9 minute read
From the Field
In Passing
Arlo Janssen, 82, Klamath Falls, Ore., passed Nov. 4, 2021. He was born Jan. 8, 1939, to Herschel “Pete” Janssen and Marian Craig Janssen. He married Abbie Ryan on March 17, 1967, and they had one daughter, Andra Campbell, on Dec. 15, 1971. Arlo and Abbie divorced in 1973.
Arlo was active in sports in high school and received a full-ride scholarship to Kansas State University for basketball. In typical Arlo style, he walked into, and out of, his first classroom the same day. He served in the Army from 1961-63, stationed in Paris.
Arlo’s passion was showing cattle, and he hit the trail from his hometown of Lorraine, Kan., where he had a farm and started fitting and showing registered Hereford cattle. He formed Mid-America Cattle Co., a professional fitting and showing service and hauled cattle all over the country. Arlo moved to Darby, Mont., continuing with his fitting service.
Arlo exhibited a number of prestigious champions. L1 Pacesetter was the 1983 and 1984 National Western Stock Show (NWSS) grand champion bull and set the pace in the ’80s as the two-time champion and one of the best breeding bulls of all time. L1 Challenger was the 1984 reserve champion at the NWSS, show bull of the year and five-time Roll of Merit (ROM) champion. Arlo exhibited the grand champion bull at five of the nine ROM shows that year. He was named Top Herdsmen during the 1984 stock show.
Shifting between Montana, Wyoming and Colorado, Arlo continued showing cattle and spending the summers in the mountains on horseback, which was his other passion. Few people know how much Arlo loved horses and mules. He also loved the mountains, and his wish was to be cremated and his ashes spread in the mountains of Wyoming.
Arlo judged several county fairs, state fairs and jackpot shows, including the 1972 National Junior Angus Showmanship Contest in Lexington, Ky.; the Western Junior Livestock Show in Rapid City, S.D., in 1981; the Arizona National in 2004; the Western National Angus Futurity in 1987; and Cow Palace in San Francisco, Calif.
In the mid ’90s, Arlo purchased a handful of cows from Green Gardens Angus Farm, which was his dad and brother, Dick’s, operation. Arlo bred most of the cows to TC Stockman and made a run of his own in the registered Angus world, showing TJ Amigo and TJ Poppy to several championship banners. Having now acquired Roll of Victory bull of the year and heifer of the year on his own, he continued showing and fitting cattle for both himself and outside breeders.
Arlo spent the last years of his life with his daughter in Klamath Falls, Ore. He is survived by Andra; his brother, Richard “Dick” Janssen; sisters, Arvo Jo Walker and Joyce Cotton; two grandchildren, Colton Campbell and Caitlin Leslie; and many great friends. He was preceded in death by his parents and sister, Rachel Janssen.
Lawrence Edward
Kuhlmann, 75, North Platte, Neb., passed Nov. 18, 2021. Lawrence was born to Orvil and Ella (Richiger) Kuhlmann on July 22, 1946, in North Platte, where he grew up. Lawrence graduated from North Platte High School with the class of 1964 and then attended Colorado State College in Fort Collins, Colo. During high school, he played American Legion baseball and was active in FFA, where he served as Nebraska state president. He went on to become the first president of the American Junior Hereford Association. The family’s involvement with the Hereford breed continues today with Kuhlmann Ranch.
After college, Lawrence returned home and to his lifelong work with Orvil E. Kuhlmann and Sons, Inc., where he was a director and past president. Lawrence also became a partner in K & L Tractor and helped start New Tek Manufacturing and Sunco Farm Equipment. Lawrence served on the NRD board for several years, was a member of Our Redeemer Lutheran Church and was an avid golfer.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Orvil and Ella Kuhlmann; sister-in-law, Carol Kuhlmann; and brother-in-law, George Haussler. Lawrence is survived by his wife and longtime partner, Char; stepdaughter, Shayna (Russell) Mavis; and brother, Ernie Kuhlmann, all of North Platte; sisters, Jeanene (Matt) Faw, Arapahoe, Neb., and Rosetta (Doug) Doucet, North Platte; grandchildren, Scarlett and Wyatt; and other family. James Edward Courtney, 90, Alzada, Mont., passed Nov. 19, 2021. Jim was born Oct. 29, 1931, to James M. and Dorothea (Bischoff) Courtney at the beginning of the Great Depression. Drought, dust and hard times were all he knew during his early childhood. This humble, meager beginning lit a fire within Jim to make everything he was involved in or touched better. Never one to fuss about the negatives of a situation, Jim looked at life through the lens that with hard work and determination, things could be done better and smarter.
With only a high school education, Jim was gifted with a vision and determination few possessed to succeed at ranching and raising livestock. His passion was to raise the best sheep and cattle. Otherwise, why put out the effort? He also felt an obligation to belong to organizations that worked to protect the land and championed agriculture. Throughout his life, he belonged to many county, state and national organizations and was often elected to leadership positions.
