Clyde Edward Longfellow, Jr. March 7, 1942 – July 15, 2025
The following was written by Clyde Longfellow's daughter, Crystal, when he passed away recently. I have gotten permission to print this because it was well done, and it is the story of 95% of the rodeo cowboys on the rodeo road today. Didn’t make the National Finals, but had some wins and some losses, but enjoyed what he did and continued doing it for a long time. Enjoy!
The mold wasn’t just broke, it was shattered – on March 7, 1942, with the birth of Clyde Edward Longfellow, Jr. The world would never be the same! And it shattered again, on July 15, 2025, with his passing.
Clyde was born in Lewiston, Idaho, he joined four sisters. His dad was a career Air Force man, stationed in Okinawa during the 1950s. The family traveled to Japan aboard a military transport ship, a multi-day voyage across the Pacific that sparked Clyde Jr.’s lifelong love of sailing. He also worked for his golf-pro Uncle Ping at the Lewiston Country Club as a golf caddy. Golf and sailing remained lifelong hobbies for Clyde.
Clyde attended Lewiston schools and soon found his calling: horses! As soon as he could, Clyde started working at the Old Lewiston Round Up Grounds in North Lewiston. Doing whatever job he could just to ride. It was there he met and learned from Idaho rodeo legends, Clint Roberts and Jack Carson. They both became mentors and ignited his rodeo dreams. Clyde started getting on broncs and riding colts.
While pursuing his dreams, he crossed paths with Edie Gottschalk. Edie boarded her horse at the Round Up Grounds. They married in 1965 and moved out to the Grand Ronde country to work on the ranch of Shirly Bothum. When Shirly told Clyde he had to choose between working or rodeoing, Clyde didn’t hesitate – he loaded up and headed to Cheyenne, where he won the 1965 Cheyenne Frontier Days Amateur Saddle Bronc competition.
Clyde and Edie spent the early years of their marriage on the Rodeo Trail. Heading to the Texas indoor winter rodeos, then coming back to the Northwest and Canada for the summer run. Their first daughter, Crystal, was born in 1967, and the family lived much of the year in a travel trailer. In 1972, they settled in Kendrick, Idaho, and welcomed their second daughter, Kelly, in 1973. With a growing family and house payments, Clyde began driving a truck for Star Motor Freight in Lewiston.
His nephew, Jodi Johnson, who shared Clyde’s love for ranching and rodeo, lived with the family during high school and competed in High School rodeo. During his trucking travels, Clyde met and welcomed foster son, Paul Bass, into the family.
Clyde continued to rodeo, with wins at major rodeos like Lewiston Round Up (twice); Columbia Basin Rodeo (Moses Lake, WA) four times; Chief Joseph Days, five times. In the late 1970s, he bought a semi-truck and started hauling cattle to provide for his family. Everyone loved his big black trucks with the donkey on the doors; Haul Ass Trucking! He earned multiple trips to the Columbia Circuit Finals before stepping back from competition around 1985 to focus on trucking and supporting his kids in junior and high school rodeos.
Clyde and Edie moved to Hermiston, Oregon, in 1993. Soon after in 1994, Clyde was entering rodeos again – and winning! He was now riding against the sons of the men he once competed with. He earned more trips to the Columbia River Circuit Finals. In 1995, his first grandson was born. And he was still riding and winning – the younger cowboys called him the Viagra Vaquero! In 1998, Clyde won the saddle bronc riding at Colville, Washington, and took grandson, Rylen, on the victory lap!
Clyde also became a hobby ostrich rancher and began entering Senior Pro Rodeos on the side. In 1998, he qualified for the Senior Pro Finals and finished second in the world. He returned home determined to win the world title in 1999 – but tragedy struck. While hauling cattle, he was hit head-on by another semi, totaling his dream truck and severely injuring him. At 57, Clyde was forced to retire from both bronc riding and trucking.
