Tooele cowboy, World War II vets chosen as honorees for Tooele and Grantsville Fourth of July parades

The Fourth of July holiday is a time for fun, fireworks, family and friends. Of course, no Independence Day holiday would be complete without a parade, and no parade would be complete without the grand marshals.

Both Tooele and Grantsville cities will host Independence Day parades on Saturday.

Tooele

Tooele’s parade will kick off at 9 a.m. led by Grand Marshal Timmer McKendrick, who will lead the procession on horseback. McKendrick, a life-long resident of Tooele, has done much to serve the city throughout his life. He is very much at home on a horse, having ridden for most of his 78 years.

McKendrick got his first horse when he was 8 years old.

“I wanted a horse really badly and I managed to talk my folks into buying one. I would ride that thing all day long, it seemed like — poor old horse,” he chuckled. “I got another horse after that and later on kept buying different horses — training, selling, trading, breaking and selling. That’s what I did most of the time.”

He and his wife, Donna, have three children, 13 grandchildren and 15 great-grandchildren and riding is a part of all their lives to one degree or another.

“We always had a horse around for the kids to ride. They all competed in the Jr. Bit and Spur, rode in horse shows and drill team,” he explained.

Horses and agriculture are still part of their lives.

The McKendricks’ oldest son, Scott, has made a career of horses. Since graduating from Utah State University with a master’s degree in animal services 30 years ago, he has worked for USU Extension. He is currently over the equine program and small acreage for the Extension. A certified farrier, Scott also teaches horse shoeing classes at the university.

Timmer’s daughter, Robyn, graduated from USU in plant science. Their youngest son, Mark, graduated from USU in agricultural technology and is currently the county Parks and Recreation director for Tooele County.

Timmer spent much of his youth and adult life riding with the Tooele Bit and Spur Club. He has served on the board of directors, as president and as a district representative. The Bit and Spur selects the grand marshal.

His good influence has extended to other areas in Tooele as well. He served on the board of directors at Oquirrh Hills School and the board of directors of Settlement Canyon Irrigation Company. He also owned and operated Tim’s Disposal Company for many years. He worked for Tooele County for 31 years and retired in 1993 as county roads superintendent.

Along with his work, riding and training horses was a constant in McKendrick’s life for many years and he occasionally helped Clegg Livestock Company work with and move cattle.

However, as time passed, Timmer gradually developed knee problems. It grew painful to ride and he finally had to give it up about 20 years ago. He kept a horse at his home for a grandson for about 10 years, but now his barn and corrals are empty except for a few sheep.

McKendrick now spends his time restoring old cars and tractors, growing a little hay and, according to his wife, golfing.

The horses may be gone, but the memories and mementos are not. His son, Scott, will provide a good horse for the parade on Saturday and Timmer will mount it using his favorite saddle.

The saddle was specially made in 1955 by Noel Warr, a saddle maker in Salt Lake City. According to McKendrick, Warr was the premier saddle maker in Utah at that time.

“I was doing a lot of riding in horse shows at that time and it called for a nice-looking saddle. I went to [Warr’s] shop in his back yard and talked to him. You would order the saddle, it would come in in about 30 days and he would have them finished and ready for you about four months later. It cost $145, and I thought that was too much at that time,” McKendrick said. “Now, I’d guess a special-made saddle like that would cost $1000, $1,500 or more.”

Getting back on a horse again on Saturday will no doubt feel good to McKendrick and he is looking forward to it.

“It’s really a great honor and I am thrilled about having the opportunity to ride as grand marshal,” he said.

Grantsville

Grantsville City has decided to combine the serious side of Independence Day with the fun in its traditional parade on Saturday morning. July 4th celebrates the U.S. Declaration of Independence from England in 1776. American soldiers won that freedom and have maintained it through the 234 years since.

Mayor Brent Marshall chose the grand marshal and will through the four years of his tenure in office.

“I felt that veterans throughout time, especially in my era, have probably not received the recognition that they deserve. During my four-year tenure we will honor all the veterans that have served in the conflicts that the U.S. has been involved in. Knowing that World War II veterans are in elderly years, I thought it was appropriate that we honor them first. Next year we will honor veterans of Korea, the following year Vietnam, and then veterans of the war in the Middle East the fourth year,” he said.

Many of the 28 World War II veterans from Grantsville will ride as grand marshals on the lead float in Grantsville’s parade on Saturday at 11 a.m.

Jack Brown, who now lives in Weiser, Idaho, is one of the honorees and he will return to Grantsville to ride the float. He shares some similar memories of World War II military service with the other honorees. Memories of each of the men’s service are in some ways similar, but each also had his own unique experience.

Brown was raised on the Brown Ranch in Skull Valley before he went into the Army at age 24. He served in the 242nd field artillery battalion during his 43 months of Army life.

As a soldier, he spent about a month in Llantarnam, England, a staging area where trucks, machinery, weapons and other equipment was gathered to equip the soldiers for service. They crossed the English Channel and landed on Utah Beach in France before making their way to Germany.

“Have you ever wondered what sardines are like when you take them out of a can? That is what it felt like. We were in a converted cargo ship. Bunks were three high.

“As we crossed the channel, by the cliffs of Dover a ship close to ours was hit with a mine. I saw that. It lifted the ship’s end up out of the ocean. That was all we could know. It was our job to keep on going, but other ships rushed to help.

“When you are in the Army, you don’t know why they are doing anything — you just do it. You have lots of experiences that other people didn’t see that you remember,” Brown said.

Brown was the supply sergeant for G battery. His job was to keep 96 soldiers in clothes and functioning equipment as they crossed the continent to Germany.

Army life is rigorous and difficult, especially during war, and an occasional break helps make it bearable. One of the highlights of Brown’s service was an opportunity to travel to a stadium in Munich, Germany, for a USO show featuring Bob Hope.

“That was one of the highlights of the Army,” he said.

When word arrived in May 1945 that the war in Europe was over, Brown was in Kaufbeuren, Germany. He said the feelings among the soldiers at hearing the news was more of relief than anything. His unit was guarding prisoners of war — walking them up through Italy to Germany where they put the prisoners on trains and shipped them to France.

Brown was nearly 28 years old when the war ended and he came home. By then, the ranch in Skull Valley had been sold and he returned to his parents’ home in Grantsville where he met and married Donna Jean Kofford. They lived in Grantsville for much of their married lives and a daughter, Denise Fawson, still lives there. Their two sons, Greg and Gary, live near them in Idaho.

As Tooele County residents observe Independence Day, they can look to the grand marshals of Tooele’s and Grantsville’s parades to see excellent examples of valuable experience and service to community and country.