Red and Georgia Grisham will lead the parade Saturday as grand marshals at the 94th Coos County Fair & Rodeo. The Coquille couple has been involved in the fair for 41 years.

It will be like a trip back in time for Georgia, whose memories of the fair go back 53 years to when she began riding her horses during the parade.

“I used to ride in the grand entry years and years ago,” said Georgia, looking spry for her 88 years, sitting in their cozy living room, with her 2-year-old great-great-granddaughter, Jessica, whom she baby-sits five days a week, sitting in her lap.

Red sat across the room in an easy chair, chuckling at the toddler. Photographs of children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren and great-great grandchildren were taped to glass doors on two china cabinets in the room, covering the entire surface.

Outside, across the gravel driveway in the pasture, there was a flock of wild turkeys that Georgia said come to her when she calls. They also see elk, deer and raccoons on their property, and on rare occasions, a bear.

The Grishams moved separately to Oregon in the 1940s, and within a decade both settled in Coquille. In 1965, they met while he was working as a pipe setter at the Georgia-Pacific mill, which he fondly referred to as “G.P.,” and where she said she did just about everything.

“I was a jack-of-all-trades, all around,” she said, trying to name all the jobs she did. Red smiled and nodded in agreement.

The had a combined seven children - four were Georgia's and three, Red's. Five generations now have lived in the Coquille area.

The Grishams still live on the 50-acre ranch - just past the Four Corners Grocery and a timber grove - they purchased when they were married in 1966, and where they raised first appaloosas and, later, quarter horses they showed in the fair.

“We had 28 horses at one time, mostly mares,” said Red, now 83. “We showed 11 of them in one year. We had horses coming and going.

“We raised colts. We had nine in one year.”

Georgia enjoyed showing her horses and after they were together, Red helped her. Georgia has piles of paperwork on each of the registered horses they've owned, and held up one of their paint quarter horse's photos, proudly.

At the fair, they also showed the black Angus they raised on their ranch. The two of them showed horses and cattle for 40 years. They worked with the children in 4-H and started serving food at the fair, which they continued to do for many years.

“I was always camped out at the fairgrounds from the time the fair started until it ended,” said Georgia. “We had a big cook wagon there - a chuck wagon. It fed everybody and I mean everybody.”

The Grishams' granddaughter, Cindy Gisholt, of Coquille, continued the tradition her grandmother started of working with 4-H and showing horses, and now Gisholt's children, Grisham's great-grandchildren, are in 4-H and show horses at the fair.

At the Grisham ranch, they are down to four horses, with a colt born each year. The last three years, Wayne Nelson, a barber in Coquille, has purchased one of the Grisham's colts to give to the local 4-H club.

“They're all from the same mare,” said Georgia. “He got one this year that's sure going to be a dandy.”

The Grishams had box seats for the rodeo for 17 years until four years ago, when they were sold to someone else. Up until then, they attended the rodeo each year. This year, they have been given new box seats.

Although the Grishams were taken by surprise when they were named the fair's grand marshals, Georgia said they are looking forward to being back at the fair.

“We'll go back now as long as we live,” she said.