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Driggers -- Howard Houston Driggers, 69, born September 8, 1932 in Santa Rosa, NM died April 3, 2002 at his home in Halfway, OR. A Celebration of Howards Life and Potluck will be held on Sunday, April 14, 2:00 p.m. at the Lions Hall in Halfway, Oregon. A Memorial Service will also be held in New Mexico later this summer. The son of WI (Buster) and Mary Major Driggers, a prominent NM cattle ranching family, he was raised on the Bar Y Ranch in Santa Rosa with his sister, Jane Ellen; and brothers, Don and Robert. He attended high school in Santa Rosa and college at New Mexico State University at Las Cruces NM. After college he went back to the Bar Y and Cabra Springs Ranch. He married Joann Shoemaker in 1954. They moved to Joann's home town of Watrous, NM, in 1957 and ranched there the next 15 years. Four children were born in nearby Las Vegas, NM. Howard was active in the local community as 4-H leader, Farm Bureau President and member of the local school board. He was also president of the Rough Riders Rodeo Association in Las Vegas. He was New Mexico State High School All Around Cowboy in 1950 and later a member of the college rodeo team at NM State. His love of rodeo led him to many years coaching kids in rodeo events both in New Mexico and Oregon. He and his family moved to Haines in 1972 where Howard continued his tradition of helping kids, coaching the Baker High School Rodeo Team for many years. He coached many High School and College rodeo athletes for many years after his children graduated. He and his family raised horses and cattle on their ranches in NM and Oregon. He was a Lifetime Member of the American Quarter Horse Association. Howard was dedicated to the community he lived in and enhanced it in many ways. He extended a helping hand to anyone in need and helped many people in special ways. He was an especially soft touch for children and animals. He and Joann moved to Halfway in 1998 where Howard was active in the community and made many new friends. While there he enjoyed his new hobbies of cooking and gardening. He loved indulging his friends with excellent home grown meals and even winning ribbons at the county fair with some of his recipes. Howard will be greatly missed by his many friends and family members. He is survived by Joan Driggers, his Aunt Louise Major, two brothers, Don and Robert, three sons, Warren, Arlen and daughter-in-law Dana and Kyle, one daughter Dixie and son-in-law Bill Quigley and by three grandchildren Keri, Elizabeth and Nicole. Memorial contributions may be made to the Eastern Oregon University Rodeo Team or the New Mexico Boys Ranch through Tami's Pine Valley Funeral Home P.O. Box 543 Halfway, Oregon 97834
        Published on: Tue April 09, 2002