My Cowboy Roots, Part 3: 1980 to 1987

Hey, come on in and sit a spell. I’ve rustled up some vintage cowboy photos from the years of 1980 to 1987. Plenty of ’em. And some mighty good ones. So fill your coffee cup and then saddle up and lets ride together along the ol’ memory trail.

Stacy Paregien sitting on her pinto shetland pony, whose name I cannot recall. Winter of 1980, north of Stroud, Okla. Photo by Stan Paregien

Stacy Paregien and her older brother, Gene (starting with his Air Force days in 1985, he would be called Stan). She is on her pony and he on his motorcycle which we forbade him from riding out on the highway. We had lots of pasture and county roads available. Photo by Stan Paregien

Stacy Paregien and her older brother, Gene (starting with his Air Force days in 1985, he would be called Stan). She is on her pony and he on his motorcycle which we forbade him from riding out on the highway. We had lots of pasture and county roads available. Photo by Stan Paregien

Don and Sharon Mentzer, our neighbors and very close friends, give Peggy Paregien and Stacy some pointers about her pinto shetland pony. Photo by Stan Paregien in the winter of 1980, north of Stroud, OK.

 

I got to meet famed Western novelist Louis L’Amour in Tulsa, Oklahoma in 1980 as he got off his tour bus to attend a book signing. Photo copyrighted by Stan Paregien

 

I got to meet famed Western novelist Louis L’Amour in Tulsa, Oklahoma in 1980 as he got off his tour bus to attend a book signing. Photo copyrighted by Stan Paregien

 

Stan Paregien with daughter Stacy and son Gene in front of the shed part of our big, red barn at our place north of Stroud, Okla., in 1981. Photo by Peggy Paregien

 

This is our version of the legendary “Wild Bunch” (or “Duck Dynasty” or “Swamp People” or somethin’ like that). Woolie boogers, left to right, are Woody King, Gene Paregien, Gene’s grandmother Evelyn Cauthen Paregien, her boyfriend (later 2nd husband) Chester Spradling and Jeff King. Photo taken in 1981 on our place north of Stroud, Okla. Photo by Stan Paregien

 

Stan Paregien with son Gene Paregien out in the “bush” country, north of Stroud, Okla., in the summer of 1981. Photo by Peggy Paregien

 

Stacy Paregien rides her horse, Dolly, through our back pasture north of Stroud, Okla., in 1982. Photo by Peggy Paregien

 

Stan Paregien in the winter of 1983 at our place north of Stroud, Okla. Photo by Peggy Paregien

 

A visit to the “Will Rogers Memorial” in Claremore, Oklahoma in 1983. Shown are Gene Paregien, his parents Stan and Peggy, and his sister Stacy.

 

Gene Paregien is shown inside of the “Tom Mix Museum” in Dewey, Oklahoma in 1983. Tom Mix was in the 101 Wild West Show, then was a cowboy movie star. Photo by Stan Paregien

Stacy Paregien gives encouragement to her friend Kathy Lynn Beckmann (daughter of Kathy Booth Beckmann) who is on her horse Dolly. Photo taken in 1983 at our place north of Stroud, Okla., by Peggy Paregien

 

This was what Stan and Peggy Paregien’s farm house north of Stroud, Okla., looked like in the winter of 1983. We wanted a very pale shade of yellow, but the paint job left it looking bright yellow. Oh well. Photo by Stan Paregien.

Stan Paregien with his mother, Evelyn Cauthen Paregien, at the Los Angeles International Airport in 1984. Photo by Peggy Paregien.

“History Day” is a nation-wide contest among high school students, and the finalists get to compete in the finals in Washington, D.C. Gene Paregien his his friend Dess Applegate got to compete in the finals two years in a row.

“History Day” is a nation-wide contest among high school students, and the finalists get to compete in the finals in Washington, D.C. Gene Paregien his his friend Dess Applegate got to compete in the finals two years in a row.

This is a copy of my membership card in the Oklahoma Writers Federation. Noted Western historian (and resident of Perkins, Oklahoma) sent a short note to me.

 

Jory Sherman and I met in Oklahoma City in 1984. He died 30 years later. In between, he wrote or produced hundreds of Western novels — some under his own name, but many under other “pen” names.

