Bob Thompson
TLBAA member Bobby Ray Thompson, of Mansfield, LA, died on May 1, 2008. His wife, Dora Thompson, was at his side when he passed away. He and Dora had known each other for over 40 years and been married for the past three years. Bob loved his time on their Sand Hills Longhorn ranch and laughingly referred to himself as “Dora’s hauler,” while taking their registered Longhorns to sales. Laughing came easy to Bob; he was a people-person and enjoyed making friends and spending time with old ones.
Dora said in an email to the TLBAA, “ He loved Longhorn people because most are just super, and he loved meeting them and going to the sales. He was a great help and comfort to me during the short time I had him. I will miss him very much and cherish the time we had together.”
Thompson was the son of the late Leo and Gladys Thompson, Calhoun, LA. He is survived by his wife Dora; his son and daughter-in-law, Mike and Theresa Thompson and their children Rebecca and Josh, Littletown, PA; sister, Patsy Joiner, West Monroe, LA; brother and sister-in-law, Wayne and Flo Thompson, and their children Jim M. Bice and Nikki Gambrell, Calhoun, LA.
The family wishes to express their gratitude to Cherie Berry, Sharron Matthews and Judi Coleman for their help during his illness, as well as friends: Sue Lynn, Kenneth Coon and Sara Gross for their prayers, calls and support during this time. Special thanks to Dr. Robert Hernandez and all the LifeCare personnel for making his last days comfortable.
A memorial service is scheduled for May 10, 2008, at 2 pm at the Indian Village Methodist Church, Calhoun, LA. Classmates and friends are encouraged to come. Dress is casual.
Please keep the Thompson family in your thoughts and prayers during this difficult time.
Orren Mixer
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Western artist and TLBAA member Orren Mixer passed away on Tuesday, April 29, 2008. Mixer was an accomplished artist who painted many Longhorn inspired scenes including the famous painting “Good Mama”, which hangs in the TLBAA office.
Mixer was a generous donor to the TLBAA and was the subject of an article written by Henry L. King and published in the June 2005 Trails.
In the article, Mixer said he always knew he wanted to paint animals. “For the first 11 years of grade school and high school, I spent so much time drawing pictures in my textbooks that I didn’t learn much about arithmetic and stuff.”
Mixer was a trailblazer in Western Art and was first known for his paintings of Quarter Horses. “When I got into the Quarter Horse business,” reflected Mixer in the Trails June 2005 article, “people would ask ‘What is a Quarter Horse”’ And when I first got into the Texas Longhorn business, people would ask, ‘What is a Texas Longhorn?’”
Mixer was born in Oklahoma Ci ty in 1920 to Florence Motter and Orren Marion Mixer Sr. With the assistance of his high school art teacher Grace Chadwick, he obtained a scholarship to attend the Kansas City Art Institute from 1938-40. Mixer married Evelyn Leonard in 1941 while serving in the U.S. Navy during World War II.
Orren Mixer was known for his paintings of Western scenes during the 1950s and 1960s. He painted horses and livestock and his paintings graced the covers of Western Horseman, Quarter Horse Journal, The Cattleman and Oklahoma Today.
After briefly retiring during the 1980s, Mixer resumed his artwork in the mid-1990s while working from his studio near Arcadia, OK.
Memorial services are pending. Contact Matthews Funeral Home, Edmond, OK at (405) 341-2787, for further information. Read the obituary on the American Quarter Horse Association Web site.
Don Nelson
Don Nelson, father of TLBAA member Marilyn Taylor, Huntington, TX, died on April 27, 2008. Don was born November 3, 1934 in Ligonier, IN, to Dorothy (Himes) and Lester Ward Nelson. He resided in Broaddus, TX, for over 31 years. Nelson had been the owner and operator of American Angler for 20 years. He was an avid hunter and fisherman and loved to garden. He served in the United States Army and was stationed in Korea. Survivors include his wife, Namona (Judy) Nelson of Broaddus, TX; daughter and son-in-law, Marilyn and Donnie Taylor of Huntington, TX; granddaughter and husband, Samantha and Charlie Webb of Willis, TX; grandson, Jacob Taylor of Huntington, TX; great granddaughter, Natalie Webb of Willis, TX; brother, Larry Nelson of San Antonio, TX; brother and sister-in-law, Robert and Sherrille Nelson of Montecello, KY. He was preceded in death by his parents; and sister, Sharon Key. Pallbearers were Jim Claphan, Galen Hunt, Danny Anders, Edward Basham, Chris Taylor, and Kent Taylor. Services were held on Wednesday, April 30, 2008 at 10 am in the Huntington United Methodist Church with Reverend Martin Doran officiating. Nelson was interned at the Huntington Cemetery. To view the entire obituary or sign the guest book click here. Please keep the Taylor family in your thoughts and prayers during this difficult time.
