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COVID brings rancher’s last sunset
By Emma Platoff, Texas Tribune
Not for anything could Raymond Reeves bluff his way through a game of poker. Somehow, his children recall, his face always revealed the hand he’d been dealt.
Perhaps it was the honesty, the sincerity, the fundamental good-guy, good-neighbor mentality. Raised in Floydada, in Texas’ sparse Panhandle, Reeves was the storybook Texas farmer and rancher throughout his 91 years, the type of father who would place his children atop a new horse minutes after they’d been bucked off another – no member of his family would grow up fearing animals.
He preferred old western movies and country music, and, like anyone who made a living growing wheat and sorghum in a harsh landscape, he was “addicted to the weather,” his daughter Cindy Reeves remembers.
He loved to sit on the porch in the evening to watch the sky change colors. He’d sometimes call his eldest daughter Carol and say: “I am looking at yet another beautiful sunset that will not be like any other sunset of my entire life.”
In the last years of his life, Reeves, who was divorced, lived alone on the 2,600-acre family ranch, three miles off US Route 287, between Memphis, Texas (population 2,200) and Hedley, Texas (population 300). He had long since stopped driving his truck, though not his John Deere, and he remained active – and fiercely independent. After an October ice storm, so bad it shut off his electricity and forced him to take shelter in his pickup, Carol called a neighbor to check on him. He was not pleased.
When Reeves died he still had 120 cows and calves, down from 300 at the height of his work. That’s not to mention the animals he bought mostly for fun: donkeys, longhorns, llamas. Raymond Reeves did not suffer a mean animal. They would be sold immediately.
Reeves lived through the Great Depression, the Dust Bowl, a world at war and nine months of the coronavirus pandemic in the United States. When he died Nov. 8 in an Amarillo hospital, his children were surprised to hear that complications from the virus had been the cause.
Once most concentrated in the nation’s urban centers, COVID-19 has not spared the rural, rectangular counties of the Texas Panhandle, where meatpacking plants became early incubators of the disease and community spread is now the unfortunate reality. More than 400,000 Americans have now died of the virus, including more than 34,000 in Texas and 10 in Donley County, where Reeves lived.
In Texas, counties with low numbers of coronavirus cases can opt out of the governor’s mask mandate, as a number of Panhandle counties did, and for the most part, wearing masks is more common in the cities.
Danny Francis, a Briscoe County commissioner and survivor of COVID-19 who rented land from Reeves, said early on he didn’t expect so many in his area to contract the virus – nor did he expect it to spread so fast or work so hard. But now, his mind gets stuck on a small rural neighborhood of four households – one of them Raymond Reeves’ – where three people he knows died of the virus last year.
When the virus began to spread in the United States, the Reeves kids, now 63, 59 and 56, struggled to convince their dad to take it seriously, they recall. Before stores and local governments began requiring masks, they pushed him to wear one. At first, the idea seemed ridiculous to him.
“It was very difficult for him to grasp that this was serious,” Carol Reeves said. “He’s been tough and resilient his whole life and he did not understand that he was vulnerable.”
Eventually he promised to wear the mask at Walmart and doctor’s appointments. But they suspected he didn’t always wear it around friends.
“He had this idea that if he was visiting a friend or going into town and seeing someone that he had known forever, that it wasn’t dangerous,” Cindy Reeves said.
The virus tried to corrupt the community spirit that sustained him through his long life. Neighbors and friends became threats. In the spring, despite his childrens’ protests, he did the usual roundup and branding of calves, annual tasks that would have brought other people to the ranch, likely invited in to eat.
“They didn’t see the mask as their way of keeping their community together,” Carol Reeves said. “They saw it as a way to separate one another.”
Raymond Reeves loved his ranch and no one who knew him could imagine him living anywhere else. But the solitude was a double-edged sword. This was the man who’d run into the farm store on a quick errand only to leave his kids waiting in the pickup for 45 minutes as he chatted up everyone he saw. He loved to tell stories – or to correct others’ telling of stories, David Reeves recalled with a chuckle.
“You live out in the middle of nowhere,” Carol Reeves said. “You go to the tire store, and sit there and talk and want to stay and chat as long as possible and tell stories and make people laugh. Everywhere he went there was that connection – because you do live isolated, so you cherish those moments of connection with somebody. The last thing you want to do is offend them by wearing a mask around them.”
The kids suspected he got lonely in his later years. Sometimes when he mentioned this to Cindy, she’d propose solutions, and he’d say, “Well it’s really not that big a deal, Cindy, I just wanted a little sympathy.”
He was generous to a fault, so much so that their mother used to complain that people were taking advantage of him.
He spoke to his children often, and saw them several times a year. One Thursday night in November he called Carol, but she had her hands full and didn’t answer. She called him back on Saturday morning, but he didn’t answer.
