b'A COWBOY RESTS IN HEAVENROBERT C. NORRIS APRIL 10, 1929 -NOV. 3, 2019 B ob was born onhead of horses and more than 1,000 cow and calf pairs, andNorris served as 1982 American Quarter Horse April 10, 1929,eventually to expand to a 63,000-acre spread. A second ranchAssociation president, as president of the Rocky in Chicago, Ill.,was later established in Arizona. After 69 years, the T-CrossMountain Quarter Horse Association, and served on to Delora and LesterRanches have one of the most distinguished reputations innumerous boards, including the Colorado Board of Norris. He attendedthe industry, with well-established leadership in both QuarterAgriculture, the Pikes Peak Cattlemans Association, to the University ofHorse and cattle operations. name only a few. He received a 55-year pin for Pikes Kentucky, where hePeak Range Riders in 2017 and became an honorary played football underHis tall, ruggedly handsome, lanky good looks landed himmember of Cowboys Artists of America. Coach Paul Williamthe unexpected role of the first Marlboro Man on television. Bear Bryant. The iconic commercials ranIn 2003, some unusual visitors for about 14 years in the U.S.came to the T-Cross, when the On June 24, 1950,and Europe. Bob regaled hisowner of five baby elephants he married his wifefriends with tales of variousleased stalls. The elephants had Jane Wright.Inmisadventures during thesebeen orphaned in Zimbabwe, 1953, the couple moved to Fort Collins, Colorado, where theyshoots, often highlighting therescued, and transported to bought the Rist Canyon ranch. As their family grew, theyfictional world of televisionthe U.S. At the urging of his moved to Black Forest in 1957, and subsequently created theirwith the real world of ranchingchildren, he adopted the baby permanent home in the Broadmoor area. Some years laterhe actually lived. Bob, never aelephant named Amy. When she they created a winter home in Paradise Valley, Arizona. smoker, abandoned the campaignfinally got too big for the ranch when he felt he was setting a poor 8 feet tall and weighing in at Bob fell in love with ranching. In 1950, Bob went into theexample for his children. 4,000 poundshe sent her to horse and cattle business, with one of his first purchases beingBuckles Woodcock in Florida, the T-Cross brandthe first brand registered in Colorado.His acting career might havewhere she enjoyed a comfortable, A few years later Norris established that brand with thecontinued, however, when Johnhumane life among other purchase of 20,000 acres that became the start of the T-CrossWayne offered him a role in the 1971 film Big Jake. Instead,elephants. In her retirement, Ranch south of Colorado Springs, later to be home to 150he and Wayne began a friendship when Bob helped withAmy lived at the Fresno Zoo, once again finding the stars first foray into thea home with animal companions and benevolent cattle business. Wayne camehumans who cared for her. Norris continued to visit to several of Norris horseAmy throughout her life until her passing in 2016. sales and the two becameShe often greeted him by first waving her trunk and close friends. Bob and Janethen hugging him around the waist with her leftspent more than a dozenfront foot.Thanksgivings with the Waynes at their Arizona ranch. The unusual relationship between Cowboy Bob and Amy the Elephant is chronicled in A Cowboy and His For a number of years, NorrisElephant by Malcolm MacPherson, published in 2001. was a member of the boardThe beautiful story is told again in the childrens book of trustees for the NationalCowboys Love Elephants Too by his daughter Carole Cowboy & Western HeritageSondrup, which was published in 2018 and won the Museum, also known as theprestigious 2019 Moms Choice Award.Cowboy Hall of Fame, which inducted John Wayne. NorrisBob and Jane loved their communities and their began serving on the boardfriends. They were the oldest members of the of directors in 1972 andCheyenne Mountain Country Club, and decades-long remained on the board untilmembers of Garden of the Gods Club, Broadmoor his own induction, at whichGolf Club, and the Paradise Valley Country Club in time he was included in aArizona. The family legacy continues with the T-Cross special category: The Hall ofranches in Colorado and Arizona, and with son Great Westerners. Bobbys successful ranch and horse-training operation near Fort Worth, Texas.What made Bob a great Westerner were qualities likeBob is survived by his eldest sister Lavern Gaynor of fairness and generosity, pairedNaples, Fla.; and by his and Janes four children: Steve with shrewd managementNorris; Carole Sondrup and son-in-law Ron Sondrup and a keen eye for quality. Hisof Windsor, Colo.; Leslie Penkhus and son-in-law Bob cattle, including Herefords,Penkhus of Colorado Springs; and Bobby Norris and Salers and a mix of the two,daughter-in-law JJ Norris of Fort Worth, Texas. Bob is attracted attention worldwide.also survived by 13 grandchildren including (children The ongoing developmentof Steve Norris) Shada Brazil, Steven Norris, and of the American QuarterKayla Norris; (children of Carol and Ron Sondrup) Horse was one of his primeRyan Sondrup, Jennifer Dunn, and James Sondrup; CONTACT US ANYTIME! interests, and his ranches(children of Leslie and Bob Penkhus) Robbie Penkhus, produced a long list ofJamie Cohen, and Chad Penkhus; and (children of champions, including TeeBobby and JJ Norris) Ashley Norris, Audra Norris, ArizonaRealCountryMagazine@gmail.com Cross, whom Norris bred andGates Norris, and Rhett Norris. Bob is also survived raised. Tee Cross became anby 18 great-grandchildren. or by phone at 602-254-6644 AQHA champion, winning in multiple events. 8 January 2020'