2024 Spray Rodeo Grand Marshals: Mike and Traci Mordell

When Traci and Mike Mordell found and purchased property in Spray, they realized a long held dream of owning and developing a property for their family to enjoy for generations to come.

The Mordells purchased the property from Elva Dell McGough in 2006 and began making improvements in 2007. Much to their delight, they moved into a newly rebuilt house in 2008 near Traci's father, Jerry Barber, who had retired to Spray in 2002. The Kahler Basin property they purchased was homesteaded by the Steagall family in 1912. In homage to their steadfastness in developing that property into a working ranch, Mike chose to name the property for the family.

Over the years, the Mordells have met several members of the Steagall family and hope they feel they have managed the property well and honored their name. This property is in a location Mike knew from hunting in nearby units where their son could spend time with his beloved grandfather and they could purchase a large parcel in an area where the prices were still affordable.

The Mordells appreciate the beauty of Wheeler County, the friendliness of its residents, and the opportunities to enjoy nature right outside their front door. They love to introduce Spray to friends and family. Because they have lived in various areas of the Pacific Northwest, Colorado, and Georgia with Mike having grown up in Michigan, they have close friendships that span all across the nation.

Prior to visiting the Mordells in Spray, most of their friends had never been to the Pacific Northwest or if they had, they spent time in cities on the west side and not in Eastern Oregon. Wheeler County and its neighboring regions are special and a surprise to all who visit.

Over the years, the Mordells have spent considerable time supporting the Spray community by donating first prize to the Ducky Derby, supporting the Spray Ambulance and rounding up donors for the Spray Rodeo building projects as well as providing financial support for rodeo expenses. Traci and Mike are honored to be asked to serve as grand marshals of the "best rodeo in the Pacific Northwest". They have attended and supported the rodeo prior to owning their property.

"It's been a terrific rodeo for years, but it gets better and better each year under the tutelage of the current Spray Rodeo board. We've known the Thomas family for years and know them to be hardworking, community-focused people. They and their fellow board members work tirelessly all year to bring Spray and Wheeler County residents and visitors an outstanding weekend of activities. We are honored and humbled to represent the community as this year's grand marshals", relays Traci.

Mike's sentiments are also highly complimentary as he believes "the rodeo is the community's identity providing a fabulous reason for families and friends to get together and the rodeo participants get to be a part of the best small town NPRA-sanctioned rodeo in the country."

The Mordells have one son, William (age 26) and a daughter-in-law, Logen (age 25) who live in Spokane where William is in the Air Force training as a SERE Specialist at Fairchild AFB, and Logen is an interior designer for Strohmaier Construction. As many property owners already know, there are always many projects constantly awaiting each rancher. Traci focuses on pulling goatheads and tumbleweeds and considers it her "seasonal pastime" along with keeping up on eradicating mice and pack rat populations.

When they can find leisure time, you will find them enjoying simple pleasures such as hiking, fishing on the John Day River, entertaining friends, listening to music and finding new ways to prepare the wild game Mike harvests from his big game and bird hunts all over the West.

The Mordells believe in personal responsibility and being good citizens and good stewards of nature. They are of the old school "live and let live" attitude that was once the norm for Pacific Northwesterners. Spray has been a perfect match for them to practice their values alongside others with a similar value system. When asked what inspires them, Mike says "people who work hard for the American Dream rather than wanting what others have without expending any effort on their part."

For Traci, people inspire her. "We see so much "bad" in the world, but I think there is far more good and far more people who, like me, know that kindness matters. We all do better when we turn the so-called "news" off and simply interact with our neighbors." Mike is an avid outdoorsman who loves to hunt and fish, in that order. Although Traci isn't a hunter herself, she has been on many hunts with Mike and believes 100% in the need for hunting to manage wildlife for the health and protection of the animals and to preserve the hunting way of life. Both enjoy hiking and ATVing on their property while looking for signs of wildlife and hoping to discover fossils in this fossil-rich region.

When in the Tri-Cities, Traci volunteers with Tri-Cities Chaplaincy, an agency providing hospice and respite care, and Mike serves on the board of the local chapter of Safari Club International. Mike retired (well, mostly retired!) in 2020 from a career in the wood products industry and currently serves on the board of a Louisiana-based wood products manufacturing firm. Traci left her job in 2020 when they relocated from Georgia back to the Pacific Northwest.

Nine years his junior, Traci likes to say she's enjoying Mike's retirement while deciding if she's retired too (she is, but just won't admit it!). A perfect evening for the Mordell's in Spray is sitting on the front or back porch or around the firepit when the season allows and enjoying Spray's most magnificent, star-studded night sky. They tell friends who are planning to visit that the hardest decisions they'll have to make while staying with them is which porch to sit on for morning coffee and afternoon cocktails and what time to start Happy Hour.

The Mordells have been taken captive by their nearly 9-year-old treeing feist named Beau. He's the first small dog they've ever owned (having had three labrador retrievers before Beau) and the only dog who they admit runs the household.

"We don't recognize ourselves as dog owners with this one," Traci confesses.

Living so remotely comes with its own challenges, such as having access to services, trade skills and contractors. However, the Mordells will happily exchange these hardships to live among "the friendliness of people and their willingness to help one another, which are the best parts of living in a rural community."

As many of us consistently have seen, people fill in the gaps either by offering to pick something up for someone else when they "go to town" or by having a needed item or skill when a task is at hand.

They do wish to see some small incremental growth in the region with quality residents who want to blend into and complement the established community's ideals and culture without changing it so more support will be lent to schools and small businesses.

Spend some time getting to know this remarkable family. And if you do, you most likely will hear them repeat their often declared mantra: "We couldn't be happier."