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Donald H. (Buck) Waples

Posted 2009-04-01 by Sharon
The Wickenburg Sun, Wickenburg, AZ
February 27, 2008, p. A10

The life of Donald H. (Buck) Waples ended Feb. 18, 2008. His life began in Roberts, Mont., on Nov. 13, 1922. He was born to Wayne and Edna Waples. He had one older brother Vernon and a younger sister Eva.

The family moved from Roberts to a small ranch on Red Lodge Creek when Buck was a little boy. In 1931, Wayne and Edna bought the “Liver Eatin Johnston” ranch, two miles south of Red Lodge, Mont., where Buck learned to work and learned to love the land. He loved working with horses, breaking many throughout his life.

Buck received his education in Red Lodge. He was the captain of the high school football team his senior year, 1941. World War II was going full blast when Buck joined the U.S. Marines in 1942. He was a member of “The Greatest Generation” and fought throughout the South Pacific, involved in all the major campaigns. The war finally ended and Buck returned home, but not without scars.

In 1947, Buck married Elvina Obert. From this union Rick Waples was born, giving Dad three grandsons - Charley, Chad, and Chet Waples. Charley gave Grandpa a great-grandson Ryan, and a great-granddaughter Katie. Chad gave Grandpa two great-grandsons Carson and Hudson.

In 1952, Buck married Pat Singleton. To this union, Cindy (Waples) Hanson was born, giving Grandpa a grandson Tom Farquhar.

Buck pulled stakes in 1954 and headed to New York. He hired on at the Hudson Valley Ranch as head wrangler and worked there for three years. In 1955, Dad married Virginia Daniszewski. The couple moved back to the family ranch in Red Lodge shortly after the wedding ceremony. To this union three daughters and one son were born. Daughter Karen gave Dad a granddaughter Annie and grandson Seth. Annie gave Grandpa great-granddaughter Emily Hudson; Seth gave Grandpa two great-granddaughters, Athena and Gracie Novasio. Daughter Donita gave Dad two granddaughters Allyn and Jordyn Workman. Daughter Kimberly (White Feather) gave Dad a grandson Kyle Cummings and granddaughter Rachel Burton. Son Jim gave Dad a granddaughter Amber Waples.

Buck was a lifetime member of the Rodeo Cowboy Association. He liked riding bucking horses best, especially bare-backs. He also competed in steer wrestling and calf roping. He also was a member of the Elks Lodge in Wickenburg, Ariz.

In his school years some of his top friends were Mark Zupan, Willie Zapital, Andy Jordan, Peanuts Jurkovich, Hugo Golfi, and George Klepich. After the war was over, Red Lodge town had to watch out for the famous foursome: Buck, Ambrose Nose Allison, Stagecoach Mike Tomich, and Cooke City Bill Corbett.

Many of Buck’s friends have passed on - friends like John Linderman, George “Lupp” Linderman, Larry “Packsack” Engler, John Papez, Bud Hanson, Doug Linderman, Turk Greenough, Walt Linderman, Ed Blazina, Calvin Cortner, Jim Owens and Jim Cole, just to mention a few. But Dad still has lots of friends that are living, so there will be a celebration of Dad’s life on Saturday, July 26, with family and friends at the Bull and Bear Saloon in Red Lodge, Mont.

Dad also made many friends in the Wickenburg and Aguila, Ariz., areas. Those folks that knew him would see Buck and his dog Sally Sue watching the team ropings at the Jack-Rail Ranch, Cactus Country, and Horse World arenas.

Always a man with ideas, Dad was a true entrepreneur. In Red Lodge, Buck owned and operated Beartooth Rodeo Arena, Bear Trap Caf/, First and Last Gas Station, Buck’s Western Shop, and the Wagon Wheel Bar. However, he made his stake in life in real estate, having bought and sold several ranches throughout southern Colorado with his cousin Harold Blick. He also had land holdings in Aguila, and Hawaii.

Well, as Dad would say, that’s all for now, over and out.


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