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Vernon C. Dutton from Junction and Rocksprings, Texas traveled on to greener pastures March 11, 2022.
Vernon was born in Kimble County on January 26, 1931, the son of Velma and Harold Dutton. He graduated from Junction High School in 1948.
Vernon first started to school by riding his horse and eventually graduated to a horse drawn wagon pulled by a black and white horse named Tip Toe. His brother drove the buggy while Vernon and his sister, Winona, opened the gates. The small two roomed country school was called “Murr” and was about four miles from the Dutton ranch. Vernon always said he was the smartest first grader, which could certainly be true, as he was the only first grader at Murr. In 1938, the Murr school closed, so Vernon then had to ride the Murr school bus 60 miles round trip each day. The Dutton kids still had to rely on their buggy and Tip Toe to get to the neighbors to catch the bus!
Vernon spent his young life on the Dutton ranch in Kimble County where he began working at an early age. During this time, a ranch hand named Davee taught Vernon to speak Spanish. Vernon had a love for horses and good dogs, and on holidays and summer breaks, there were always horses to be broken and ridden and dogs to be trained. The love of horses could be traced back to Vernon’s maternal heritage on the Baylor side.
After high school graduation in 1948, Vernon attended John Tarleton College and had planned to transfer to Sul Ross, when his father bought ranch land south of Rocksprings, Texas. Instead, he moved to this property that had an abundance of cedar trees and soon became known as the “Cedar Break.” Vernon lived there working during the week and rodeoing on the weekends with his Rocksprings friends, Buck and Dink Tomlinson, Gene Graham and Roger Rudasill. This group made many local rodeos and ventured as far away as Madison Square Garden in New York. He told the tale of country boys arriving in New York City for the rodeo and needing a place to park. Unfortunately, the specific parking spot they needed was occupied. No problem for them, they all jumped out and each one grabbed a corner and lifted this car out of the parking spot and quickly maneuvered theirs in! Rough stock judging at rodeos became a loved profession for Vernon as time went on. He and Alta Mae drove to many, many rodeos where he worked as a judge. There are so many stories we never knew.
Early in 1951, “Uncle Sam” called Vernon into the US Army, but due to a back injury caused from a bull ride, he was released. In early November 1951, Vernon married Alta Mae Miller in the Rocksprings Methodist Church. They lived in several placed as the drought impacted everyone. Vernon worked for J.D. Varga Wool and Mohair and Rocksprings Wool and Mohair for 18 years; owned the Edwards County Lumber Company in Rocksprings; owned an interest in the Junction Stockyards in Junction, Texas and eventually returned to his heritage of ranching.
He was a Master Mason with Lodge #758 in Rocksprings and had received his 50 year pin.
Vernon never saw a stranger. People did not forget him, once they met, as he was always chewing on a cigar and having a great time in life. His friends were forever trying to light the cigar, but it never happened!
Vernon’s mother was a natural poet, jotting down jingles on feed sacks or whatever she had to write on, back in the early days. He inherited that talent, as he would recite poems from memory for hours, especially on long road trips.
Vernon was preceded in death by his wife of 51 years, Alta Mae Miller Dutton; brother, Dwayne Dutton; sister, Winona Dutton; and parents, Velma and Harold Dutton.
He is survived by daughter, Zackie Dutton Dunbar and husband, Larry; son, Cody Miller Dutton and wife, Amy; grandchildren, Ned Dunbar and wife, Morgan, Tyann D. Townsend and husband, Joe, Tonya Dunbar, Kyle Dutton, Tyler Dutton and wife, Rebecca, and Stran Dutton; 13 great-grandchildren; brother, Jerry Dutton and wife, Jan; sisters-in-law, Fern Dutton and Mary Elizabeth Knowles.
Graveside services will be held at 3:00 PM, Wednesday, March 16, 2022 at Rocksprings Cemetery, Rocksprings, Texas.
Condolences may be sent at www.grimesfuneralchapels.com.
