Cowpokes has now hit retirement age.
In a note to our publication, Madge Reid, the widow of the late Asa Elmer “Ace” Reid Jr., said, “After much thought, Cowpokes Cartoons has decided to begin the retirement process. Cowpokes and your publication have had a good long ride together, but for us it is time to put our cartoon service to bed.
“From our hearts, we sincerely thank you for your valuable business and deeply appreciate your loyalty and your readers’ loyalty to Cowpokes Cartoons. We are forever grateful.”
But with the gracious tip of our cap to Madge Reid and Ace Reid Enterprises, she has allowed our publication to continue running some favorite cartoons over the next several months for several reasons.
To send off Cowpokes in true style we wanted to let readers tell us about their favorite cartoons and share their memories of what Ace Reid’s artwork meant to them. We have included a photograph from Hallie Bertrand, a High Plains Journal account executive who noted in her family there is a bulletin board filled with cartoons ripped out of the Journal. She took a picture of the bulletin board in the Marble Brothers farm office in South Plains, Texas.
In visiting with Madge Reid, she said HPJ was one of her husband’s favorite publications because it was made for farmers and ranchers. Her husband, born in 1925 in west Texas, was one of the few cartoonists who understood the hardships that ranchers faced while also being able to tell a story with a western sense of humor through his artwork.
Madge Reid said the multi-decade relationship with HPJ goes back so far that she remembers one time there was a brief interruption but both sides had a mutual respect for each other even during that short span.
She always appreciated HPJ’s integrity by standing up for her husband even when he penned a cartoon that a subscriber may have misinterpreted.
Even though her husband died in November 1991, she felt strongly the series needed to stay alive and it remained a staple in HPJ until it formally ended with the edition dated Jan. 13 to 19.
When asked if she had her own favorite cartoon, Madge says naturally she had an affinity for all of them but she was excited to know what readers thought and we will share with her what some of the comments.
When asked about the decision to formally end the syndication, Madge wryly noted that at her age of 95 she has earned the right to formally retire.
People may send their memories to [email protected].
HPJ is also in the process of seeing what the possibilities are for a new cartoonist who may have a flair and appreciation for what farmers and ranchers do to feed the world. Those who may know of someone need to send a note to [email protected]. Cowpokes will never be replaced but as Madge says she hopes HPJ can find a cartoonist with the same commitment to ranch life and humor as Ace did. We do too.
Dave Bergmeier can be reached at 620-227-1822 or [email protected].
