Leslie Marvin Masterson, May 15, 1928 to Oct. 29, 2015

Published 6:24 am Thursday, November 5, 2015

Les Masterson, 87, passed away on the evening of Oct. 29, 2015, at his home in Alpine, Ariz., after an extended bout with cancer and heart disease. He passed away quietly, surrounded by his family. Les was born May 15, 1928, to Angie and Jesse Masterson in Tillamook, Ore. He was the second-youngest of six children. He graduated from Enterprise High School in 1947.

In 1945, Les began a career as a stock contractor and part-time rodeo cowboy. After high school he began a full-time job with Harley Tucker and it wasn’t long before he was putting on rodeos himself. Les also squeezed in some saddle bronc rides when Harley wasn’t looking. When they weren’t putting on rodeos, they were back at the Tucker Ranch haying, tending to stock or riding in the divide to bring in horses or cattle.

After several years of working for Harley, Les tried his hand in the dude ranch business in Palm Springs, Calif., then worked his way to Tennessee and Northern Alabama, where he did some farming, rounded up wild cattle and even worked in some time to rodeo himself. After returning to Palm Springs in 1954, he married Jean Warren of Spokane, Wash., who had been working summers at Wallowa Lake, where they met when Les was working for Harley.

Not long after marrying, the couple went to Tennessee and spent about 18 months working the farms and ranches he had worked during his previous stay. Les and Jean returned to Wallowa County, where they worked ranch jobs on Fence Creek and Lightning Creek for Walter Brenan, finally winding up on the Vern Hays ranch in 1957. Les worked on the Hays ranch until 1961 and then went to town for a bit to work for Snyder Lumber. In 1964, Les went to work for Merton Wade near Lostine until 1974 and then returned to the former Hays ranch for three years when they took on the Stubblefield ranch upriver Imnaha, where they stayed until 1982.

They sold out and went back to the valley where Les worked for several years helping Pat Wortman ranching and some work in the woods. Les finally retired (for the most part) in 1993. Les and Jean spent several years snow-birding to Arizona until 2000. He stayed in Wallowa County until 2010, when he moved to Arizona to live with his son Burke and daughter-in-law Ann at their bed and breakfast, where he stayed until his passing.

Les loved all facets of ranch life and probably was most happy being on horseback and taking care of the cattle. He loved to hunt and even fish a little. He took pride in raising his kids up right and making sure they turned out to be good responsible people. He was a volunteer fireman when he lived in town and actively participated in community programs and organizations.

Les is survived by his son Burke and daughter-in-law Ann, both of Alpine, Ariz., four grandchildren and four great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his wife Jean, who passed in 1998, daughter Terri (1977), siblings Irene, Edna, Betty, Harold and Robert.

Thank you Dad! You were a great husband, father and friend. We love you and miss you. A celebration of his life will be held at 1 p.m. Monday, Nov 16 at the Bollman Funeral Home with private Internment at the Enterprise Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be sent to the Hospice Foundation of the White Mountains, 1789 W. Commerce Dr., Lakeside, AZ, 85929, or to Friends of the Enterprise Cemetery — contact Sondra Lozier, 104 W. Main St., Enterprise, OR, 97828.