When people find out that Larry and I live in Washington City, Utah, they usually ask what brought us here. The early in the year before Mom (Dale Evans) passed away, Bonnie Riding contacted her to see if Mom would agree to being the first woman honored at the Western Legends Roundup in Kanab. The Roundup recognizes those men and women who worked in film and on video in and around the town of Kanab, by putting a plaque on the highway through Kanab. Mom was thrilled, even though she only worked on a sound stage in Hollywood on that movie. “In Old Oklahoma” (now called “The War of the Wildcats”) starred John Wayne and Bruce Cabot and is now a staple on TV. Mom played a dancehall girl named “Cuddles Walker.”
When it came time (early August) for Mom to start thinking about leaving for Kanab, she was too sick to travel. She had me contact Bonnie Riding and the festival people to let them know she just couldn’t be there. They still wanted to honor Mom, so she volunteered me to attend the ceremony and thank everyone for her award. Larry and I attended the dinner and then the awards ceremony, where I thanked everyone for Mom’s award. They next day, we watched as a beautiful plaque, with Mom’s picture on it, was placed on the highway.
I guess that I did a good job representing Mom because, even when she passed away that next February 2001, they kept inviting Larry and me to attend their festival. The festival is still held towards the end of August and we still attend just about every year. The festival draws people from all over the world. They come to attend the festival and because Kanab is the gateway to Zion National Park and several others parks (such as Bryce Canyon and Grand Staircase – Escalante National Monument).
After Mom died and the Museum closed, Larry and I were looking for a place to move to (like so many others we wanted to escape California). We remembered traveling on I-15 through the beautiful Virgin River Gorge and we thought of the nice town, St. George, you come to as you enter Utah. The town reminded us of the San Fernando Valley when we were growing up. The people were so friendly and the area was beautiful, with small farms, orchards and horse ranches. Larry says that it reminds him of every John Wayne movie because of the red rocks and the beautiful mesas and mountains.
Anyway, we bought a lot and built a house. That was 15 years ago and we haven’t regretted it for a moment. This is a beautiful place to live, we have met some wonderful people and made some great friends.
Happy trails, Cheryl
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It’s like your mom came up there with you! Now I have to see her in that movie! What a beauty she was.
“Utah” is one of the best Roy and Dale movies, too.
Author
Hi Pie, I agree that “Utah” was a good movie. However, God Bless Hollywood, Utah was made in Lone Pine, CA.
Cheryl
Very well deserved! Great story.
What an honor for your Mother and for you to represent her! Growing up in Ohio we were very poor and I was working by the time I was four-teen. Didn’t have a childhood or tv much so didn’t know the history of Roy Rogers and Dale Evans and your family. I am 72 now and discovered all the old movies of Roy and Dale on the internet and have really been enjoying them! I have also been reading some of Dale’s books and the two you wrote. I must say I am very impressed with your family and amazed I missed so much ! Very grateful they did so much for disabled children. May God continue to bless all the family of Roy and Dale in years to come.
I enjoy reading about you family. As a professional entertainer singer/songwriter who yodels and is a melodic whistler as well, I really enjoy the Sons of The Pioneers and their great songs with those wonderful arrangements. Roy and Dales voices, to me are the appitome of western duets.