BOOTS, RICHARD AND LUCIE (JONES)

by Richard and Lucie Boots

Entry F24 from the History of Hooker County Nebraska
with permission of the Hooker County Historical Society

Richard and Lucie Boots moved to the
Hooker County, Nebraska area in the spring
of 1979. Both having origins in Grant County,
Nebraska.

Richard was the second child of Gerald O.
and Esther L. Hoffman Boots. Gerald's
family came to Grant County in 1914 from
Custer County, Nebraska and Esther's family
farmed in Buffalo County, Nebraska.

Richard was born south of Ashby, Nebras-
ka, 1943 on the ranch his Dad ran for
many ears. Others in the family were: Leroy,
Rodney and Ellen (White). They milked 14
cows to supplement their income. To this
day, Richard is not much of a cow milker. He
had a great love for horses. In the middle
1980's he added work horses to his collection
and purchased an old horse drawn mower and
rake. He would follow the tractor driven
mowers in the hay field.

Richard belonged to the N H S R A and N
S R A, participating in saddle bronc and
bullriding. In the fall of 1964 he won State in
bullriding. He retired from the riding events
and judged all forms of rodeos for the next
15 years. Three of his children participated
in high school rodeos.

Richard and Lucie Jones were married Oct.
23, 1965 in Hyannis, Nebraska. Lucie was the
only child of Richard and Lea Jones of
Hyannis. Richard Jones grandparents, John
and Sarah Jones, came to Grant County in
the late 1800's, from Buffalo County. His
Mother's family, Jessie Haney, originated in
Wilbur, Nebraska. Luselotta (Lea) Rupert
was born and raised in Germany. While in the
United States Army in Germany, Richard
and Lea were married. Lucie was born in
Wiesbaden, Germany, 1947. She
came to the United Stated in 1948 and was
naturalized in Broken Bow, Nebraska in
1969. Both Richard and Lucie graduated
from Hyannis High School.

Richard Boots worked for Pete Becker at
Ashby for 20 years. While there, three
children were born to Richard and Lucie.
Tony Lama in 1966, Tonya Lee in 1969, and
Thomas Andrew in 1972. In the spring of 1979
the Boots moved to the Farrar Cattle Co.,
south of Mullen, working for Helen Farrar.
Nocona Kay was born in 1982. Tony is in his
second year at the University of Nebraska,
studying broadcasting. Tonya is a freshman
at Kearney State College, Thomas is a
sophomore at Mullen High School and
Nocona started kindergarten in 1987.