Roger McGooden

Memorial services will be held on Sunday February 18, 2018 at 2:00 PM at the One Box Convention Center in Broken Bow.
A time to visit with the family will be held on Saturday evening, February 17th,  5:00 PM to 6:00 PM at Govier Brothers Mortuary in Broken Bow. In Leiu of flowers the family requests that memorials be given to the Dunning Cemetery, the Blaine County Foundation or the Broken Bow Fire Department.

Roger C McGooden age 66, passed away Thursday February 8, 2018 at Brookestone View among family and friends after a lengthy battle with cancer.

Roger was born March 7, 1951 to Billye (Hester) and M.G. “Bud” McGooden.  He grew up the youngest of four brothers on the McGooden ranch located approximately 16 miles south of Dunning Nebraska.  During these years, Roger learned to be a cowboy and a horseman.  His love of the sport of Rodeo, evolved from participating in the Dunning Jr Rodeo, High School and Little Britches rodeos, and amateur rodeos.  His favorite event was the saddle bronc riding.  He always appreciated a good saddle bronc ride and was very supporting to anyone that wanted to try and ride rough stock.  He was especially proud of his family that competed in rodeos and was their biggest fan.

In his high school years, he attended University Nebraska School of Agriculture and was the first graduating class of Medicine Valley High School in 1969.   He was especially fond of his high school memories and the friends that he made while attending UNSA.

After high school, Roger worked for various ranches in the area honing his cowboy craft, and learning to play the guitar.  He loved to play the guitar and enjoyed entertaining others with his musical talents.  Many of dances he played at and was always admired for his ability to yodel.  The Cattle Call song was his most requested song to sing.  He competed in many music competitions and was very successful doing so.  In 1986, Roger graduated from the Lincoln General alcohol program.  This experience changed his life forever and inspired him to write his song “The Alcohol Blues.”

In 1975, Roger moved to Broken Bow Nebraska to begin working for Custer Public Power.  He worked as a lineman for 31 years and was proud of his work.  He enjoyed climbing poles and working with the electrical lines.  He was known to have fun while on the job and enjoyed his co-workers.

Since his retirement in 2006, he went back to enjoying what he loved to do and that was working cattle and helping various ranches with day work.  When it came to working cattle, rather it be sorting, pairing out, or branding he was one of the best.  He always worked cattle in a loving and caring manner.  You knew you could count on him when the situation would get a little rough.  He was never too busy to take time for the younger generation to teach them the cowboy ways of working cattle and horses.

Roger was always active training horses for ranch work or pleasure.  When he discovered the horse training methods of Ray Hunt and Tom Dorrance, the way he worked with a horse was forever changed.  He was always kind communicating with horses and enjoyed sharing and teaching his horse knowledge to others.  Many times he would quote “a man is no better than his second horse.”   

Roger loved Renee, his family, friends, horses and his dog (Tigger) to the end.  He was preceded in death by his mother and father, his brother Jim and two nieces.  He is survived by his wife Renee, brothers Mike McGooden (Gloria) of Siloam Springs Arkansas.  Patrick McGooden and significant other Linda Edwards of Wymore, NE and sister-in-law Sue McGooden of Ruskin Florida along with many nephews, nieces and a host of loving friends.

We will always remember Roger for his magnetic personality, his ability to make others laugh, his musical abilities and his positive attitude and outlook on life.  He truly lived each day to the fullest.