Cottonwood Chronicle

By Lorie Palmer
Idaho County Free Press

“We’ve really come full circle now,” smiled Mike Heath.
“Our life has been a blessing and it’s a privilege to be asked to do this,” Marlene Heath added.
The couple, who will be married 60 years this year, will serve as the 2025 Border Days Grand Marshals.
The Heaths represent four generations of their family’s involvement with Border Days.
Mike was born in Lewiston and as a young boy moved to John Day Creek where he was raised on a ranch there. Marlene (Lowe) was born in Boise and then, as a child, moved to Cow Creek. The two met at Salmon River High School in Riggins.
“I believe it was 1953 when I attended my first Border Days Rodeo,” Mike said. “I was about 6 years old.”
The first generation in the family to be involved with Border Days was Mike’s father, Thomas “Bud” Heath. He served on the Border Days committee for more than 20 years.
“I remember plenty of workdays at the arena,” Mike recalled.
Mike and Marlene were involved with the Riggins Rodeo for 25 years, where their family competed in the rodeo arena. At this time, Mike was working as a cow boss on John Day.
They raised their two children, Vicky (now Smith) and Ron, and when their son was a sophomore in high school, they decided to go into full-time logging. They moved to Burns, Ore., for 11 years, where they both drove logging trucks. While there, Marlene helped revive the local high school rodeo team.
They returned to White Bird and later, with a few friends, started the White Bird Rodeo. That was more than 35 years ago now.
“We have had a lot of involvement in these three rodeos throughout the years,” Marlene nodded.
Mike’s uncle, Ken Heath, served in several Border Days Rodeo capacities, including being a rodeo clown and bullfighter. He was also an announcer for many years and served on the Border Days Committee for a decade.
Mike first entered the rodeo in 1963 and continued to compete: riding bucking horses, team roping, and several wins in the Wild Horse Race during the next 20-plus years. He worked as a chute boss at the rodeo, as well. He and Marlene helped Gill Rodeo produce the rodeo for many years and Marlene worked with the Gill Palomino Rodeo Horses at the rodeos for at least eight years. She spent many hours behind the scenes preparing the horses for the rodeo and parades, and also served as royalty chaperone for several years.
Their son, Ron, competed in bareback and bull , and daughter, Vicky, in barrel racing. Their granddaughter, Michelle, served as Border Days Queen in 2004. Their grandson, Rylee, first entered the rodeo as a bareback rider in 2019.
“It’s in the family blood,” laughed Marlene.
In 2017, the Heaths moved to Okanagan, Wash., to be near their son and grandchildren there. About four years ago, they retired to their home just outside of Grangeville.
Now, Vicky and family live in Orofino and Ron and family live in Lewiston. The Heaths enjoy spending time with their family, which includes seven grandchildren, as well as eight great-grandchildren, who range in ages from 14 on down to not yet 2 years old.
The Heaths enjoy camping and side-by-side rides. Marlene likes to sew and read, as well as be outside.
“I guess my hobby now is cutting firewood,” Mike laughed. He also takes care of a large yard.
“We want to remain active — it’s really all we’ve ever known,” Marlene added.
The two said they have enjoyed their hard work throughout the years, even though, “We didn’t really realize it was hard work. We were just doing what we loved,” they said about their cowboy, cattle, rodeo, and logging way of life.
Marlene said their years in those lifestyles allowed them to travel all over the Northwest and meet “so many wonderful people.”
“People who say they don’t like so and so or didn’t get along with a neighbor — I just never understood that,” she shook her head. “I’ve never stayed anywhere where I met someone I didn’t like.”
Mike agreed that the rodeo family, especially, is a big one.
“They pitch right in and help when you need it,” he said. “We really cannot go anywhere where we don’t still know someone or have a connection because of all the years we’ve spent in rodeo.”

Marlene and Mike Heath with neighboring Brannan family horses at their fence. Photo by Lorie Palmer.

Mike Heath on bareback at the 1964 Border Days Rodeo. Contributed photo.

Marlene Heath (far right) with the Gill Palomino Rodeo Horses in 1981. Contributed photo.