Pierce couple appreciate what small town has to offer
Aug. 4—When Sue and Bob Leonard moved from California to the Weippe-Pierce area 50 years ago, they found it a welcome respite from the hustle and bustle of big city life.
"We like the small community," Sue said. "We knew everybody; we weren't afraid to let our kids go and do things. It was a whole new thing for us, living in California versus moving up here."
The Leonards are this year's grand marshals for the Pierce 1860 Days celebration that begins Friday and continues throughout the weekend.
Sue Leonard said they were first introduced to the area by her brother, Jack, who was working at the Jaype-Potlatch mill near Pierce. During one visit, she and Bob toured the area, met some of the locals and then returned to California.
"A couple weeks later (Bob) said, 'What do you think?' (about moving to Idaho). I told him I'm not selling my stuff and as long as we were able to not completely start over, I was willing to go," she said.
The Leonards first moved to Weippe, where Bob began work for the Potlatch mill as a millwright and mechanic. Two years later, 1975, they relocated to Pierce where they've lived since.
Sue also worked for the mill in various positions. In 2000 when the Jaype site closed down, Bob moved on to other jobs, including 12 years at Idaho State Hospital North in Orofino, and Sue worked for the Pierce Library and did some volunteer work while raising their two children.
These days, Bob, 80, and Sue, 75, are mostly retired and spend their time boating, camping and traveling. Sue continues to do volunteer work and serves on the board of directors for the library.
The 1860 Days activities begin at noon Friday with the opening of the J. Howard Bradbury Memorial Logging Museum and a pie/cherry bakeoff starting at 3:30 p.m.
Saturday's activities include an 1860 Days breakfast at the community center from 7-10 a.m.; Pierce-Weippe ATV Trailriders Fun Run at 10 a.m.; a noon parade on Main Street; community games throughout the afternoon; and a street dance commencing at 7:30 p.m.
A softball tournament will begin at 8 a.m. Sunday and Prospector's Church at the New Life Fellowship starts at 10:30 a.m.
Hedberg may be contacted at khedberg@lmtribune.com.