 

Glenn Shirley, in his day, was one of Oklahoma’s premiere Western writers and book authors. Photo by Stan Paregien in 1984. Shirley’s estate sold his massive book collection to the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum for inclusion in their research department.

Stacy Paregien is show here on her new horse, Paula. It was pretty skinny-looking when we got it, but she filled-in nicely and was a very good horse. We even took Paula with us when in 1985 we had to move to Laverne, Oklahoma. We had no land so we boarded her, but that didn’t work out well. So Stacy sold it and bought a lovely pomeranian dog which she named Bucky. Photo by Stan Paregien.

 

This is the cover one one of Thomas (“Tommy”) Thompson’s many, many Western novels. He also wrote for TV shows such as Bonanza and Rawhide. He was one of the founders of the Western Writers of America. He was the first person I met when I attended my first WWA convention, and he made me feel absolutely at home.

 

Thomas (“Tommy”) Thompson wrote many Western novels. He also wrote for TV shows such as Bonanza and Rawhide. He was one of the founders of the Western Writers of America. He was the first person I met when I attended my first WWA convention, and he made me feel absolutely at home.

Stan Paregien, probably in March or so of 1985, at our place north of Stroud, Okla. Because of the recession and businesses closing or consolidating, it was necessary for us to move with Peggy’s job with Sun Pipeline to Laverne, Okla. Photo by Peggy Paregien

 

Stan Paregien, probably in March or so of 1985, at our place north of Stroud, Okla. Because of the recession and businesses closing or consolidating, it was necessary for us to move with Peggy’s job with Sun Pipeline to Laverne, Okla. Photo by Peggy Paregien

 

 

 

 

 

Stacy, Stan, Gene (later also Stan) and Peggy Paregien at their place north of Stroud, Oklahoma. This is probably the last group photo of them on the place before they moved to Laverne, way out in the panhandle of Oklahoma.

 

I met Pulitzer Prize winner Larry McMurtry at the 1986 summer convention in Fort Worth, Texas of the Western Writers of America. He autographed my personal copy of LONESOME DOVE. Photo by Stan Paregien

 

 

 

For several years in a row, actor and Oklahoma native Ben Johnson held a “Pro-Celebrity Roping Competition” at the Lazy E Arena in Guthrie, Okla. It was there I got to meet and interview and photograph both Ben Johnson and actor Doug McClure. Johnson, McClure and “The Virginian” star James Drury signed autographs at a Western wear store and I got photos of them there, as well.

 

For several years in a row, actor and Oklahoma native Ben Johnson held a “Pro-Celebrity Roping Competition” at the Lazy E Arena in Guthrie, Okla. It was there I got to meet and interview and photograph both Ben Johnson and actor Doug McClure. Johnson, McClure and “The Virginian” star James Drury signed autographs at a Western wear store and I got photos of them there, as well.

 

For several years in a row, actor and Oklahoma native Ben Johnson held a “Pro-Celebrity Roping Competition” at the Lazy E Arena in Guthrie, Okla. It was there I got to meet and interview and photograph both Ben Johnson and actor Doug McClure. Johnson, McClure and “The Virginian” star James Drury signed autographs at a Western wear store and I got photos of them there, as well.

 

For several years in a row, actor and Oklahoma native Ben Johnson held a “Pro-Celebrity Roping Competition” at the Lazy E Arena in Guthrie, Okla. It was there I got to meet and interview and photograph both Ben Johnson and actor Doug McClure. Johnson, McClure and “The Virginian” star James Drury signed autographs at a Western wear store and I got photos of them there, as well.

 

For several years in a row, actor and Oklahoma native Ben Johnson held a “Pro-Celebrity Roping Competition” at the Lazy E Arena in Guthrie, Okla. It was there I got to meet and interview and photograph both Ben Johnson and actor Doug McClure. Johnson, McClure and “The Virginian” star James Drury signed autographs at a Western wear store and I got photos of them there, as well.

 

I met this “mountain man,” Chuck Streeper, at a ranch sale southwest of Lavern, Oklahoma one snowy day early in 1986. He was riding horseback from Santa Fe all the way to Washington, D.C. I invited him to spend the night with us, and he did. Interesting fellow.

 

I met this “mountain man” at a ranch sale southwest of Lavern, Oklahoma one snowy day early in 1986. He was riding horseback from Santa Fe all the way to Washington, D.C. I invited him to spend the night with us, and he did. Interesting fellow.

