November 5th, 1911 - July 6th, 1998

**A Roy Rogers Biography**
By: Joel Dortch

The name Roy Rogers personifies the values, tradition and spirit that are at the heart of our rich American Heritage. His name is synonymous with integrity, honesty, quality and family values. He was a superstar who consistently delivered a wholesome brand of honest entertainment suitable for the entire family. What made him unique among those who have achieved great renown and popularity, was that there was no difference between the screen persona and Roy Rogers, the man. In fact, in all but a few of his early films, Roy played himself, not a character or a role. He was the same man off the screen as on. Roy Rogers was a Christian, who was not ashamed to boldly witness for his Lord. At the top of his career in 1950, he and Dale made a decision to include a religious song in each of their many live performances. They made this momentous decision after all their advisers counseled against it. When threatened with the cancellation of their lucrative contract at the huge Madison Square Garden World Championship Rodeo, if they didn’t delete the religious segment from their show, Roy stood firm for what he believed was right. While he would have been disappointed, he was fully prepared to walk away if necessary rather than compromise his beliefs. Eventually management relented, and Roy and Dale enjoyed one of the most successful engagements and largest grosses in the history of the Garden. In later years, Roy and Dale appeared many times with Billy Graham in Crusades all over the country, singing gospel songs and giving their testimony.

Roy was a loving husband and proud father of nine children, with 15 grandchildren, and 33 great-grandchildren. He and Dale truly had an International family, adopting Dodie, an American Indian girl, Debbie, a Korean American girl, and Sandy, a little boy from Kentucky, who had been severely abused. Marion , a foster daughter from Scotland, came to live with them as a teenager. Roy and Dale loved children and spent a lifetime devoted to children and their charities, including the Happy Trails Children Foundation for severely abused and neglected children. Through the years, they made hundreds of visits to children hospitals and orphanages all over the country. Roy made many long-distance phone calls at his own expense to sick and dying children. He was not a stranger to sorrow and tragedy. He lost his first wife, Arlene, one week after Dusty was born, leaving him with an infant and two small girls, Cheryl and Linda. He and Dale lost their only biological child, Robin, who was buried on her second birthday. Debbie, their adopted Korean American daughter, died in a church bus crash when she was twelve years old and Sandy, their little Rebel from Kentucky, died while serving in the Army in Germany. Roy was a patriot who loved his flag and country. He sold millions of dollars worth of War Bonds during World War II and made numerous USO tours of military bases with Trigger, performing for the men and women in uniform. During one record setting tour of Texas bases, Roy and Trigger made 136 performances in just 20 days! Years later he made a tour of Vietnam, to cheer up the troops fighting there.

Roy was a firm believer in our 2nd Amendment Rights, and in fact appeared in TV commercials as an NRA spokesman, opposing a proposed gun ban in California. He was an outstanding citizen and was asked to run for Congress on the Republican ticket at one time. His reply, "I have both Democrat and Republican fans and I can not afford to lose any of them!"

Even though he was the *King of the Cowboys,* Roy never forgot his humble beginnings in Duck Run, Ohio, as Leonard Slye. A farm boy, active in 4-H, he originally wanted to be a Dentist or Physician, so he could help people and “fixâ€