They didn’t know yet that he’d fallen. Kathy Turner, who helped him with ranch tasks, arrived that Saturday morning as usual to find the doors locked and no Raymond to greet her. She crawled through the doggie door and found Raymond on the floor by his bed, incoherent, fallen during the night. She got him in an ambulance for the trip to Amarillo.
As David Reeves began the drive from Fort Worth, he imagined he’d find his father dehydrated or perhaps with low blood sugar. It wasn’t until he spoke with the doctor that he realized COVID-19 had caused the brain damage that led to the fall.
By the time the children arrived, the situation was dire.
At first, it was too risky for them to be in the room with their father. Breathing machines can aerosolize a patient’s breath, spreading tiny, dangerous viral particles. Only when he was taken off – the only option, they and the doctors felt – could they go in, masked and gowned, to say a brief goodbye.
Knowing that Reeves lived his last cogent moments in the place he loved most – not forced to move to a nursing home or alien city – softened the loss for his children. But it could not blunt the hurt entirely. For David, it brought to mind a piece of family lore: that Raymond’s mother had fallen to the ground on the ranch while out picking wildflowers, and died not long after.
“If you’re going to go, that’s kind of the way you want to go,” he said.
That ranch still held so much of him – the memories of legendary Easter egg hunts (eggs would be stashed under cow patties, sometimes found months after the event) and of picking out a rare, sometimes homely Christmas tree from the limited selection, decorating it with handmade ornaments. Owning land is an ethic in their family, Carol Reeves said; it would not feel right to sell the ranch. Much of the family gathered there for Christmas this year, celebrating and remembering. They know every inch of the property, their favorite walks and preferred views. It is a place they could never get lost, even if the landscape might look monotonous to an outsider.
That day in November, after Reeves died, there was no tearing of wrapping paper or laughter of children. It was quiet when the children arrived back at the ranch. It felt heavy to enter the home; the sprawling property was “just so him,” David said. They were confronted with his absence; his things scattered on the table, his brown Schnauzer, Reggie, sniffing around, wondering where he’d gone.
The Texas Tribune is a nonpartisan, nonprofit media organization that informs Texans — and engages with them – about public policy, politics, government and statewide issues
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Aging gracefully
Jackson visits Clarendon as he begins Congressional service
US Rep. Ronny Jackson (R-Amarillo) has hit the ground running as the new member of Congress from the 13th District of Texas, and he’s finding the job is somewhat different than what he expected.
Jackson sat down with The Clarendon Enterprise Tuesday morning and said he ran with the expectation that President Donald Trump would be re-elected, which would have given him an advantage as a former White House official.
“That seemed like a far-fetched idea,” Jackson said of the possibility that Trump would not be re-elected.
Now, the freshman representative is looking to work with moderates in the opposition party to try to get things done for the nation and the Panhandle.
“I’m going to try to work with moderate Democrats, but they are being suppressed by the far left,” Jackson said. “My hope is that they (the far left) will overstep, they will go too far, and the moderates will stand up so we can get some things done.”
Jackson has been appointed to the House Armed Services Committee, of which former Congressman Mac Thornberry of Clarendon was a member, as well as the Foreign Affairs Committee. He’s also part of the minority whip team; and even though he wasn’t named to the House Agriculture Committee, he will still plan to be a strong voice for area ag producers.
“No freshmen Congressmen from Texas were named to the ag committee,” Jackson said. “I’m going to be part of the leadership of a new House Ag Task Force that will work to find bipartisan solutions for our producers.”
He also said that he is first in line as soon as a position opens on the ag committee.
Until such time as moderate Democrats raise their voices to accomplish more bipartisan solutions, Jackson said he has no problem being the voice of conservative values in the face of a liberal agenda.
“They will not influence me,” he said. “They can come after me and come after my family, and I don’t care. I am willing to stand up to them.”
Jackson’s term in office began like no other. He was sworn in on January 3 and just three days later an angry mob stormed the Capitol. He said the day began with a peaceful rally for President Trump, but as Congress began the process of certifying the Electoral College votes, rioters entered the building and were soon trying to break down the door to the House chamber.
Jackson initially helped people ready their gas mask hoods before joining with three other Texas freshmen Congressmen in bracing the door to the chamber and arming themselves with pieces of furniture. As shots broke out, Jackson said Capitol Police evacuated the chamber through the Speaker’s Lobby.
“It was a terrible day for our nation,” he said. “Nobody thought that would happen, and 99.9 percent of Trump supporters would never do that. Most of them (Trump supporters) are people who don’t even leave trash behind after a rally, but (House Speaker Nancy) Pelosi is spinning the riot.”
Jackson said he plans to focus on ag issues, armed forces, foreign affairs, rural health care, and election integrity as he begins his term. He will continue to be pro-Second Amendment, pro-life, and pro-First Amendment, he said. He also is urging Republicans not move to the new MAGA Party or Patriot Party, which began organizing this week.