Funeral arrangements are entrusted to Grimes Funeral Chapels of Kerrville.
Vernon was born in Kimble County on January 26, 1931, the son of Velma and Harold Dutton. He graduated from Junction High School in 1948.
Vernon first started to school by riding his horse and eventually graduated to a horse drawn wagon pulled by a black and white horse named Tip Toe. His brother drove the buggy while Vernon and his sister, Winona, opened the gates. The small two roomed country school was called “Murr” and was about four miles from the Dutton ranch. Vernon always said he was the smartest first grader, which could certainly be true, as he was the only first grader at Murr. In 1938, the Murr school closed, so Vernon then had to ride the Murr school bus 60 miles round trip each day. The Dutton kids still had to rely on their buggy and Tip Toe to get to the neighbors to catch the bus!
Vernon spent his young life on the Dutton ranch in Kimble County where he began working at an early age. During this time, a ranch hand named Davee taught Vernon to speak Spanish. Vernon had a love for horses and good dogs, and on holidays and summer breaks, there were always horses to be broken and ridden and dogs to be trained. The love of horses could be traced back to Vernon’s maternal heritage on the Baylor side.
After high school graduation in 1948, Vernon attended John Tarleton College and had planned to transfer to Sul Ross, when his father bought ranch land south of Rocksprings, Texas. Instead, he moved to this property that had an abundance of cedar trees and soon became known as the “Cedar Break.” Vernon lived there working during the week and rodeoing on the weekends with his Rocksprings friends, Buck and Dink Tomlinson, Gene Graham and Roger Rudasill. This group made many local rodeos and ventured as far away as Madison Square Garden in New York. He told the tale of country boys arriving in New York City for the rodeo and needing a place to park. Unfortunately, the specific parking spot they needed was occupied. No problem for them, they all jumped out and each one grabbed a corner and lifted this car out of the parking spot and quickly maneuvered theirs in! Rough stock judging at rodeos became a loved profession for Vernon as time went on. He and Alta Mae drove to many, many rodeos where he worked as a judge. There are so many stories we never knew.
Early in 1951, “Uncle Sam” called Vernon into the US Army, but due to a back injury caused from a bull ride, he was released. In early November 1951, Vernon married Alta Mae Miller in the Rocksprings Methodist Church. They lived in several placed as the drought impacted everyone. Vernon worked for J.D. Varga Wool and Mohair and Rocksprings Wool and Mohair for 18 years; owned the Edwards County Lumber Company in Rocksprings; owned an interest in the Junction Stockyards in Junction, Texas and eventually returned to his heritage of ranching.
He was a Master Mason with Lodge #758 in Rocksprings and had received his 50 year pin.
Vernon never saw a stranger. People did not forget him, once they met, as he was always chewing on a cigar and having a great time in life. His friends were forever trying to light the cigar, but it never happened!
Vernon’s mother was a natural poet, jotting down jingles on feed sacks or whatever she had to write on, back in the early days. He inherited that talent, as he would recite poems from memory for hours, especially on long road trips.
Vernon was preceded in death by his wife of 51 years, Alta Mae Miller Dutton; brother, Dwayne Dutton; sister, Winona Dutton; and parents, Velma and Harold Dutton.
He is survived by daughter, Zackie Dutton Dunbar and husband, Larry; son, Cody Miller Dutton and wife, Amy; grandchildren, Ned Dunbar and wife, Morgan, Tyann D. Townsend and husband, Joe, Tonya Dunbar, Kyle Dutton, Tyler Dutton and wife, Rebecca, and Stran Dutton; 13 great-grandchildren; brother, Jerry Dutton and wife, Jan; sisters-in-law, Fern Dutton and Mary Elizabeth Knowles.
Graveside services will be held at 3:00 PM, Wednesday, March 16, 2022 at Rocksprings Cemetery, Rocksprings, Texas.
Condolences may be sent at www.grimesfuneralchapels.com.
Funeral arrangements are entrusted to Grimes Funeral Chapels of Kerrville.