Randy Graham
I started working with the Deming Log show around 1967 when it was still at Frank Mullen’s property. My wife Loretta also was involved with Woman’s auxiliary for many years. I helped a lot during the transformation to the new site and years after. I competed in many events for over 25 years, log chopping, trailer backing, wrapper throwing and the unlimited hot saw competition where I was the first to bring something bigger than a power saw. It was a Polaris snowmobile engine that I put a bar and chain on.
I was born on March 8th 1947 to Lloyd and Lee (Walser) Graham in the back seat of a 1938 Chevy at the old weigh scale at the Mt. Baker Hwy and VanWyk Rd. I guess I was born to be a trucker since I was born at the weigh scale. I am a 3rd generation logger/trucker with my grandfather Charles and father Lloyd all being in the business for many years. I grew up in Kendal in a small house with a 2-hole outhouse. I am the 3rd of 6 children, with Bob and Linda being older and Doris, Chuck and Frank being younger. We lost Chuck when he was 18 in a logging accident and Frank at 67 to cancer. I went to Maple Falls grade school and Mt Baker high school. After the 8th grade I figured I knew enough so I quit school and began working with my dad. My dad was working for Ervin Monaghan and I went to help my dad build a dump truck for him. When we got that truck done Ervin said since I did such a good job building the truck I should just drive it. So, at the age of 16 I started driving dump truck building logging roads down in Skykomish. Some of the older guys weren’t too happy that a little whipper snapper got to drive the newest truck. When I got down there, I was taught the ropes of dump trucking by a road building legend, Leo Sygitowicz. When we got back that winter, I had no job so my dad helped me get a old single axle International L185 gas pot with a single axle trailer with a wooden round reach and hydraulic brakes. I started working for Mel Lambert up on Blue Mtn and after a couple of years I upgraded to a double axle International L190 and double axle trailer with a square wood reach. I remember all my friends being jealous when I would drive by the school with a load of logs blowing my horn. I
hauled a 1 log load for dad by him pushing the log on to the truck with his homemade skidder. I got married to Beverly Tisland in 1964 and had my first son Rob and 3 years later daughter Kerry. In 1970 I married Loretta Lawrance and had 3 children being 2 daughters Paula and Tammy, and a son Rustin. I also did a little Logging with the likes of Arnie, Ron and Randy Zwick, Tom VanDyk and Bud Martinson. Times were tough back then so on weekends Tom VanDyk and I would cut shake blocks where there were many unforgettable story’s I shouldn’t repeat here.
I feel so fortunate to be able to have worked with a lot of the old original local loggers loading under a spar tree A frame, line loading machines and Hydraulic loaders. As things really slowed down in the 80’s, I went to work for Great Western driving chip and lumber truck during the days and LTI at night on the quarry rock haul. I had logging trucks up until the late 90’s to when I also was hauling veneer for Mt Baker Plywood and doing many other flatbed hauling all over the states. I hauled for many of the local loggers over the years including Mel Lambert, Earl Quinn, Arnie Zwick, Ted Barter, all of the Hammers, Hiett Logging and almost every Gypo logger around.
After retiring from the logging industry, I got in to hot asphalt oil hauling for Granite construction and since have grown to be able to supply many outfits with asphalt and roofing oil. I still run Hot Oil Transport (HOT) to this day. I would like to thank everyone for the honor to represent the Deming Log Show as the 2024 Bull Of The Woods following a long list of great men of the timber industry and in my father’s footsteps as he was the 1987 Bull Of The Woods.
I am truly humbled.
