Bonita Kay Trantham, first daughter of Thomas and Darlene Chance Trantham,
     was born on March 18, 1949. I lived south of Medicine Lodge for fourteen
     years, at which time we moved to Sharon.
       Our childhood home, five miles south of Medicine lodge, was along the
     Medicine river. My brother Bill, sister Pat, and I roamed the river winter
     and summer. We used a long stick and string for a fishing pole or even no
     stick at all. Frequently we just tied one end of the string to a tree. We
     were over-zealous fishermen. One nibble on the line and Pat would jerk the
     fish clear up into the trees. We may have been the only fishermen to catch
     "tree fish."
       Some places along the river the trees were so thick we could hardly ride
     the horses through them. Such areas made fantastic hideouts for pretend
     bank robbers.
       During the spring floods, we would find a long log floating by and jump
     on it. It sure made a good ride. One year we owned a bunch of sheep. During
     one flood, our sheep were floating down the river so Dad swam out and
     dragged them back to the edge. Considering Dad can't swim, it was quite a
     feat.
       On January 1, 1961, Mom died in a pickup wreck. Dad had his hand full with
     three kids age 10, 11 and 12 years old. He worked for the National Gypsum
     Company at the time. Later in the year he married Claudine Kaiser Shriner.
     She was widowed with one son, Dawsey Duane.
       Rodeos played an important part of my entire life. I participated in Little
     Britches for 8 years winning a saddle, many bridles, halters, and such things.
       After graduating from Sharon High School, I attended Pratt Junior College
     at Pratt, Kansas and Central Bible College in Springfield, Missouri.
       I married Larry Snyder of Coats, Kansas on September 7, 1969. Three years
     later he received his Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree from Kansas State
     University. Larry's ability as a calf roper and bull dogger kept food on the
     table during our college years. We have rodeoed, as members of the Professional
     Rodeo Cowboys Association, in ten states. In October 1978 Larry won the title
     of Calf Roping Champion of the prairie Circuit.
       After graduating from KSU, we moved to Madill, Oklahoma for four months.
     In October of 1972, Ashland, Kansas became our home. Here on November 9, 1972,
     Thomas William was born. Our daughter Toma LuAnn came along on February 15,
     1974.
       On March 7, 1976, we left Ashland to rodeo professionally. We realized a
     life long desire for both of us, by rodeoing continually for six months. 
     While traveling over ten states, we were looking for the best town to settle
     down in permanently, of course, we could find no place better than "good ole"
     Medicine Lodge. In September of 1976 we moved here to establish a veterinary
     clinic.
                
     Source:Chosen Land - Barber County, Kansas, pg. 429 
     Submitted by: Bonnie Snyder