SAN ANGELO, Texas — Baptist Retirement Community kicked off rodeo season with a western-themed barbecue luncheon for its more than 200 residents Thursday afternoon.
“Everybody loves rodeo week, it’s a lot of the residents that moved to our community moved from ranches, we’re a very strong farm and ranch community and so we’re a little mini demographic of San Angelo at large in West Texas. So that is what people know that is a lot of their background and a lot of them are still very active in the farm and ranch and rodeo industry,” Baptist Retirement Community Executive Director, Aaron Hargett, said.
BRC resident Don Patton said rodeo season to him has always meant something dearly to his heart.
“Rodeo has been a part of my life. I grew up my dad running around with rodeo cowboys. When they come into the house every year I said I'm going to be a cowboy, they gave me a hat and I still have it on,” Patton said.
Patton started off as a bronc rider and then began entertaining the crowd as a rodeo clown. He spent 30 years of his life bringing smiles to people’s faces.
“I started clowning in 1949, I was in college and I clowned the college rodeos. I went to Colorado and Wyoming and Nebraska, I've been there clowning,” Patton said.
While Patton has hung up his clown nose and shoes, the memories always bring a smile to his face.
“Very enjoyable, met a lot of wonderful people. It’s just like being in the service, you live with them day and night, they become brothers,” Patton shared.
BRC residents also had the opportunity to listen to a live performance by a country band.