WW I veteran, Dust Bowl survivor, cattle rancher, wheat farmer, Freedom OK Rodeo Old Cowhand of the Year. He was a dedicated husband to Valma Atha Shuyler Gibson whom he married 28 Aug 1923, and father to three daughters and one son.
In the 30s, 'Oakies' leaving the panhandle would come to his 1600 acres along the Cimarron River and ask, "M.A., when are ya leaving?" (referring to the westward migration of OK farmers during the depression-era Dust Bowl). He replied tersely, "We ain't leavin' - we're stayin'". And they did.
M.A. had huge hands with even-length fingers, and his choppy duck-footed walk seemed to slow him down a bit in the sagebrush, but not on horseback. He rode his paint horses and roped runaway calves at branding time on the open range before the ranch was completely fenced. With the nearest neighbors 2 miles away, he and his wife were a team, truly independent all-round cowhands.
After a heart attack restricted some activities, they moved to a 120 acre place north of Alva where his daughters had gone to college. He kept his saddle horses, and loved to reflect on the ranch life.
His proudest moment was sitting in a decked-out buckboard beside his wife as they rounded the arena at the annual Freedom Rodeo in Aug 1979. He had been selected the "Old Cowhand of the Year", recognized for genuine pioneer spirit, dedication to the Freedom community, goodwill towards others, and setting a good old fashioned example in the "cowboy" way of life.
In retelling the story, he's start out, "there were 250,000 folks in the stands that night..." only to be interrupted by 'Vala-may' saying, "Now M.A., that ain't exactly right..." (since the stands hold about 5,000). He'd restart, and punctuate the telling with his quirky sense of humor and distinctive laugh. You could tell how important an event was to him by how grandiose the details swelled as he'd 'spin a yarn', as he called it.
We miss ya, M.A., and look forward to seeing you again at that heavenly reunion... where every one will be saying "We ain't leavin' - we're STAYIN!!".
Lived 85 years, 3 months, to make the world a better place.
In the 30s, 'Oakies' leaving the panhandle would come to his 1600 acres along the Cimarron River and ask, "M.A., when are ya leaving?" (referring to the westward migration of OK farmers during the depression-era Dust Bowl). He replied tersely, "We ain't leavin' - we're stayin'". And they did.
M.A. had huge hands with even-length fingers, and his choppy duck-footed walk seemed to slow him down a bit in the sagebrush, but not on horseback. He rode his paint horses and roped runaway calves at branding time on the open range before the ranch was completely fenced. With the nearest neighbors 2 miles away, he and his wife were a team, truly independent all-round cowhands.
After a heart attack restricted some activities, they moved to a 120 acre place north of Alva where his daughters had gone to college. He kept his saddle horses, and loved to reflect on the ranch life.
His proudest moment was sitting in a decked-out buckboard beside his wife as they rounded the arena at the annual Freedom Rodeo in Aug 1979. He had been selected the "Old Cowhand of the Year", recognized for genuine pioneer spirit, dedication to the Freedom community, goodwill towards others, and setting a good old fashioned example in the "cowboy" way of life.
In retelling the story, he's start out, "there were 250,000 folks in the stands that night..." only to be interrupted by 'Vala-may' saying, "Now M.A., that ain't exactly right..." (since the stands hold about 5,000). He'd restart, and punctuate the telling with his quirky sense of humor and distinctive laugh. You could tell how important an event was to him by how grandiose the details swelled as he'd 'spin a yarn', as he called it.
We miss ya, M.A., and look forward to seeing you again at that heavenly reunion... where every one will be saying "We ain't leavin' - we're STAYIN!!".
Lived 85 years, 3 months, to make the world a better place.
WW I veteran, Dust Bowl survivor, cattle rancher, wheat farmer, Freedom OK Rodeo Old Cowhand of the Year. He was a dedicated husband to Valma Atha Shuyler Gibson whom he married 28 Aug 1923, and father to three daughters and one son.
In the 30s, 'Oakies' leaving the panhandle would come to his 1600 acres along the Cimarron River and ask, "M.A., when are ya leaving?" (referring to the westward migration of OK farmers during the depression-era Dust Bowl). He replied tersely, "We ain't leavin' - we're stayin'". And they did.
M.A. had huge hands with even-length fingers, and his choppy duck-footed walk seemed to slow him down a bit in the sagebrush, but not on horseback. He rode his paint horses and roped runaway calves at branding time on the open range before the ranch was completely fenced. With the nearest neighbors 2 miles away, he and his wife were a team, truly independent all-round cowhands.
After a heart attack restricted some activities, they moved to a 120 acre place north of Alva where his daughters had gone to college. He kept his saddle horses, and loved to reflect on the ranch life.
His proudest moment was sitting in a decked-out buckboard beside his wife as they rounded the arena at the annual Freedom Rodeo in Aug 1979. He had been selected the "Old Cowhand of the Year", recognized for genuine pioneer spirit, dedication to the Freedom community, goodwill towards others, and setting a good old fashioned example in the "cowboy" way of life.
In retelling the story, he's start out, "there were 250,000 folks in the stands that night..." only to be interrupted by 'Vala-may' saying, "Now M.A., that ain't exactly right..." (since the stands hold about 5,000). He'd restart, and punctuate the telling with his quirky sense of humor and distinctive laugh. You could tell how important an event was to him by how grandiose the details swelled as he'd 'spin a yarn', as he called it.
We miss ya, M.A., and look forward to seeing you again at that heavenly reunion... where every one will be saying "We ain't leavin' - we're STAYIN!!".
Lived 85 years, 3 months, to make the world a better place.
In the 30s, 'Oakies' leaving the panhandle would come to his 1600 acres along the Cimarron River and ask, "M.A., when are ya leaving?" (referring to the westward migration of OK farmers during the depression-era Dust Bowl). He replied tersely, "We ain't leavin' - we're stayin'". And they did.
M.A. had huge hands with even-length fingers, and his choppy duck-footed walk seemed to slow him down a bit in the sagebrush, but not on horseback. He rode his paint horses and roped runaway calves at branding time on the open range before the ranch was completely fenced. With the nearest neighbors 2 miles away, he and his wife were a team, truly independent all-round cowhands.
After a heart attack restricted some activities, they moved to a 120 acre place north of Alva where his daughters had gone to college. He kept his saddle horses, and loved to reflect on the ranch life.
His proudest moment was sitting in a decked-out buckboard beside his wife as they rounded the arena at the annual Freedom Rodeo in Aug 1979. He had been selected the "Old Cowhand of the Year", recognized for genuine pioneer spirit, dedication to the Freedom community, goodwill towards others, and setting a good old fashioned example in the "cowboy" way of life.
In retelling the story, he's start out, "there were 250,000 folks in the stands that night..." only to be interrupted by 'Vala-may' saying, "Now M.A., that ain't exactly right..." (since the stands hold about 5,000). He'd restart, and punctuate the telling with his quirky sense of humor and distinctive laugh. You could tell how important an event was to him by how grandiose the details swelled as he'd 'spin a yarn', as he called it.
We miss ya, M.A., and look forward to seeing you again at that heavenly reunion... where every one will be saying "We ain't leavin' - we're STAYIN!!".
Lived 85 years, 3 months, to make the world a better place.
Inscription
GIBSON
MELVILLE A.
May 17, 1897
Aug. 16, 1982
VALMA A.
Aug. 27, 1904
Feb. 22, 1993
WE LIVED TO MAKE THIS A BETTER WORLD
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