WAURIKA, Okla_The rodeo world
and the small community of Waurika lost a champion early Monday morning. Rex Dunn
was a husband, a father of two boys and a bull fighting hall of famer. People
said he had nine lives. He's been attacked by a bull, shot with his own gun and
lived four years longer than predicted with stage four cancer. It was the
cancer that finally took him at about 3 Monday morning in the hospital in Duncan.
He fought
cancer, but that certainly won't be his legacy. He'll be remembered by thousands
for fighting bulls and teaching others how to jump in the arena without fear.
His life was inspiring, and his bravery, something we can all hope to acquire and
it looks his two boys, Jace and Ote, are following in his footsteps.
His house is
cozy and comfortable and covered in rodeo memorabilia. Rex's family sat around
the kitchen table and dug into his history through old black and white
photographs of the early days.
He was born in Wichita Falls in 1955.
His professional rodeo career lasted a long 16 years. In the rodeo community,
he was nicknamed Mr. Smooth, because when it came to fighting bulls, he was
flawless. His friends knew him as more than a bull fighter though. Chuck Brown
grew up with Rex, and did as two good old country boys do, get into trouble.
"Having a
.22 rifle and shooting a bullet through the mirror, the door of a closet, I
remember that. Going snake huntin', campin' out and throwin' poison ivy on the
fire and everybody getting poison ivy. You know, just the fun stuff."
Biff Eck is the
local pharmacist and a long time friend of Rex. He saw a lot of Rex as his
cancer progressed and knew him as determined, capable and relentlessly
perseverant.
"What I
remember about him is just the fight he had, the drive that he had. Never give
up. There's always a way to do something and he knew how to get it done. You
could tell he was hurting but the thing is, he never let it show through. It
never overrode everything."
What did show
through was his endless efforts in his town.
"Rex was
always doing something for the community. Whether it was having a benefit or
bringing bull fighting to this part of the area. He was always doing something,"
Brown said.
Brown and Eck
want Rex's family to know they've got the support of the community but they
have no doubt the Dunns will be just fine.
"I think
they'll group together knowing them, they're very strong. I think they'll
continue doing what he was doing," Eck said.
"If you
knew Rex Dunn, life goes on. If he was sitting here today, he'd tell you the
same thing," Brown said.
Rex's wife Tracey
and his two sons were just not ready to talk with us. But they said they were
thankful for the love and support the community has showered them with.
The funeral for Rex Dunn will be held at 11 Thursday morning at the family's
Coyote Hills Arena in Waurika.
