Originally published Sunday, July 20, 2008 at 12:00 AM
Old cowboy sheds chaps, builds chapel
Deb Copenhaver is a legendary rodeo rider. Born and raised in Wilbur, Lincoln County, his riding career took him to famous rodeos in Cheyenne...
The Spokesman-Review
Deb Copenhaver is a legendary rodeo rider. Born and raised in Wilbur, Lincoln County, his riding career took him to famous rodeos in Cheyenne, Calgary, Fort Worth and many other places during rodeo's golden age of the 1950s.
In 1999, his lifelong achievement won him a spot in the Ellensburg Rodeo Hall of Fame.
But Copenhaver's faith is as important to him as his rodeo accolades, and it was to celebrate the former that he built a tiny roadside chapel on his ranch property just off Highway 2 near Creston, Lincoln County, about halfway between Coulee City and Spokane.
"God gave me a vision, gee, it's been 10 years ago," said Copenhaver, 83. "I always had that in the back of my mind. Then piece by piece God started putting it together."
Copenhaver used cedar poles from a Bonneville Power Administration transmission line, obtained when BPA replaced them with steel towers.
The small log structure is reminiscent of a one-room schoolhouse, with its plank floors and rows of handmade benches — look carefully and you can still find a little sawdust in the corners.
Light from a tall window falls over the rustic wooden cross on the back wall.
Where the altar would be sits a bookstand with a guest book where travelers have signed their names.
He dedicated it in the fall during an annual Christian cowboy camp at his place.
"It's just there for people to stop by," Copenhaver said. "Everyone is welcome to come and lay your burdens at the altar and be refreshed."
Copyright © 2008 The Seattle Times Company
NEW - 8:12 AM
Rick Steves' Europe: Helsinki and Tallinn: Baltic Sisters
NEW - 8:00 AM
More extensive TSA searches in Sea-Tac Airport rattle some travelers
Winter play in the French Alps — without skiing
Carnival group hit by fire cheered in Rio parade
United cuts 2011 growth and Southwest raises fares

general classifieds
Garage & estate salesFurniture & home furnishings
Electronics
just listed
Adorable Bull Terrier puppies for good home...
AKC Great Dane Puppies Ready
AKC PAL/ILP Registered Labs
More listings
POST A FREE LISTING
- Lakewood cop accused of embezzling $150K meant for slain officers' families
- 3 big health insurers stockpile $2.4 billion as rates keep rising
- Social worker recounts minutes before Powell fire
- Agency set to investigate handling of 911 call about Josh Powell
- Quick decisions: How Washington hired its new football staff
- Council members get briefing on arena proposal, minus details
- Historic day for gay marriage as another fight looms
- Justin Wilcox's versatile defensive style is the right fit for Huskies | Jerry Brewer
- It's Terrence Time: Enigmatic Ross leads Huskies
- Washington men walloped by Oregon, 82-57
- Gay-marriage bill passes House, awaits Gregoire's signature
505 - Wanted in Seattle classrooms: more teachers of color
404 - AP Source: Obama to change birth control rule
361 - Council members get briefing on arena proposal, minus details
359 - Oregon live game thread
155 - Worker: Josh Powell told son he had 'surprise'
114 - Rough road again
108 - A few late-night notes
96 - USA Today further spells out how Mariners, handful of clubs next in line for huge cash windfall
76 - Marijuana legalization initiative set to go on Nov. ballot
74
- Wanted in Seattle classrooms: more teachers of color
- State Medicaid program to stop paying for unneeded ER visits
- 3 big health insurers stockpile $2.4 billion as rates keep rising
- Economy, blogs give survivalists new reason to look to Northwest
- State's share of mortgage settlement: $648 million
- Bellevue College adds a third bachelor's degree program
- Darren Berg gets 18-year sentence for Ponzi scheme
- One man's audacious pursuit of sailing history
- $25B settlement reached over foreclosure abuses
- 'Gauguin and Polynesia': dazzling mix-and-match | Art review
