John Norman Wallingford

Norman was born October 23, 1924 in Hot Springs County at a midwife home on Owl Creek to Jack and Viola Wallingford. At a young age he started cowboying for Bill and Sadie Nicholson on Copper Mountain. Attending school in Thermopolis, he was a charter member of the Thermopolis FFA Chapter and graduated high school in 1942. He served in World War II as a Staff Sargent in the Army until 1945. Upon his return from the war he went back to cowboying, which in turn inspired him to purchase his own herd of cattle.

Norman married Patricia McCabe in 1948, together they raised their three children (Kathy, Connie and Doug) on Copper Mountain. He was actively involved in the Hot Springs County Farm Bureau and the Hot Springs County Memorial Hospital Board. Flying was also a hobby of his and held a pilot’s license, so he could fly to check cows on the mountain. He had a true love for both good cattle and good horses, he was true horseman and knew a good horse when he saw one.

Raising and training registered foundation quarter horses was something Norman truly treasured, the bloodline tracing back to Texas Blue Bonnet. His son and daughter in-law have continued the breeding program today. Norman took great pride in raising high quality horses and enjoyed watching his children and grandchildren successfully compete in rodeos and ride his horses on the ranch.

When Norman retired from ranching he enjoyed fishing and would travel with Pat, his camper and boat for weeks at a time. Norman was actively involved in the family horse breeding program until he passed away at the age of 78 on August 13, 2003.