The First Grandchild of the Gates Clan

             George Washington, the first president of our country, considered himself a farmer foremost. This quote by him illustrated how highly he regarded the agriculture field.

I know of no pursuit in which more real and important services can be rendered to any country than by improving its agriculture, its breed of useful animals, and other branches of a husbandman’s cares.

             This week, on August 9th, the eldest grandchild of Edmund Gates, Sr. and Mamie Tripp Gates, Ron Bledsoe will celebrate his birthday. He was born to Harry and Ella Gates Bledsoe in a turbulent time in our country, less than a year after the attack on Pearl Harbor.
             In my father’s World War II military recollections, Okie Over Europe, Dad recalled his final night in the States. He called Ron’s mother, Dad’s oldest sister. She was the only family member with a telephone! This is how Dad remembered the phone call:

Ron at 6 months of age

A portion of the final evening of Edmund’s stay in Syracuse was reserved to place a call to his oldest sister, Ella, at her home in Oklahoma City. He could not contact his parents since they did not have telephone service in their rural community. Edmund just wanted to personally connect with a loved one before he departed from the United States. Ella was overjoyed to hear from him. This fact became quite apparent during their brief conversation when he heard her baby crying in the background. Ronnie, Ella’s first child and Edmund’s first nephew, had been born earlier that year in August. Edmund commented to her about his crying and she responded, “Let him cry.” This remark revealed how important this exchange was to Ella because she was a doting mother and always adored her children. Only the unspoken knowledge that this might be the last time she could talk to her beloved brother was the impetus to allow her baby boy to cry.

Ron and his mother, Ella

                                                       Even though Ron grew up in Oklahoma City with urban influences, he always craved time at our grandparents’ farm west of Ralston on the Arkansas River. Jim and Herb were more like big brothers than uncles. Hunting, fishing, and even the agriculture activity interested Ron. Ron’s love of the farm, its people and the fondness of the memories connected to it are almost always mentioned whether we visit by email, phone or in person .
                 Grandma Gates had saved a couple of clippings that I discovered recently in a box given to me by Brenda Gates. Both clippings featured Ron’s success as a John Marshall High School student showing sheep at the Fort Worth Stock Show and the Oklahoma County Jr. Livestock Show.
                 Ron earned his degree at the University of Mississippi. As he began college, I was a preschooler anticipating beginning school myself. I remember what a big deal it was for my parents to have a nephew attending Ole Miss. To this day, Ron’s name gets mentioned when Ole Miss appears in the sports news.

Ron, Mary Beth, his beloved only sister, Ella, and
Harry, his father

               A third clipping nestled in Grandma’s keepsakes concerned Ron’s first place of employment following his graduation from Ole Miss. He had joined the Montgomery Ward Company. The newspaper story heralded his promotion as manager of the Ward’s store in Edmond, Oklahoma.

               The Bend never seemed far from his thoughts. He found himself employed with a former Bender, Travis Anson, during one season of his work career. Trav and Ron shared another connection. Dad retained baby photos of both. Their proud mamas, Fern Anson and Aunt Ella, had mailed Dad the cute pictures of their baby boys to Dad when he served in Europe in World War II.
              Following his retirement from Tinker Air Base, Ron and his wife, Stella, began full time ranching near Slaughterville south of Oklahoma City. The two of them worked diligently to create a spread anyone could be proud to own.
              Their youngest daughter, Gabby, shares a love of horses with her father. Ron faithfully helped Gabby train with some of the foremost instructors to become an accomplished equestrian during her years at home. Gabby’s competition in dressage introduced Ron, Stella, and Gabby to people very different from the horse lovers at the farm in the Bend so ever present in Ron’s memories. Nevertheless, a horse lover is a horse lover by any name. (For two other photos of Ron on farm horses, go to these blog postings at: https://bernadeanjgates.blogspot.com/2016/12/a-collage-of-christmas memories.html and https://bernadeanjgates.blogspot.com/2017/09/labor-day-at-101-ranch-and-family.html )

Stella, Gabby, Bernyce Gates, Ron in 2015 when
visiting Mother after her fall. 

             How ironic that the grandchild of Edmund Gates, Sr. with the largest ranch and cattle herd grew up in Oklahoma City! What profound affirmation of the captivating power of the Big Bend on some! In all fairness and commitment to truthfulness, I overheard a cousin relating the Gates girls (my father’s sisters) never had a desire to remain on the farm or marry someone who might entertain that notion.” Julia Irene Gates Newland, the only living child of my grandparents, once said upon being asked about taking a nostalgic visit to the farm, “Why would I want to go back to the farm? The farm was just dirt and hard work!”
             Even today, life in the Bend requires hard work, diligent management, acceptance of a less cushy life – sometimes spotty cell phone service, having to drive a piece for almost anything but good conversation and 101 other drawbacks. But for people like Ron who have become tethered to the land and all that represents, it is hard to be happy anywhere else.
             Ron values his faith and principles. Once Ron and I discussed the source of our faith even though our denominations differ. I stated the necessary belief that Jesus is our only hope of salvation. Ron concurred readily, "Of course, we can agree on that."
            Ron cherishes his children, Tammi, Candi, Ron, Jr., Geoffrey, Alan, and Gabby. What fun we have discussing the talents, uniqueness, and accomplishments of his grandchildren! Finally, Stella, his smart, hardworking wife, embraces Ron's goals and gives 200% to help him achieve them. Faith, Family, and Farm - Ron, you have them all!

Happy Birthday, Ron!