Obituary of Della Lange

Della was born June 3rd, 1933, in Haddam, Kansas. Her parents, Walter Lee (Jigg) Simon and Edna Shirley had pitched their tent under the cottonwoods in anticipation of making the local rodeo. Christened Effie Burdella, she was the younger sister of Earl and Francis and eight years later an older sister to Ruby. The family continued their nomadic existence, traveling around the countryside purchasing mules and horses for the Owen Brothers and supplying remount horses for the Army. In 1939, they settled in Limon where Lee and Edna purchased land and began farming and ranching. The small place became Home, and even though Della's lifestyle lent itself to that early nomadic existence, Home was her first everlasting love and greatest source of peace. As a young girl, the family's fame and expertise in the growing professional rodeo sport led Della to an interest in trick riding and roping. At the Hugo fairgrounds she was shown some tricks by Jean and Shorty Creed. Her first performance was at the age of thirteen in Eads, Colorado. She was paid seventy five dollars. Eventually, Francis and Cousin Erma Jean joined Della and the three combined their trick riding, roping, and clown acts. Known as “The Simon Sisters” they were a featured act during rodeos and county fairs. Along with their double cousins, the Doc and Iva Simon clan, the “Simons from Limon” became well known in the mid-40s, 50s and 60s as one of the premier family dynasties of rodeo. At one time there were at least 14 Simons competing actively, more often than not at the same rodeo. Della was a carded member of the Cowboy Turtles Association, Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA) and the Girls Rodeo Association (PGRA). In 1952, Della married Norman Marble. A little cowgirl, Regina Jo, and a little cowboy, Walter Norman, soon joined the couple. Norman took a job north of Limon on the Texas owned Louis Brooks Ranch. In the years that followed their life was wrapped up in ranching, horses, horse shows, and rodeos. In January of 1964, while competing at the National Western Stock Show in Denver, Norman suffered from a fatal heart attack. He was 34. Della devoted the following years to her children. Finding support not only within the Simon family, but in the 1960's rodeo and horse show family, Della continued showing horses and barrel racing. Della never regretted the time spent with her children and always felt that they profited greatly by their interest in horses. She hauled them all over the western United States and Canada throughout their childhood. Della was multi-talented on a horse. She showed cutters, she was competitive as a calf roper, and could ride a reining horse, but Della was a barrel racer at heart. When the event first came to Colorado she vividly recalls the early days of barrel racing. Della was quoted as saying, “It was in the early 1950's that barrel racing really got going here in Colorado and I can remember the first barrel race held at the Greeley 4th of July rodeo. Jo set the pattern while the announcer explained the event. There weren't many girls running barrels to start with, but the crowds really took to the event. Another thing that I think appealed to the rodeo committees was they found that they could add, maybe $100, to a barrel race and have a crowd pleasing event without paying 2 or 3 times that for a contract act. Barrel Racing was here to stay.” In 1956, Della was in Memphis and Little Rock trying to barrel race with young daughter, Jo along. She realized that she would not be able to travel as much in the future as she would like so she began to try to drum up interest in forming a state barrel racing chapter. “It was not until 1960 that we really got the chapter started.” Della said. “I mailed out post cards to all the barrel racers that I could locate, and we met at Roy Barnes Western Store in Denver and formed the chapter. It was a long time coming about but we finally got it together. Although I organized the Colorado chapter, the growth and strength has come from many working members through years.” Another major contribution that Della made was to get the first Colorado GRA Horse Sale started. The first sale was held at Farmers and Rancher's Livestock Commission in Fort Collins in 1967. She also organized the Colorado Barrel Racing Futurity and Derby which was a front runner in the early promotion days of young barrel horses. In 1969, Della married Bill Lange, a Colorado State Brand Inspector. They raised and raced thoroughbreds for a few years but finally settled full time on Little Springs Ranch, south west of Limon. During their early retirement years they enjoyed raising chickens, calves, goats, sheep, border collies, yorkies, and eventually miniature Australian shepherds. Bill and Della also restored sheep wagons with Walt and daughter-in-law Julie, one of which is housed at the Limon Heritage Society. They also developed a Renta-Stall business allowing themselves to keep a hand in the horse business. Bill and Della traveled to regional craft shows selling items that she promoted and they made. There was no greater joy for Della than to be home. After Bill’s death in 1999, Della enjoyed reading Louis L'Amour, listening to Tony Hillerman tapes, making jewelry, writing a little poetry, and gardening. Her last travels were with Jo to Texas where Della picked out the 'yellow” cow horse mare and stayed in the living quarters of the trailer. During the summer of 2014, she went to Stock Horse competitions with Jo and managed to coach from her three wheeled scooter in the warm up pen. She liked to have those she cared about around her and enjoyed her second career as a grandparent to Katie, Connie, Chance, Echo, and countless students of Jo's. Della is survived by her daughter Regina Jo (Ron) Downey of Limon; her son Walter (Julie) of Atwood, Kansas and their children Echo of Atwood and Chance (Michelle) of Goodland, Kansas. Her sister Ruby (Wes) Schoonover of Hugo survives her as do many cousins, nieces and nephews and a multitude of friends. She is also survived by Bill's children, Steve (Wanda) of Arvada and Susan (Perry) McCauley of Dallas, Texas together with 7 step-grandchildren and 8 step-great grandchildren.