ProRodeo Sports News - September 6, 2019

Beneva Langolois.

Oregon, while continuing to farm and ranch. He is survived by his wife, Dawn; sons Terrill and Mitch, both former PRCA members; daughters-in-lawHeidi and Katy; grandchildren Macy, Neah and Payson; and siblings Nancy Lee Moses, Virginia Cox and OrinThomas. In lieu of flowers, donations may be mailed to the Milton-Freewater Junior Show, P.O. Box 379, Milton-Freewater, OR 97862. Betty Rose Cooper, the mother of eight- time PRCA world champion Roy Cooper, passed away Aug. 21. She was 88. Cooper was BETTY ROSE COOPER

PASSAGES

Miller is survived by his children Bridget (Randy) Armistead, Shirley (Joey) Sweat, Cindy (Jerry) Milner and Clay Miller; grandchildren Jeff Armistead, Fancy Joffrion, Stacey Nolan, Lacey Hungerford, Henry Milner, Ben Milner, Devaney Benton, Dylan Miller and Layton Miller, and Taylor McCall. He was blessed with 15 great-grandchildren. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America (AFA) at alzfdn.org Monte G. Thomas, a PRCA Gold Card Member, of Milton-Freewater, Ore., passed away Aug. 21. He was 78. Thomas was born on July 16, 1941, in Walla Walla, Wash., to Ralph “Zeke” Thomas and Virginia (Tarwater) Thomas. Raised in a ranching family, Thomas was a member of 4-H and FFA. He graduated fromWa-Hi and attended Cal-Poly, San Luis Obispo. He returned home toWalla Walla, continuing to rodeo and ranch, while working as a butcher for Frank Curcio, until starting his own business. He married Dawn Kayser, of Centerville, Wash., and they moved to the ranch on Stateline Road, where the family still lives. Thomas was involved with agriculture and rodeo his whole life. His father roped competitively, andThomas also preferred the timed-events, competing in tie-down roping, team roping, steer wrestling and steer roping. He and Dawn hosted many “Froghollow Ropers” ropings at their home arena, as well as practice sessions for college, high school and junior rodeos. A past president of the Northwest Steer Ropers and the Pioneer Posse, Monte competed in rodeos across the United States and Canada and helped put on many rodeos in the area, including being a chute boss for the Walla Walla Fair and Frontier Days Rodeo for many years. Thomas had operated both a custom slaughter business and a yew bark operation, then became a USDA Brand Inspector for the state of MONTE G. THOMAS

JAMES (JIM) MILLER

James J. Miller, who qualified for the 1960

National Finals Rodeo in bareback riding, passed away Sept. 1. He was 82. Born in Eunice, La., on April 20, 1937, Miller

graduated from St. Edmund’s Catholic School in Eunice and went on to attend McNeese State University in Lake Charles on a rodeo scholarship. During his

born on Jan. 6, 1931, in Indiahoma, Okla. She attended college and rodeoed at Cameron University where she met and married Dale “Tuffy” Cooper in 1950 and was married for 63 years until his passing.

Miller

college career, he captured the title of national all-around cowboy. Along with his teammates, they brought home the national championship trophy for three years. Miller went on to compete on the professional level in the PRCA, finishing 15th in the world standings. In 1963, he moved his family to DeQuincy and started Miller Livestock. The business became his passion and was the love of his life. He eventually expanded with locations in Beaumont, Texas, Deridder and Lake Charles. His served his customers for more than 50 years. Miller donated much of his time and skills to promote 4-H, FFA and the cattleman’s industry. Miller Livestock was among the top 50 businesses in Calcasieu for several years. Miller served on the National Rodeo Historical Society Board of Directors (National Cowboy Hall of Fame) in Oklahoma City and was elected as president. He was one of the first inductees into the McNeese State Rodeo Hall of Fame. His recent achievement was being awarded into the 4-H SWLAHall of Fame. He is a member of St. Theodore’s Catholic Church in Moss Bluff. Miller was preceded in death by his parents, Ben and Eva Miller; his sons, Jay and Hank; brother, Dr. Jack D. Miller; and sister,

Cooper

They would settle and ranch for 69 years at the Cooper Ranch in Monument, N.M. She loved her family, ranching and outdoors. She was a special person to all her family and was kind, honest and hard working. She has two sons: Roy Dale and Clay Tom. Betty Rose was preceded in death by her husband Dale in 2013; her parents Whit Hadley and Johnny Hadley-Ferguson; brothers Morris and Tom; daughter, Betty Gayle Ratliff; and great-granddaughter, Casly Faith. She is survived by grandsons; Clint (Amber), Collin, Cliff (Terryn), Tuf (Tiffany), Cooper T. (Kennedi); great-grandchildren Casen, Ceattle Rose, Canden and Kipralee Gale Cooper. Donations may be made to: Betty Rose Scholarship Fund, 1224 E. Cimarron Rd., Hobbs NM 88240.

PRCA NOTES

Hughes, Riemer out for season Tie-down ropers Westyn Hughes and Reese Riemer had their respective seasons sabotaged by injuries. Hughes, who was 13th in the Aug. 19 PRCA | RAM World Standings with $71,109, dropped to 16th in the Sept. 4 world standings. Hughes is battling two herniated discs in his back. Riemer has been diagnosed with possible tears in his medial collateral ligament and anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee. Riemer, who was 22nd in the Aug. 19 world standings with $57,521, dropped to 25th in the Sept. 4 standings. Hughes is scheduled to have back surgery and is expected to be sidelined for four months. Riemer was injured Aug. 15 while competing at the Gooding (Idaho) Pro Rodeo. Reimer has qualified for the Wrangler NFR three times.

BRIEFS Bull rider Dougherty sidelined Chase Dougherty, who made a memorable debut at the 2018 Wrangler National Finals Rodeo by winning the average and earning $232,750, will not be making a return trip to Las Vegas because of a right shoulder injury. Dougherty has an MRI scheduled for next week and after that will plan accordingly. He doesn’t plan to compete anymore this season. Dougherty finished second in the world standings last year with $342,099 and won the Wrangler NFR average with 603.5 points while covering seven of 10 bulls.

ProRodeo Sports News 9/6/2019

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