, 33° F
(Aug. 16, 1933 - Jan. 17, 2012)
Otis A. Wilkerson, 78, died on Jan. 17, 2012 at his residence in Cody.
Otis was born Aug. 16, 1933 in Basin, the son of Otis C. and Bessie (Taylor) Wilkerson.
Odie’s mother’s family came from Nebraska in a covered wagon and homesteaded in Basin. His grandfather came from West Virginia to Basin in 1897 to work for Skovgard Cattle Company on the Greybull River.
At a very early age, Odie left home and went to work for the Padlock Ranch in Dayton, where he worked with Bill Nolan starting colts. He later moved to Washington State to work at a sawmill. He was married the first year he worked for Swanburg Brothers Sawmill and the next year his son Wayne was born. After working at the sawmill he began working for various ranches around the Washington and Oregon areas.
He always said the best job he ever had was working for the Ox Bow Ranch in Prairie City, Ore. This ranch was 100,000 acres and ran cows and cutting/reining horses. Odie worked strictly with the horses, foaling them to starting them at about 15 months old. This ranch had a few horses go to the Cutting Horse World Finals while Odie worked for them. One time they flew Odie to Reno, Nev., to put shoes on the horse that went on to win the finals there that year.
Odie was a true horseman and never came across a horse that he didn’t see something good in. He could always bring out the best in a horse. He enjoyed steer tripping and team roping with his son Wayne in his younger years.
He enjoyed spending the summers in the Big Horns camping, riding and fishing. Later in his life, he enjoyed conversations about good horses with good friends and family. He will be sorely missed.
Otis is survived by his son: Wayne Wilkerson, Ore.; two grandchildren: Seth and Micah Wilkerson; seven great-grandchildren; siblings: Pete Wilkerson, Patsy Davenport, Muriel Glissan; brother-in-law: Ted Morris and Annie Ringler Poe, of Cody; Roy, Trent, Sage, and Coulter Reed of Cody.
He was preceded in death by his parents and four siblings.
Memorial services will be held at Ballard Funeral Home on Saturday, Jan. 28 at 10 a.m. An online guestbook is available at www.ballardfh.com.