Jim married Hazel Summers on June 14, 1953. Ranching with sheep and Herefords, the couple were the perfect team and raised their family to know hard work, resiliently endure storms and setbacks, and learn to adapt as they faced challenges. The fifth Courtney generation is now calling the ranch home, continuing to build upon the foundation laid by decades of commitment and perseverance. Jim’s life was a master class in taking modest beginnings forward to a life well lived and passing it on to the next generation.
After Hazel passed in 2001, Jim married Della Crago in 2002, and they shared a love for Herefords and ranch life. Della passed in 2012. Alone again, he found companionship with Sondra Giacometto, and they married in 2013.
His family marveled at Jim’s ability to “never stop living.” During the past couple years, Jim faced health issues, including heart valve replacement, with a steady resolve to get better, but he never stopped driving to the ranch, going to great-grandkids’ programs and attending community events. He was passionate about living. He lived a full, ambitious and very accomplished life that impacted many. The Courtneys are proud to be his family.
Left to miss him are wife, Sondra; daughters: Lezlie (Larry) Moore, Vivian, S.D.; and Colleen Courtney, Belle Fourche; son, Tom (Jody) Courtney, Alzada, Mont.; 13 grandchildren; 18 great-grandchildren; sister, Virginia Ludwick, and her children, Roger and Jo, and their families; Hazel’s brother, Ned (Patsy) Summers and their family. Also saddened by his passing are Della’s and Sondra’s children and their families.
Jim was preceded in death by his parents; wife, Hazel; daughter, Jeanne Wombold; a stillborn daughter; second wife, Della; brother-in-law, Bill Ludwick; and Hazel’s sister, Betty, and her husband, Edwin Loken. Clifford Copeland, 89, Amistad, N.M., passed Nov. 24, 2021. Clifford was born on May 1, 1932, in Lubbock, Texas. He was the firstborn of Jack and Mary Alice Griggs Copeland. Clifford and Barbara Jean Mullins were married on June 22, 1952, in Ft. Sumner, N.M.
He is survived by his wife, Barbara, of more than 69 years; his son, Cliff (Pat) Copeland; grandson, Matt (Alyssa) Copeland; and great-granddaughter, Cally Jo, all of Amistad, N.M. Clifford is also survived by his brother, Ernest (Brenda) Copeland, Santa Rosa N.M.; his sister, Patricia Ritch, Clovis, N.M.; his sister-in-law, Barbara Jean Copeland, Clovis; and nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents; his brother, Otis Copeland; his brother-inlaw, Hugh Ritch; and nephews.
His family moved to Dumas, Texas, when Clifford was about 4 years old. His father, Jack, worked at the Shamrock Refinery and later opened a Drug Store in Dumas. Jack also started a small herd of Hereford cattle. Riding several miles on horseback to look Arlo Janssen after those Herefords became Clifford’s job at age 7 or 8. Thus, his love of Hereford cattle began and continued when his dad and grandad established the Copeland Ranch six miles south of Amistad in 1943. Clifford told of how happy he was to live on a real ranch. At 9 years old, he began doing chores, such as milking the cows, feeding the livestock and so on before and after riding the school bus to Amistad. He also joined the Amistad TNT 4-H Club, which would form a great deal of his life. He showed his first 4-H calf at the New Mexico State Fair in 1945 and never missed another State Fair until the 1990s. During that time, he not only showed cattle, but also won practically all the awards New Mexico had to offer in the 4-H program. He made several trips (by train) to Chicago to the National 4-H Convention. Clifford was honored by being asked to address the Saddle and Sirloin Club where, in his speech, he told the audience, “New Mexico is as big as Texas, just not rolled out as thin.” He also won the prestigious award of being one of four 4-Hers in the state to go to Washington D.C. and New York City. Clifford was a quality person all of his life — a sweet and loving son, husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather. He cared deeply for his family, his church and his Hereford cattle. He was always for his Amistad community, and among other things was instrumental in forming the Amistad-Hayden Fire Dept. He called the meeting of the community, which met in the Historic Amistad United Methodist Church basement, 41 years ago. He was the first Fire Chief and served as Chief for several years. He was also among those who fought for the Amistad School for more than 30 years when the district was trying to shut it down, and he joined the fight to keep the Amistad post office open. He was a lifelong member of the American Hereford Association (AHA), a member of the New Mexico Hereford Association, New Mexico Cattle Grower’s Association and the Amistad United Methodist Church. He served as the secretary of the Union County Fair Board for many years. Clifford and Barbara were longtime advisors for the New Mexico Junior Hereford Association and the New Mexico Junior Cattle Grower’s Association. Clifford and Barbara were honored to receive the Buck Ramsey Award from the Nara Visa Cowboy Gathering. The couple was also inducted into the AHA Hall of Fame, recognizing a lifetime achievement in the Hereford industry. He was a loyal and faithful friend to his neighbors, most of whom have preceded him in “going home,” as well as those who remain.
