Page 57 - Senior Link Magazine Winter 2024 - Online Magazine

LOCAL LEGENDS

1989, and they are very proud of the Pecanderosa, the
“ranchette” in west Lubbock that they call home. You
can see R.G.’s artwork on his webpage and listen to
his Bob Phillips interview in the Texas Country Reporter
archives. He told me he would welcome you to come
visit him and take home all the pecan wood you can
burn and as many prairie dogs as you can handle.
Just like with R.G., we look forward to becoming
part of your story. Come to our office in Lubbock or
Rowdy, the Roadrunner Plainview, and we will have a cup of coffee, and screen
your hearing for free.

Gayle (Wampler) Willson is Board Certified in the Hearing
Instrument Sciences, Blair Willson is a Hearing Instrument
Specialist, and we have 49 years of Wampler legacy in the
evaluation and servicing of hearing and hearing devices. Call
today for an appointment.
1) www.pecanderosaforge.com

Happy 90th Birthday to R.G on October 23, 2024!

Time alone in the wilderness with his
horse and a pack mule

where he worked as a salesman for Eagle-Picher, but
the innovative R.G. also planted 600 pecan trees for
extra income. He holds certifications as an auctioneer,
welder, and blacksmith. R.G. has been dealing with
hearing loss that was probably caused by the decibel
levels associated with all those industries.
Finally, R.G. found his calling as an artist. At
a blacksmith school in Moriarty, NM, he often
questioned, “How’d you do that?” R. G.’s “studio”
in west Lubbock is named the “Pecanderosa.” He
uses a 100-year-old forge from Buffalo NY and a
100-year-old anvil from Denmark. His work includes
custom designs of flowers and century plants, and he
crafts unique doors and mesquite fireplace mantles.
He designed a functioning fireplace that will warm
an entire house but is delicately decorated with his
leaves and flowers. He has turned many railroad
spikes into candlesticks and created countless iron
yard ornaments fashioned after the pod of a devil's
claw plant.
Because of those continual birthdays, he has retired
his forge, and his grove of 600 pecan trees is down to
32. These days, R.G. enjoys telling about his success
stories—especially his grandkids: Jason, Leah, and
Jake (Sammi); and three great grandchildren: Piper,
Arie, and Bodhi. R.G. and Janie married in March of

Lubbock Senior Link 57