 

I met this “mountain man,” Chuck Streeper at a ranch sale southwest of Lavern, Oklahoma one snowy day early in 1986. He was riding horseback from Santa Fe all the way to Washington, D.C. I invited him to spend the night with us, and he did. Interesting fellow.

 

 

I was a member of “The Writers of the Purple Sage,” a fine group of writers who met in Woodward, Oklahoma each month for supper and a round-table discussion. In 1986 we published this book, with many of us contributing a chapter.

 

I was a member of “The Writers of the Purple Sage,” a fine group of writers who met in Woodward, Oklahoma each month for supper and a round-table discussion. In 1986 we published this book, with many of us contributing a chapter.

 

I was a member of “The Writers of the Purple Sage,” a fine group of writers who met in Woodward, Oklahoma each month for supper and a round-table discussion. In 1986 we published this book, with many of us contributing a chapter.

 

I was a member of “The Writers of the Purple Sage,” a fine group of writers who met in Woodward, Oklahoma each month for supper and a round-table discussion. In 1986 we published this book, with many of us contributing a chapter.

 

At the 1986 convention of Western Writers in Fort Worth, Texas I got to meet legendary novelist Jack Schaefer (“SHANE”) and non-fiction writer and author Marc Simmons, both of New Mexico. I later interviewed Mr. Schaefer by telephone. Photo by Stan Paregien.

 

 

Stan Paregien (right) with one of the most prolific Western novelists ever, J.T. Edson of England. He was quite a character. His characters were like those out of a “B-Western” movie, but at my last count he had seen over 130 of his books published. Photo by Peggy Paregien at the 1986 convention of the Western Writers of America, in Fort Worth, Texas.

 

These were two of our really fun writing friends, Stanley Locke (“Ormley Gumfudgin”) and Richard (“Dick”) C. House. Photo by Stan Paregien at the 1986 convention in Fort Worth, Texas of the Western Writers of America.

 

Prolific Western novelists J.T. Edson and Mark Roberts. Photo by Stan Paregien at the 1986 convention in Fort Worth, Texas of the Western Writers of America.

 

Prolific Western novelist and banjo player Benjamin Capps. Photo by Stan Paregien at the 1986 convention in Fort Worth, Texas of the Western Writers of America.

 

Cowboy crooner and writer Don Edwards. This was the first time we heard him sing and play his guitar, but we got to hear him dozens of times over the next 25 years. Photo by Stan Paregien at the 1986 convention in Fort Worth, Texas of the Western Writers of America.

 

“Jeremiah Johnson Paregien” (aka, Stan) in the mountain man outfit which Peggy Paregien secretly ordered from a woman (trapper and seamstress) in Thermopolis, Wyoming after we attended the Western Writers Convention in Sheridan, Wyoming in July of 1986. Photo by Peggy Paregien

 

Western author and entertainer John Erickson, creator of the “Hank the Cowdog” series of books and songs and more. Behind him are Stacy Paregien and her California cousin Brad Loffswold. Photo taken at the Log Cabin Cafe south of Laverne, Okla., in 1986 by Stan Paregien

 

Stan Paregien aboard one of rancher Mark Mayo’s beautiful Arabian horses. Photo taken by Mark Mayo at his ranch northeast of Beaver, Oklahoma in 1986.

 

Rancher Mark Mayo on one of his beautiful Arabian horses. Photo taken by Stan Paregien at the Mayo Ranch northeast of Beaver, Oklahoma in 1986.

 

Stan and Peggy Paregien at Laverne, Oklahoma in 1986. These were one set of their special square dancing outfits. That dancing and some strict dieting got them down to about as slim as they were when they married. Photo probably by daughter Stacy Paregien, in 1986.

 

Stan Paregien in a photo taken at the office of the WOODWARD NEWS (Woodward, Okla.) for use in a story announcing that Stan would be a regional editor, responsible for stories and photos for much of the area far west of Woodward. 1986.

Well, as you might have noticed, we have not posted any photos from 1987 in this section. However, you’ll find plenty of ’em if you’ll just look at my post back on June 13, 2014. It is titled, “1987: Western Writers of America Convention.”

Thanks, friends and neighbors, for stopping by to visit a spell. Be sure to check back periodically for updates. Or just sign up to “Follow” this blog and you’ll get a notice each time one is posted. Adios for now. –Stan