After a long recovery, Clyde took up golf to stay active and eventually returned to riding saddle horses. He even bought a sailboat and sailed it from San Diego o Portland. He spent weeks each year sailing the Columbia River and the Pacific Ocean, often reaching the San Juan Islands and Vancouver Island, Canada. Thanks to his nephew Brien DeAtley, Clyde fulfilled a lifelong dream of playing golf at Pebble Beach.
Clyde served as the rodeo director for the Eastern Livestock Show in Union, Oregon for about ten years. Under him, the rodeo grew and celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2008! In 2019, Clyde received the honor of serving as the Grand Marshal for the Lewiston RoundUp, recognizing his impact on the rodeo community. Later that same year, Clyde and Edie were both inducted into the Idaho Rodeo Hall of Fame, solidifying their lasting legacy on the sport. Being chosen for induction into the Chief Joseph Days Hall of Fame Class of 2024 was an unexpected thrill for Clyde, Edie, and the family. Chief Joseph Days held a treasured spot in his heart – where he competed, consistently won, and made lasting memories with family and friends. Clyde was especially proud of Edie, his wife of 60 years, when she was presented the 2024 PRCA Donita Barnes Lifetime Achievement Award, for her 57 dedicated years as a PRCA Rodeo Secretary.
Clyde passed away in his sleep aboard his beloved sailboat, No Fences, on July 15, 2025 in Scappoose, Oregon.
A Celebration of Life for Clyde was held September 7, 10:59 AM at the Lewiston Round Up Grounds Arena, with Reception following in the She’s Wild Saloon. A 10” x 5 ½” of a picture of Clyde, with a big grin, leaning on his saddle was handed out. On the back was the heading “The Last Bronc Ride by Clyde Longfellow, 9-7-2025 with the National Anthem, Prayer and Opening Remarks by Marty Campbell and Will Rasmussen, the reading of his life written by and read by Crystal, his daughter, a memorial video by granddaughter, Makayla McCabe. The bronc ride listed his friends as flankman, chute boss, saddling crew, pickup man, chute gate crew, out gate and closing remarks. Below his picture were the words: “Life is worth the ride, The ride is worth the fall.”
The mold wasn’t just broke, it was shattered – on March 7, 1942, with the birth of Clyde Edward Longfellow, Jr. The world would never be the same! And it shattered again, on July 15, 2025, with his passing.
Clyde was born in Lewiston, Idaho, he joined four sisters. His dad was a career Air Force man, stationed in Okinawa during the 1950s. The family traveled to Japan aboard a military transport ship, a multi-day voyage across the Pacific that sparked Clyde Jr.’s lifelong love of sailing. He also worked for his golf-pro Uncle Ping at the Lewiston Country Club as a golf caddy. Golf and sailing remained lifelong hobbies for Clyde.
Clyde attended Lewiston schools and soon found his calling: horses! As soon as he could, Clyde started working at the Old Lewiston Round Up Grounds in North Lewiston. Doing whatever job he could just to ride. It was there he met and learned from Idaho rodeo legends, Clint Roberts and Jack Carson. They both became mentors and ignited his rodeo dreams. Clyde started getting on broncs and riding colts.
While pursuing his dreams, he crossed paths with Edie Gottschalk. Edie boarded her horse at the Round Up Grounds. They married in 1965 and moved out to the Grand Ronde country to work on the ranch of Shirly Bothum. When Shirly told Clyde he had to choose between working or rodeoing, Clyde didn’t hesitate – he loaded up and headed to Cheyenne, where he won the 1965 Cheyenne Frontier Days Amateur Saddle Bronc competition.
Clyde and Edie spent the early years of their marriage on the Rodeo Trail. Heading to the Texas indoor winter rodeos, then coming back to the Northwest and Canada for the summer run. Their first daughter, Crystal, was born in 1967, and the family lived much of the year in a travel trailer. In 1972, they settled in Kendrick, Idaho, and welcomed their second daughter, Kelly, in 1973. With a growing family and house payments, Clyde began driving a truck for Star Motor Freight in Lewiston.
