September 7, 2018 - The Independent Order of Odd Fellow Lodge 104 has selected Les Weir as the Grand Marshall of this year’s CoyoteFest Parade. When he rides down Main Street in Coulterville at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, September 22 at the head of this “home town” parade, the community will be honoring him and his family’s rich history, so intertwined with the town and the north county!
Les and his wife of 31 years, Ivey, live on the Schilling Ranch, a site homesteaded by Les’ great grandfather, Isac “IKE” Shilling in 1850. His other great grandfather, on his mother’s side, Eduard Pope, was a highly skilled driller at the Mary Harrison Mine, winning not only the local speed drilling contests held in Coulterville, but walking away with 1st place at the California State Fair a number of times! Les’s grandmother, Clara Pope Shilling was way ahead of her time when it came to breaking out of the “proper female role”…refusing to ride side-saddle, taking over her husband’s ranching responsibilities when she became a young widow and voted “Most Outstanding and Active Rancher in Mariposa County.”
Les worked in the ag business, eventually establishing and running Reliable Delivery based in Merced until he retired in 2003. He remains an active member of the IOOF Lodge, where he has served in various leadership roles over the years and was always willing to help… offering his services for various community events. Seen frequently around Coulterville for many years, he now spends most of his time on the ranch and enjoying his 3 children and 9 grandchildren.
So, come on out and help his lodge brothers and sisters honor this terrific man!
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Related: Don't Miss the CoyoteFest for a Howlin' Good Time in Coulterville on September 21 & 22, 2018
![9 22 18 CoyoteFest](http://www.goldrushcam.com/sierrasuntimes/images/2018/september/9-22-18-CoyoteFest.jpg)