“It will be the biggest blessing for Democrats if it is successful,” Jackson said, noting that it will split the Republican vote. “As Republicans with relationships with the MAGA crowd, we have to work to bring everybody together and stay united.”
In looking for areas of common ground, Jackson thinks infrastructure is an area that Republicans and moderate Democrats can work together on, especially in terms of improving broadband access to rural areas. Defense issues and ag issues are also areas he hopes Congress can find agreement on.
As President Joe Biden issues a series of executive orders to overturn Trump’s executive orders, Jackson said he thinks that may be another area the parties can find some agreement on – the need to reign in the power of the executive branch for what should be legislative issues.
“Both parties need to take back some authority on these executive actions,” he said.
In working for the 13th District, Jackson said he has new people staffing his office with a combination of experience and new blood. His chief of staff and his legislative director in particular both have congressional experience, while he has new faces working in offices in Amarillo and Wichita Falls, including Clarendon native Jake LaGrone, who is serving as Jackson’s district director.
Jackson lives in Amarillo, but he still owns a home in Maryland from his time working in the White House. He says he plans to sell that as soon as possible and will be traveling back to the district whenever Congress is not in session so that he can continue to keep in close contact with the people he represents.
Howardwick fire dept. expands building
An expansion to the City of Howardwick Volunteer Fire Department building is progressing and promises to give the department much-needed extra space.
Fire Chief Susie Langford says the 12×35 addition to the fire hall will provide space for the department’s bunker gear as well as office space and a media wall for training personnel. The current office space will then be converted to a bathroom for the fire hall.
City Secretary and fire department member Sandra Childress said funds for the expansion came from a gun raffle as well as a $500 grant from the Donley County Community Fund. Locals residents have also donated a toilet and lavatory for the project, Childress said.
“We really want to let everyone know how much we appreciate their support of our fundraiser,” Childress said.
Langford said the department recently received new bunker gear thanks to a $15,000 grant from the Texas Forest Service, and more projects are being discussed to raise funds in the future.
The department currently has ten members with two applications pending. Landford said she would like to reach 15 and eventually 20 members. She says the department has a place not just for residents who want to fight fires but also for people to help with grants, secretarial work, and community service.
“The fire department is very community service driven,” Childress said, noting that its members have helped with clean-ups, deliveries during COVID, and other activities.
CHVFD responded to four calls last year and three calls for assistance. They responded to one fire just Monday, Langford said. The county has also increased the department’s call-out area from just the corporate limits of Howardwick south to the Greenbelt Lake entrance to Sandy Beach and north to County Road I.
Childress and Langford both expressed the department’s appreciation of the Clarendon Volunteer Fire Department for working with the Howardwick firefighters and letting the departments train together.
“We really learn a lot from them,” Langford said.
City to apply for downtown grant
The City of Clarendon will apply for a Downtown Revitalization grant following action taken by the city council January 14.
If awarded, the Texas Department of Agriculture grant would provide up to $350,000 for downtown improvements. The city’s match would be $52,500 for a project total of $402,500, according to a representative of the Panhandle Regional Planning Commission, which will draft and administer the grant.
At least 50 percent of the grant funds would have to be spent to address accessible sidewalks downtown. Lighting is also an eligible expense under the grant.
The grant application is due May 3 with a possible award date this fall.
The city also took further steps on a Community Development Block Grant application that would pay for sewer improvements on the north side of town. Aldermen scored engineers for that work with Brandt Engineering of Amarillo narrowly winning the job over OJD Engineering of Wellington.
The council also continued discussions with Cheryl Johnson about closing a portion of Eighth Street that runs between her properties. Mayor Sandy Skelton said the city’s attorney advised against closing the street due to the precedence it would set. Discussion then turned to possibly installing stop signs at Eighth and Jefferson or possibly making Eighth Street one-way in that area. The discussion will continue at a future meeting.
No action was taken on the status of nuisance abatement at 600 S. Bugbee Avenue since the property owner was not able to attend last week’s meeting. The council did not consider any action on code issues at 117 N. Gorst since the code officer reported that the property owner there is making progress on those issues, but the council did declare 502 S. Bond as a nuisance because of no progress on issues at that location.
The council approved amending the Code of Ordinances to regarding parking regulations to give the city more authority to deal with vehicles that block driveways.
A resolution ordering an election to be held May 1 was approved to elect the mayor and two aldermen. The terms of Mayor Sandy Skelton and Aldermen Nathan Floyd and Jacob Fangman are expiring. Floyd resigned his seat Thursday night citing business and family obligations, city officials said. The council will consider appointing a replacement to fill the remainder of Floyd’s term next month.