His nephew, Jodi Johnson, who shared Clyde’s love for ranching and rodeo, lived with the family during high school and competed in High School rodeo. During his trucking travels, Clyde met and welcomed foster son, Paul Bass, into the family.
Clyde continued to rodeo, with wins at major rodeos like Lewiston Round Up (twice); Columbia Basin Rodeo (Moses Lake, WA) four times; Chief Joseph Days, five times. In the late 1970s, he bought a semi-truck and started hauling cattle to provide for his family. Everyone loved his big black trucks with the donkey on the doors; Haul Ass Trucking! He earned multiple trips to the Columbia Circuit Finals before stepping back from competition around 1985 to focus on trucking and supporting his kids in junior and high school rodeos.
Clyde and Edie moved to Hermiston, Oregon, in 1993. Soon after in 1994, Clyde was entering rodeos again – and winning! He was now riding against the sons of the men he once competed with. He earned more trips to the Columbia River Circuit Finals. In 1995, his first grandson was born. And he was still riding and winning – the younger cowboys called him the Viagra Vaquero! In 1998, Clyde won the saddle bronc riding at Colville, Washington, and took grandson, Rylen, on the victory lap!
Clyde also became a hobby ostrich rancher and began entering Senior Pro Rodeos on the side. In 1998, he qualified for the Senior Pro Finals and finished second in the world. He returned home determined to win the world title in 1999 – but tragedy struck. While hauling cattle, he was hit head-on by another semi, totaling his dream truck and severely injuring him. At 57, Clyde was forced to retire from both bronc riding and trucking.
After a long recovery, Clyde took up golf to stay active and eventually returned to riding saddle horses. He even bought a sailboat and sailed it from San Diego o Portland. He spent weeks each year sailing the Columbia River and the Pacific Ocean, often reaching the San Juan Islands and Vancouver Island, Canada. Thanks to his nephew Brien DeAtley, Clyde fulfilled a lifelong dream of playing golf at Pebble Beach.
Clyde served as the rodeo director for the Eastern Livestock Show in Union, Oregon for about ten years. Under him, the rodeo grew and celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2008! In 2019, Clyde received the honor of serving as the Grand Marshal for the Lewiston RoundUp, recognizing his impact on the rodeo community. Later that same year, Clyde and Edie were both inducted into the Idaho Rodeo Hall of Fame, solidifying their lasting legacy on the sport. Being chosen for induction into the Chief Joseph Days Hall of Fame Class of 2024 was an unexpected thrill for Clyde, Edie, and the family. Chief Joseph Days held a treasured spot in his heart – where he competed, consistently won, and made lasting memories with family and friends. Clyde was especially proud of Edie, his wife of 60 years, when she was presented the 2024 PRCA Donita Barnes Lifetime Achievement Award, for her 57 dedicated years as a PRCA Rodeo Secretary.
Clyde passed away in his sleep aboard his beloved sailboat, No Fences, on July 15, 2025 in Scappoose, Oregon.
A Celebration of Life for Clyde was held September 7, 10:59 AM at the Lewiston Round Up Grounds Arena, with Reception following in the She’s Wild Saloon. A 10” x 5 ½” of a picture of Clyde, with a big grin, leaning on his saddle was handed out. On the back was the heading “The Last Bronc Ride by Clyde Longfellow, 9-7-2025 with the National Anthem, Prayer and Opening Remarks by Marty Campbell and Will Rasmussen, the reading of his life written by and read by Crystal, his daughter, a memorial video by granddaughter, Makayla McCabe. The bronc ride listed his friends as flankman, chute boss, saddling crew, pickup man, chute gate crew, out gate and closing remarks. Below his picture were the words: “Life is worth the ride, The ride is worth the fall.”
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