pictured above: back roll left to right, Ronnie Wilson, Chancy Wilson, Shayne Porch, Joe Wilson.  Front left to right , Fred Heathershaw, Jeremy Meeks, Rollie Wilson and Gus Wilson.  

Verna Rose Heathershaw, Oglala Lakota,  Medicine Root District, Pine Ridge Indian Reservation, Pine Ridge, South Dakota passed away in 1997 from complications of Sugar Diabetes.  She left behind 4 generations of cowboys and cowgirls,  that she was very proud of.  Her rodeo life started as a young mother of 6 boys and 3 girls, all of whom at sometime in their life competed in the great sport of rodeo. It was and still is a way of life for the Heathershaw family.  Starting with competing in the Ranch Days events to High School Rodeo to 4 H Rodeo to Great Plains Indian Rodeo to South Dakota Rodeo Association or any rodeo that they could travel to and enter and usually bringing  home the prize.

Nov. 13  Friday night performance at the INFR  in Las Vegas was hosted by Ft.McDowell Indian Reservation (Az)as Native American Diabetes Awareness Night.  The Verna Heathershaw family proudly wore red shirts in memory and honor of their mother and grandmother.  There was 1 son, 1 son-in-law and 5 grandson s that wore Red Shirts in memory of her.  Son, Fred Heathershaw worked as a gate man, son in-law Ronnie Wilson(married to Brenda Heathershaw Wilson) and grandson Chancy Wilson, Wilson Rodeo Stock Contracters  & Shayne Porch (married to granddaughter Heidi Heathershaw) a pick-up man.  Grandsons,  Rollie Wilson won All Around Cowboy (2007 & 2009), Joe Wilson Bareback Championship, sons of Brenda (Heathershaw) Wilson, Jeremy Meeks son of Marilyn (Heathereshw) Halverson bought home the Saddle Bronc Championship and Wilson Rodeo Stock  “Fircracker” won bucking horse of the year.