Bio: Staff Member Intermittent in 1960’s, 70’s and 80’s. Descriptor: Reflections on David Kinker, Frank and Nona, and the many years at the Ranch.
Chris’ Story: I was at the White Grass in 1960, and several years in the 70’s and in the 80’s. Saw many changes and always loved the place and Frank and Nona. The White Grass was one of the places that made me realize that I had no interest in living in New York. I left for Alaska from the White Grass one summer when I hurt my back and could not work on my feet, drove up to take a look and stayed, except for one trip back to the White Grass for a last summer. I stayed in Alaska till my heart gave me some major trouble, and I had to get closer to civilization. Now in Florida, Gods waiting room. I remember you, David Kinker, I was running the kitchen at the ranch one of the summers you were there. You had a good artistic slant on things. As I remember you are Cindy’s son. That was back in the mid 70’s, before I moved to Alaska, where I spent 30 years. Curley was just jealous of your relationship with Frank. You were a good kid. I first showed up at the White Grass in 1960, and spent the season as the “Chore Boy”. Pretty much did what was needed. What I did not know how to do, I learned. It was a great summer with very little money and lots of great memories. I returned in the early 70’s from over in Meeteetse (WY), where I was living with a friend and doing what ever I could to live. I have a lot of restaurant experience from working with my family in NYC, and I stopped in one day to say Hi to Frank, and he offered me the job of taking over the kitchen. I took it and spent several summers working there, and one winter watching the ranch, when Frank and Nona went to Fiji. Frank ended up being a pretty good friend of mine I always thought he was one of the most informed people that I ever have known. I got along with Nona too, and had many long talks with her and built her some lamps for the Dude Cabins. We went our separate ways in the late 70’s and I came back once with a new wife in the early 80’s. Had a bit of a falling out because of the wife, and went to Crowheart where I cooked for Frank’s nephew at his hunting camp, and then returned to Alaska. That was the last time I was at the ranch or saw Frank or Nona. I heard that he had died from his nephew who called me to let me know. I tried to go to visit his grave on a trip down to the states, but could not get into the ranch due to the snow. I just read in these comments that Nona has died. I guess we all get old. Just to remember some of the highlights of my years at the White Grass starting when I was 19, and ended up when I was in my 40’s. The cowboys coming up with the idea to rope a bear that was messing around with their cabin. Set up a noose and tied it to the end of one of the beds. It did catch the bear and the bed, empty, was last seen going through the cabin door in pieces with the bear on a rope. Taking the garbage out to the hogs, White Grass disposal system, and as I was dumping the can wondering where the extra hog came from, and realizing it was a bear feeding with the pigs. Learning to drink with Frank. We got real good at it. Arguing with Curley. Having to wait for the moose to get off the road in the winter so I could get by to go to town. Sides of the road were about 10 feet high in snow, and the moose had to go to the turn around on the Moose Wilson road before I could get by. My jeep got kicked several times that winter. Going down to the Snake with Cindy for a party with some of the hands from the other dude ranches and getting stuck coming up the steep road from the river, and having to walk back to the ranch and explain to Frank why he needed to help me retrieve my car, a 1949 Studebaker. That was in the days when you could drive down to the river in the park. The end of the year horse drives to Dubois, where Frank and I built a rolling kitchen in a 10 horse trailer to use as a chuck wagon. It worked very well, and I would meet the drive every evening. Those were fun trips. Going down to Moose to do Franks Laundry and spend 5 or 6 hours. We discovered later that Nona would take her laundry out when she heard we were going. Hours and hours spent at Dornans drinking and talking and just kicking back after a long day. That was a great place too. White Grass was very important to me. Met great people, had great times, went on great trips. There we several things that I had built with Frank in 1960, still there the last time I was at the ranch. One last little story. Early spring and Frank was trying to heat the loft in the barn to use it for a Rec room. Needed to get the snow load off of the roof, so Frank had some dynamite, we cut a stick in half and capped it and threw it with a short fuse and ran like hell, Got out side and when it went off the roof lifted a bit and settled back down with out the snow. The roof never leaked, but we thought we needed to change our system in the future. Those were in the days when you could walk into Jackson Hardware and pick up a few stick of dynamite from a box by the front counter. My but times have changed. There was a lot more to the White Grass than the horses and trips and fishing. The ranch affected many young people to change life styles and goals. It was a good place and Frank and Nona were good people. I will write some more when I get the chance.