The Battalion GGIELIFE King of the Cowboys Western legend Roy Rogers passes away leaving behind a legacy of film. radio and television performai LOS ANGELES (AP) — Happy trails, Roy Rogers. The singing cowboy and one of the last of the white hats from the golden era of Hollywood Westerns died Monday. He was 86. Rogers died in his sleep of conges tive heart failure at his Apple Valley home, in the high desert 90 miles from Los Angeles. “What a blessing to have shared my life together with him for almost 51 years,” said Dale Evans, Rogers’ wife and singing partner. Rogers was a star of television, ra dio and movies, turning out country music songs, 87 Westerns — 26 of them with Evans—and a 1950s TV se ries that continues in reruns. For 12 years, from 1943 to 1954, he was the No. 1 Western star at the box office in a magazine poll of theater op erators. With his trusty horse Trigger, Rogers played the straight-shoot ing good guy who always fought fair—in stead of killing the bad guys, he would shoot the gun out of their hands — and always lived to sing about it. “I really appreciate what he stood for, the movies he made and the kind of values they embodied,” President Clin ton said. “Today there will be a lot of sad and grateful Americans, especially of my generation, because of his career.” Rogers' theme song was “Happy Rogers TYails to You,” sung over a clippity-clop beat and bum-bah-dee-dah bass line. It was co-written by his wife. His movies included “King of the Cowboys,” “Song of Texas,” “The Cow boy and the Senorita,” “Don’t Fence Me In” and “My Pal Trigger.” Rogers and Gene Autry were the most popular cowboy crooners in Hollywood history. “This is a terrible loss for me,” Autry, 90, said in a statement. “I had tremen dous respect for Roy and considered him a great humanitarian and an out standing American. He was, and will al ways be, a true Western hero.” A shrewd businessman, Rogers be came a millionaire many times over through real estate, Roy Rogers restau rants and television productions. He opened a museum near his Ap ple Valley home in 1967. When Trigger died in 1965, Rogers had the golden palomino stuffed and placed on dis play in the museum, to Evans’ chagrin. “I was so angry, I said, ‘All right, but when you go, I’m going to have you stuffed and placed on top ofTrig- ger,”’ she said in 1984. Rogers said: "I told her just make sure I’m smiling.” Born Leonard Slye in Cincinnati on Nov. 5, 1911 (some reference books give his last name as Sly, and list a dif ferent date of birth), Rogers grew up in rural Portsmouth and Duck Run, Ohio. By the time he was a teen-ager, he had made a name for himself locally as a square-dance caller and yodeler. During the Depression, his family moved West and Rogers worked as a truck driver, peach picker and singer and guitarist in hillbilly musical groups. He helped found the Pioneer REEF WORLD A “Your Low Cost Store” lt ~X vlt -yt* «fl|N '\vH GRAND OPENING New location with lots of sale specials! 20% off all fish Expires July 20, 1998. Not valid with any other offer. Live Rock Supplies -Over 2500 gallons of Saltwater Fish & Corals ^ and much, much more! 4C Harvey Rd., C.S., Post Oak Village • 695-0889 m rosJ emt $319 PER PERSON apartments 601 LUTHER STREET WEST (409)693-9432 ... i £ jNort Grab inTai iniles Gi 2am i Acad of ca in Fo [life Bo Were pear-, schcx Grab •ttant 7,^