Darrell (Red) Otley passed away on May 2, 2021. He was born in Crane on Jan. 7, 1923 in the Denman Hotel. His parents were Richard Dick Otley and Eva Denman Otley. Red was their third child born.

The Otley family moved to Salem for a short period of time around 1924, where his dad worked construction. Shortley after his brother Dorman was born, the family moved back to Crane. Dick worked on the railroad between Crane and Seneca.

Red attended the first and second grade in Crane, then attended school in Lawen for grades third through fifth. At that time the school was east of Lawen. 

Red finished his schooling grades six through twelve in Crane and lived in the dormitory throughout his remaining school years. Red graduated from Crane in 1941. He attended the University of Oregon for one term in 1942, majoring in art. He decided he needed to get back to the ranch and not go to college.

Red enjoyed sports and was pretty good at them even through he wasn’t very big. His two favorites while in high school were football and boxing, which he excelled in. Later, he did a little bronc riding at local rodeo’s.

In 1932, he and his brother Dorman went to Liberty, N.Y. with their mother. Their Uncle Melvin drove them back in a model A Ford Coupe. This was during the Great Depression. They stayed with their Grandmother Bertha Denman and spent about all summer swimming and fishing in the river close to their grandmother’s tourist home. At the end of the summer, he and Dorman started getting home sick for Oregon, so they returned in time to go to school.

Growing up in Harney County, Red felt really fortunate with the life that he lived. He loved ranch life. As kids, he and his brothers and cousins would ride their horses from Lawen to Crane to dances and also ride their horses to the Crane Hot Springs to go swimming. Red had so many stories to tell, most of which included horses. There didn’t seem to be a horse that could buck hard enough for him.

His dad, Dick, leased the Riddle Ranch when Red was in about the eighth grade. They wintered cattle at Lawen then trailed them to Happy Valley. Around 1945, his dad purchased the Riddle Ranch that they had been leasing. Dick moved to the Lower Happy Valley place and built their home. His dad passed away later that year.

Red married Thelma Barnes on Dec. 21, 1946 and moved into the house that his dad built. Together and with two of his brothers, the ran the Riddle Ranch. Red and Thelma raised their three children there.

Red was a pretty well known Harney County Western Artist. He painted may beautiful paintings throughout the years. He credited his first and second grade teacher for helping him realize his potential. She told him he had the natural ability to draw animals and make them look alive. From that time on, he would spend his spare time sketching. His teachers would find him “doodling”! 

While attending Crane High School, he illustrated the annual and won Honorable Mention in a National Scholastic Art Contest. In 1942, he designed he plaque embedded in the entry at the Harney County Courthouse.

Red felt like he inherited his artistic ability from his grandfather, Fred Otley. Red enjoyed painting and continued to feel the desire to put it on paper. The things he saw while riding the range, for this, he was dubbed “Cowboy Artist”. 

He believed in the old saying, “You can see what man made from automobile, but you can see what God made only from the back of a horse, as beauty is everywhere in the Back Country”. He painted the life he lived!

His art work was displayed at many different places including the US Bank, Harney County Fair, and the Oregon State Fair in Salem. He has grandkids and great-grandkids that have his artistic ability.

Red and his brothers, Homer, Allan, and Dorman, and their cousin’s, Harold, Howard, and Charlie Otley were pretty close throughout their childhood, having some pretty good times together.

Red “Rode”, “Worked” and “Painted” horses! This was his life and rancher at heart.

Red is survived by his children, Janyce (Dan) Courtney, Ross (Paula), and Rod (Debby); eight grandchildren, Debbie (Kirk) Mylander, Rena Sitz, Jeff Sitz, Shane (Crystal) Otley, Sterling (Julie) Otley, Morgan (Christie) Otley, Lisa and Brenda Otley; sixteen great-grandchildren; sister-in-law, Betty Otley; brother-in-law, Jiggs Barnes (Lucille); and sister-in-law, Donna Jordan; and many nieces and nephews. Jamie and Mitch Siegner and family; Chad and Katie Courtney.

He was preceded in death by his parents; his wife, Thelma, of 65 years; son-in-law, James Sitz, Jr.; brothers, Homer (Hazel), Allan (Jennie), and Dorman; cousins, Harold (Mary), Howard (Genie), and Charlie (Marianna); nephew, Ron Otley.

The photo of Red petting the mare is a heavenly closure of Red Otley’s life