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Show People THE SAMPLER Oct. 10, 1980 r-Fr-iday, O 0 V .! X .J ' - ,y tt-- Y-- ' WV:?N' " . 1 v r L ViVvl fc V .L'Vl'i 5" 7.- -- I , X 'a' - ' Annie sets up equipment on a 4, tower in the testing area at Ditto. Photos by SP4 Charles Hobson). 150-f-t. Ml I Am in y By Connie L. Rupp was after the money, I took the highest paying job and that was firing furnaces. It paid $7.25 for an I liked the challenges, and I always figured I'd only live once. Thats a sample of Annie Reddens philosophy. When I first heard of Annie, the boss told me she was the west coast bugler for FDRs funeral. Imagine that -- and working at Dugway.I I had to talk with her; and so after making an appointment, off I went to Ditto. LITTLE DID I realize Id be talking with a person who could make the Old West come er and daring her fathers were developed early with guidance. She was raised on a ranch in Utah with four brothers, and her father urged Annie to participate in areas normally reserved for men. For example, he insisted she try rodeo bull riding. Women had never been involved in that event. I cant ever say that I liked it, and I cant say I wasnt scared. Anyone who says theyre not scared is lying. That bull is a mean critter. In high school Annie worked in a smeltery in Tooele as the first woman employee. She was a guinea pig assigned to different jobs to determine if the work was physically suitable for women. She worked on converters and reverbs (a special kind of furnace), transporting ore, yard work, and firing furnaces. When she finished the experiment, Annie was given her choice of jobs. Since I ANNIES SELF-CONFIDENC- ur ng alive. Annie knows where shes at, she accepts herself and is independent, practical, and has a pioneers quest for adventure and challenge. Shes proud of her past accomplishments, although a twinkle in her eye signals that she just may give somethin else a try before her lifes over. Currently Annie runs a small ranch northeast of Dugway and is the only woman working fulltime on the grid services crew. Her Ditto job encompasses field support of testing including climbing towers and putting out samplers, a traditionally male job. She said that at first the crew was hesibut soon discovered; tant about a female I never backed down on a job. If thats what I put in for, thats what I did. co-work- shift." Eventually 35 women worked in thesmeltering plant. After high school graduation in 1944, the war was in full swing. Annie decided to enlist in the Navy and by aging two years in one day she met the 21 --year-old minimum age requirement. FOR A TIME ANNIE was a drill instructor at boot camp but after a couple of months on the comjob, I said to myself, thats a good-lookihere. You worked hell of the out 'em pany leaving and got 'em in good shape. Then you see 'em get on that train and shove off. You turn around and theres a bunch of civilians standin there, and v youve got to start all over again. It was then that Annie decided to apply for research work. She first went to Bethesda, MD at the Naval Research Center working on elephantiasis research. Her last 22 months of service were spent at the Long Beach Naval Hospital in California. The FDR assignment came through during her Long Beach tour, where she played the bugle as a regularly assigned duty. Annie was selected as the west coast representative to play taps for his funeral. The thing I remember most is that I was supposed to get a pass and only got a one. Id still like to know if that bugler on the east coast got his pass - I never found out. ANNIES MILITARY career didnt end there. She was in the Naval Reserve for 11 years and then transferred to the Army Reserve. She still drives Army fuel tankers on training exercises around the western states. While in the Navy, Annie was married to Jim Redden and after military service, their ranching career started. They lived by the Canadian border for five years and lthen came to Skull Valley. g cattle and every They raised exhibited fair. some the at At home, a trophy year is case packed with blue ribbon awards. Championship cattle shows had them traveling around eight-ho- E 72-ho- ur 24-ho- ur 72-ho- ur . . prize-winnin- the. western states. Livestock tours took them to Australia and Alaska. ON THE ALASKAN tour the Reddens went to the upper Yukon area. I liked Alaska cuz it was wild and wooly. Once we didnt know what to eat, and J said to Jim: What the hecks the matter with you, go fishing! Then, I picked some cranberries and made a sauce - there was a lot of food around if you looked for it. Annie always believed in an open door policy at the ranch. One night an old cowpoke told her hed stopped in at her place when nobody was home. Hed been on the trail in a drizzly cold rain and badly needed a hot cup of coffee and a smoke. He stopped at Annies, made a cup of coffee, and borrowed a cigarette. Thats the way we were f. ; - used to living, and it looks like you cant live that way anymore, and I think its a rotten shame. Annies place was robbed this summer. As a truck driver Annie had a CB handle that 'still identifies her to many - Skull Valley Annie. A hired trucker now drives and maintains her semi. FOR 17 YEARS Annie has been a part of the Dugway team as a nurses aide, an ambulance driver, and the past three years with grid services. A visit to Annies ranch is highlighted by a meeting with Billy - a movie star donkey. (He was in the original Noahs Ark picture.) Theres also a mule named Festus and a pony named Fiddler. Annie provides a glimpse of the west that illustrates a unique opportunity to live and work beyond conventional styles. f XI 1 c ; ?. I , . 5 . '.v v--- . V '" ''a l . w 1 ' . , ;,'r V' 4" - '' , , $ N'1 " : .. l ' 4 14 v.;- i5, . Vy I1 " r' IT i?"- "v." ; ft , . - V.v , -- 1 r. H Hll irt kli shes her small herd dark. finish before chores to Here, has Annie feeding rushing The workday of cattle at her ranch in Skull Valley. 1 ten-ho- the irrigation lines. fa One of Annies biggest fobs at home moving i. WW. t'. . - fWtmi i ur .V ' irr r.( JL |