Clifford O. Wilson

Clifford Orin Wilson was born Oct 2 1926 NE of Wray CO to Orin and Opal Adkinson Wilson . He joined sisters Faye, Ruth, and Fern and brother Earl. He would later have another brother Lee and sister Elaine. He departed this life Nov 18 2015 at the age of 89.

Cliff went to Wray High School graduating with the class of 1944. As a young man Cliff suffered a broken leg in a car accident. His leg required metal plates and screws, which he called "hardware". He met Nell Newbanks at the old roller skating rink in Wray and the rest as they say is history. They were married at Akron CO Feb 28 1949 and started their life together working on various ranches. Vicky, Dianna, Ricky, and Jo were all born while on the Kempton (Slew) Ranch north of Laird CO. Later Cliff managed the horse ranch for Marion Seward, as well as a ranch at Vona CO, and the Fox Ranch. When the family moved to Wray he worked for the county a number of years before purchasing a hay grinding service and later his truck. Cliff and Nell purchased a little piece of land west of Wray where they put a house in 1974. This house saw most of the family dinners with the kids, spouses, and later the grandkids.

Cliff loved those grandkids, great grandkids, great-great ones, and even the four-legged ones. He had nicknames for all of them. Thumbtack and her outlaws, the Nebraska boys,Jake,and the list goes on and on. Cliff sat patiently while granddaughters practiced putting curlers in his hair! And he was always happy to share his bowl of ice cream with whatever grandkid would sit on his lap. He and Ole Blue were always happy to see every single one when they walked thru that door for a big hug and visit.

Just to mention this ole saddle: Cliff bought it in '49 for $150 and Nell was a little upset because Cliff only made that much a month working on the ranch for Cal Kempton. Cliff made it up by selling jack rabbit hides.

That saddle and Cliff were on the backs of some pretty good horses in their day. Dragging calves to the fire with George Haskell and Warren Sandy north of Haigler and Laird, breaking horses on the Fox Ranch with Dean Laybourn, and roping calves off old Skeet. Maybe even ponying some race horses for Marion Seward.

Cliff was a jack-of-all-trades. He could make anything. He made corrals for his hired men to play with their Tonka trucks and trailers, playground equipment like the wagon wheel merry-go-round, a teeter totter that could buck you off quicker than the ponies, and the giant strides that are now at Aunt Elaines's lake. He made gate fasteners before Ace knew what they were, tack collars, headache chains, and braided hobbles.

Cliff's hired men always had animals to play with. He was always draggin' something home. Barbwire the badger, Duke the deer who thought he was a dog, little white rabbits for Easter, horny toads, sand turtles, a couple of crows, skunks, possums, puppies, ponies to break to sell, and kickin' milk cows from Stan Shafer. Oh, did I mention the hired men were the kids? We learned to drive the jeep standing in the seat while he picked up bales. And if you got high-centered on a bale you were going to get chewed out! We fixed lots of fence and rounded up lots of cattle.

Latter when the hired men were gone except for Jo, he and Mom went into the hay grinding business. Then that old truckin' fever kicked in and they went all over the country with an old '73 Kenworth pullin' a flatbed. Seen a lot of country through a windshield! Then Cliff went back to his love for horses and cattle. He bought a Peterbilt with more "horses" and a bull-wagon to haul those cattle. "Old Timer" was his name and haulin' cows was his game.

You could almost call Cliff the "Marlboro Man" except he smoked Pall Mall. Those cigarettes, hay, and feedlot dust finally got to him and his lungs so the last year was tough but at least he died at home on his own terms. And yes, Dad, you got your old pine box with your brand on the side.

And for you young guys, Dad always said: "It aint the years,boys,it's the miles."

Cliff was preceded in death by his wife ,Nell of 49 years, his parents,Orin and Opal Wilson,sisters,Faye Haglund, Fern McGranhan, and brothers, Earl Wilson and Lee Wilson.

He is survived by children,Vicky and husband Ted Harford of Haigler NE, Dianna Wilson and Brad Deterding of Wray, Rick and wife Sherree Wilson of Wray, and Jo and husband Brent Jones of Wray; his good ole dog and companion,Blue; grandchildren,Kristen Trussel,Scottsbluff NE, Dixie Preston, Windsor CO, Nikki Gelvinand husband James Cheek, Wray , Aaron Wilson and wife Mandy, Cozad NE, Bryan Wilson and wife Hollie, Aurora CO, Megan and husband Steve Gewecke, Kearney NE, Melanie and husband Kelly Sharp, Wray,and Taylor Jones,Wray,and Walker his four-legged grand; great
grandchildren,Kendra Trussel and Joel Amos,Hoxi KS, Shelby Trussel,Chadron NE,Tanner Trussel,Hoxi KS, Avery Cave and fiance Jake Sage, Greeley CO, Connor Preston, Windsor CO, Spencer Cheek and Sydnee Cheek, Wray, Hailey Wilson,Katie Wilson,and Aaron Cole Wilson, Cozad NE, Mackenzie Wilson and Makayla Wilson, Aurora CO,Kamryn Sharp and Karsyn Sharp Wray; great-great granddaughter Paisley Amos, Hoxi KS. He is also survived by sisters Ruth Sharp,Benkelman NE and Elaine Crider,Wray; sisters-in-law Freda Wilson ,MO,June Yost, Wray, Madeline and husband Joe Conrad,Wray, Merna and husband Larry Skipworth,Aurora CO,Rena Newbanks, Otis CO, and Cheryl Thurston, Yuma CO; brother-in-law John and wife Connie Newbanks, Eckley CO and a host of nieces and nephews.

Funeral services were held Wednesday, November 25, 2015, 10:00 a.m. at the Schmidt-Jones Funeral Home in Wray, Colorado with Rev. Steve Wynkoop officiating. Interment was held in the Grandview Cemetery in Wray, Colorado. Memorials may be made to the Wray Fire Department. Schmidt-Jones Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.