Sisters Church honors local equestrienne

The Sisters Church of the Nazarene pulled out all the stops last Friday night to honor long-time congregant Pat Stephenson. The church was decorated in a Western theme and members wore Western hats, boots, silver buckles and bolo ties to pay tribute to a real woman of the West.

The evening was part of the church's annual honoring of a woman in the congregation. This year's event was called "Interview with a Cowgirl Pat Stephenson: Born to Ride."

Stephenson brought in three of her saddles, several bridles, bits and the fuzzy wool chaps she wears in the Sisters Rodeo and Christmas parades.

"The chaps aren't very practical," she chuckled, "but they sure keep you warm."

Photographs were on display of Pat's first horse, a pinto/Morgan cross named Rita; her time in the Arabian horse business and her family photos. All told an interesting story of her childhood and later raising a family in Oregon.

Stephenson was born in 1930 and was raised on a dairy farm in Corvallis. She grew up learning the meaning of hard work and tough times. She married her husband Bob after World War II and got down to the serious business of raising four children, who at one time were all under the age of 5.

"Before I got married, I didn't like kids, but over time I got to liking them better than adults," she quipped during a sit-down interview in front of the congregation with long-time friend Dianne Marr.

A member of the infamous "Saddlebags," Stephenson is a favorite among her peers.

"She's one tough cookie," said fellow Saddlebag member Shawn Biggers. "She calls it like it is, and at 81 she still rides her horse several times a week."

Stephenson lives next door to the Biggers family, and Shawn is amazed at Pat's ability to move irrigation hand lines, take care of her 10 acres and two horses. Stephenson's husband suffered a debilitating stroke, and can't do many of the chores around the ranch.

"But he's still great on the tractor," said Biggers.

"We try to give her a hand," said Biggers, "but most of the time she just tells us she doesn't need our help. She's a real pillar of strength and believes in hard work and doing it yourself. She's got a great sense of humor and a strong will."

Born of sturdy stock and equipped with a fair share of stubbornness, Stephenson has learned many valuable lessons through the years.

"I don't believe in worry," she smiled. "If something does happen, that's a good time to start worrying."

Before she married, Stephenson learned how to use a scythe, delivered milk with her sister out of an old truck, and did all the farm chores, including going after stray cows on a horse with no saddle or bridle.

"My sister and I had to be the boys," she laughed, "because there weren't any sons to do it."

She learned the fine art of pie baking at the age of 10. Her parents instilled a good work ethic and taught Pat the meaning of a dollar by paying her for her work.

"She paid me 10 cents a pie," said Stephenson

The Stephensons moved from the Valley to Sisters in 1990. They brought nine horses with them. They worked hard on their property, building a beautiful home and barn. Then in 1992 Bob had his stroke.

"That changed everything," she said. "Now he can't ride anymore, but I still go."

Dianne Marr summed up her friend's qualities in a few short words: gumption, guts and a great friend. Stephenson will join the other Saddlebags in the Sisters Christmas parade, still riding tall after all these years.