kreps.html

The Goldendale Sentinel, Goldendale, WA., April 18, 1963, page 9

KREPS' STORY IN MAGAZINE

The April issue of Western Livestock Journal contains a nice tribute to Russell R. Kreps of Laurel, in the form of a full-page portrait-type photograph, and an accompanying article. Text of the article is as follows:
In the wet, thickly-timbered, and western part of Washington's Klickitat County, Russell R. Kreps is acknowledged as one of the most accomplished practitioners of the fine art of "acoustical cowpoking."
In the logged-off, brush-reclaimed hills that have been home to Kreps since birth, it takes a special kind of know-how to make a go of it in the cattle ranching business. When you roundup in country like this, cowbells and sharp hearing are as important to a cowman as a good "brush" horse and chaps.
The 20,000 acre Wykre Cattle Co., which Kreps operates with the help of his two sons, Oliver T. and Russell W., acquired its name shortly after Kreps and Marie Wyers were married in 1925. Marie's father, Teunis Wyers, a Dutch immigrant began acquiring Wykre's first acres shortly after he landed in White Salmon, Wash., the picturesque (pop. 1,900) lumber-fruit-cowtown that's anchored on a 600-ft.-high bluff along the Columbia River, 65 miles east of Portland, Ore.
Kreps was born within hearing distance of Wykre Cattle Co. headquarters (Laurel), October 29, 1892. In 1913 he came out of the woods to have a 3-year "go" at college, attending Oregon Agricultural College (now Oregon State University) in Corvallis.
The ranch Russell runs is midway between White Salmon and the base of majestic snow-capped Mt. Adams. Needless to say, it is not what most cattlemen consider "natural" cow country. But Kreps does everything that's legal and economically feasible to provide something better than a straight brush diet for the ranch's herd of commercial Hereford's which have a strong infusion of Shorthorn blood.
On the Camas Prairie meadow the ranch owns, he has cleared willows and planted Reed's canary grass, seeded by airplane hundreds of acres of burned-over timber and brush; cleared and drained swamp land for hay and pasture production.
Over the years Kreps has taken the necessary time-off from his "accoustical cowpoking" to handle civic and industry chores which seem to be the lot responsibility-conscious cattlemen. A longtime member and committeeman of the American Nation Cattleman's Assn., Russell and Marie haven't missed an ANCA convention since they can't remember when. Kreps hasn't missed many Washington State Cattleman's Assn. Meetings either. He's been a WCA director for more than 20 years. He is also a past president of the Klickitat County Cattlemen's Assn. And the Camas Prairie Assn., and an active member of several local civic groups.
In addition to their own two sons, Russell and Marie Kreps have three married daughters, Mrs. Keith Kayser, Mrs. Mitch Hecomovich, and Mrs. H.P. Shattuck. All three, it might be added, are accomplished ranch hands.
When the Washington Cattlemen's Assn. launched its widely-heralded "Cattleman of the Year" recognition program in 1951, Russell Kreps' fellow county cattlemen lost little time in nominating him to represent Klickitat County in the state-wide competition.