Aldermen considered a request from the Donley County State Bank to pay for curb and gutter work. The bank recently replaced a portion of its sidewalk at a cost of $5,900, and City Administrator David Dockery reported that $1,200 of that was curb and gutter work and said the bank was asking for any possible funding. The city recently paid for curb repairs at the Courthouse, but city officials said in that case the county had talked to the city before the work was done. Aldermen unanimously voted against the bank’s request.
Ehlert, Tucek show top beef exhibits for 2020
For the second year, the top animals in the Beef Division were exhibited by Koyt Tucek and Taylee Ehlert when the annual Donley County Junior Livestock Show was held last Saturday, January 9, at the Donley County Activity Center.
Repeating their performances from 2019, Tucek showed the Grand Champion Steer, and Ehlert had the Grand Champion Heifer.
Other top winners were Braden Bond and his Grand Champion Sheep; Kaitin Ehlert again with the Grand Champion Goat; Jaxon Robertson, Grand Champion Gilt; and Calder Havens with the Grand Champion Barrow.
Reserve Champion honors went to Tyler Harper, steers; Laney Gates, heifers; Eric Weatherread, sheep; Kaitin Ehlert, goats; Danika Middleton, gilt; and Koyt Tucek, barrow.
A total of 51 kids from the Donley County 4-H Club and local FFA chapters exhibited 84 animals during the show. Last year 39 young people showed 71 animals.
The livestock auction following the show generated an estimated $28,500 as of Tuesday morning, and that number will increase as donations continue to be received. The 2020 premium sale totaled about $41,400 at this point last year.
Showmanship awards this year went to Tyler Harper – Senior Beef, Grant Haynes – Junior Beef, Mya Edwards – Senior Sheep, Madison Moore – Junior Sheep, Laney Gates – Senior Goat, Katin Ehlert – Junior Goat, Calder Havens – Senior Swine, and Maloree Wann – Junior Swine. The Pee Wee Showmanship winners were Slade Pittman – goats/sheep and Hunter Wann – swine.
Complete results of the show are as follows:
Steers – British – Levi Gates, Breed Champion.
American – Madison Smith, Breed Champion; Presley Smith, Reserve Breed; and Laney Gates, third.
Cross – Light Weight – Grant Haynes, first; and Levi Gates, second.
Medium Weight – Koyt Tucek, Grand Champion; Tyler Harper, Reserve Champion; Parker Haynes, third; and Hudson Howard, fourth.
Heavy Weight – Class 1 – Tyler Harper, first; Grant Haynes, second; and Laney Gates, third.
Class 2 – Harrison Howard, first, and Koyt Tucek, second.
Heifers – Class 1 – Taylee Ehlert, Grand Champion; Tyler Harper, second; Lane Hinton, third; and Kutter O’Keefe, fourth.
Class 2 – Laney Gates, Reserve Champion; Levi Gates, second; and Taylee Ehlert, third.
Barrows – BOPB – Tyler Harper, Breed Champion; Jayton Moore, Reserve Breed; Kynna Phillips, third; and Colton Henson, fourth.
Chester – Calder Havens, Grand Champion; Addison Havens, Reserve Breed; and Emma Lambert, third.
Duroc – Tyler Harper, Breed Champion; Maloree Wann, Reserve Breed; and Jodee Pigg, third.
Hamp – Maloree Wann, Breed Champion; Harrison Howard, Reserve Breed; and Hudson Howard, third.
York – Koyt Tucek, Breed Champion, and Trigg Harper, Reserve Breed.
Cross – Light Weight – Jaxon Robertson, first; Addison Havens, second; Hudson Howard, third; Jodee Pigg, fourth; and Trigg Harper, fifth.
Heavy Weight – Koyt Tucek, Reserve Champion; Harrison Howard, second; Jaxon Robertson, third; and Calder Havens, fourth.
Gilts – Jaxon Robertson, Grand Champion; Danika Middleton, Reserve Champion; Iziak Weatherread, third; and Colton Henson, fourth.
Sheep – South Down – Darcy Grahn, Breed Champion; and Mya Edwards, Reserve Breed.
Medium Wool – Braden Bond, Grand Champion; Erik Weatherread, Reserve Champion; Darcy Grahn, third; Madison Moore, fourth; Mya Edwards, fifth; and Brandon Moore, sixth.
Goats – Class 1 – Emma Lambert, first; Laney Gates, second; Flint Pittman, third; Kelby Brownlee, fourth; and Cara Lambert, fifth.
Class 2 – Kaitin Ehlert, Reserve Champion; Emily McCurdy, second; Flint Pittman, third; Isabella Martinez; fourth; Emberly Gonzalez, fifth; and Fayde Turner, sixth.
Class 3 – Kaitin Ehlert, Grand Champion; Grace McCurdy, second; Kyler Bell, third; Brance Bell, fourth; Javier Valles, fifth; and Joshua Booth, sixth.
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