Woods are 2018 Parade Marshals

WAITSBURG – Jill Wood couldn't hold back the tears when she learned that she and her husband John had been selected the 2018 Waitsburg Celebration Days parade marshals.

"It means a lot because of the history. We lived Days of Real Sport from the time the girls were selected to court in the spring until the end of September. Days of Real Sport was a huge part of our lives," said Jill, who spent 20 years chaperoning DRS courts with John by her side.

John and Jill have strong community roots. They were both born and raised on wheat and livestock ranches near Waitsburg, and community involvement runs five generations deep.

Jill's great-grandparents migrated from Missouri to settle in Milton-Freewater. In 1919, Jill's grandfather, Howard Preston Smith and his wife, Lillian, leased a homestead just outside of Waitsburg.

Jill's parents, Jake Lee Smith and Frances (Burroughs) Smith married in 1932 and raised three children, Howard, Jill and Lassie, on the homestead. Howard and his wife, Dona Jean, who were 2017 parade marshals, still live on the property.

John's grandfather, George Edwin Wood, was born in Michigan, came west in 1883, and began homesteading near Lyon's Ferry in 1888. His first wife passed away in 1900, leaving him with five children. He then married Annie Maude Thompson and moved to a farm 10 miles northwest of Waitsburg.

John's father, Francis Wood, was the fourth of six children born to George and Annie. He married Mabel Horney, a teacher from Moscow, Ida., in 1933, and they spent a year on the family farm where their oldest son, Dan, was born. They then moved to Prescott where Frank, George, John and Kaye were born. In 1944, the family moved to a ranch nine miles north of Waitsburg, where the births of Jim and Jerry completed the family.

Francis was Days of Real Sport parade marshal in 1973 and he and Mabel were named Pioneers of the Year in 1992 for their many contributions to the community.

John and Jill began their successful partnership at an early age. John attended school in Waitsburg just one year ahead of Jill, and the two began dating in high school. They will celebrate their 60th anniversary in December.

John enjoyed playing football, basketball and baseball in high school and was active in FFA. He recalls that, at one time, his family held the state record for having the most FFA State Farmers in one family.

One of John's most memorable, if not favorite, high school memories, is of breaking two football helmets in one game against St. Pat's (now DeSales).

"I played tackle and started as a freshman. (We didn't have a gob of kids.) I ended up with a concussion. They were out to put me out of the game!" he said.

Jill was a high school cheerleader, student body secretary, attended Girl's State and was Rainbow Worthy Advisor. She was very active in the Walla Walla Wagonettes where she served as president and drill leader.

Both John and Jill were active in the 4-H livestock club, led by Carl and Ivadell Nordehim, and participated in the Junior Livestock Show.

The couple married after Jill graduated and moved to a home on the family farm where John farmed with his father.

"Out of six boys I was the only one that wanted to farm," he said.

They spent 50 years on the family farm, where their children, John Jr., Elizabeth (Cole) and Corinne (Stevens) were born. In 1993 the couple moved to Starbuck where they worked side-by-side riding, branding and calving as managers of the Tucannon Ranch.

The Woods were active in the Waitsburg community throughout their adult lives. John was a fire commissioner and Lions Club president while Jill was involved in Sonoita Club, PEO and had the distinction of being honored as the first lady to be awarded Honorary Chapter Farmer of the Waitsburg FFA. Both were very active members of the Junior Livestock Show Board for many years.

The couple was highly involved in the Days of Real Sport. John and his father were field judges for the races and John helped pony horses. Both served on the Days of Real Sport committee "forever."

Jill began chaperoning the Days of Real Sport court in 1960, when she was pregnant with her second child.

"Erma Lee Smith was my mentor, and we worked with the girls teaching them horsemanship and safety working with horses. We would start when the court was selected in the spring and run through September, attending about 15 shows a season. We also carried the Days of Real Sport banners in parades in front of the court. It was a huge responsibility," Jill said.

Jill said her favorite parade was the Pendleton Round-Up Parade, which was the last parade she attended as a chaperone.

"Every parade had its own uniqueness and challenges," she said. "John traveled along if he wasn't farming, and was diligent to make sure the pickup and trailer were in good working order. He was behind us one hundred percent, making sure whatever we needed was supplied."

The couple also reminisced about belonging to the Waitsburg Saddleers riding club.

"Back in those days each little town – Pomeroy, Walla Walla, Pendleton, Milton-Freewater – had their own riding club. And in between the Days of Real Sport races, the clubs would engage in competitions and activities like barrel racing, a musical rope race, bareback and baton relays. There was a huge amount of activities and it really brought the towns together. That friendly competition added a great deal of excitement," Jill said.

"I remember the relay races as being pretty exciting. It was kind of a favorite event, almost more so than the race itself," John said.

Even after their involvement with the Days of Real Sport ended, John and Jill continued to ride in parades carrying a flag for someone or riding as a family. Daughters Elizabeth (1976) and Corinne (1979) and granddaughter Chelsey (Murdock) Smith (2002) were all Days of Real Sport royalty.

During Chelsey's reign, John and Jill rode matching mules as they carried the Days of Real Sport flag ahead of the court all season.

"They provided a safe horse for whoever needed to borrow in Waitsburg, Dayton or Walla Walla for run-ins, parades and Wagonette drills. People knew to check with them when they needed something," Elizabeth said.

Now in their seventies, both continue to ride. Jill carried the 100-year celebration American flag for the Pendleton Round-Up parade and the 150-year celebration American flag last fall in the Walla Walla Fair and Frontier Days Parade.

They also continue to be active in their community of Starbuck. John serves on the city council and Jill served many years on the school board. She is currently on the Christian Women's Connection committee, and both are active members of the Starbuck Community Church.

Jill said she was shocked and honored to learn they had been selected as parade marshals. "This is so special. Crossing the Main Street Bridge into Waitsburg always feels like coming home, and the Days of Real Sport was such a huge part of our lives for so many years," Jill said. "It was a very, very positive experience."

The Woods won't be taking a seat to ride in a convertible in this year's Celebration Days parade, either. John will ride The Duke, a buckskin Quarter Horse, and Jill will ride Whetstone Quincy, a bay roan Quarter Horse.