Just a little sunshine, just a little rain

August 7, 2013 6:40 AM

Stan Lynde, creator of the iconic cowboy comic strip Rick O'Shay, has died in Helena, Montana. He was 81. Aside from Rick O'Shay, (more info) he was also an author and speaker. Stan and his wife Lynda had retired to Ecuador at the end of 2012. His first blog entry from Ecuador was in May; it would also be his last ever: Ecuador - Just a little sunshine, just a little rain.
posted by The Deej (6 comments total)

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Lynde, