brown. Surviving grandchildren, David Brown Tirza and John and StromNuernberger. Stepchildren: Jackie Hicks, Laura Sollars and Paul and Paula Augare, Kenny Sollars and Richard Sollars. Great Granddaughter Debbie Connelly. Niece Carrie. Nuernberger enjoyed buying and selling cattle along with running a small herd of cattle. He also loved following the PRCA with his wife Jan and their good friends Charlie and Carol Lyons.

PRCA NOTES moments is when he hazed for Justin, and he won the Oklahoma High School Steer Wrestling Championship. Smith was an Okfuskee County history, in such a way his students enjoyed learning, from his time spent in rodeo during summers. He married Mary Smith before she

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ProRodeo Sports News 2/3/2023

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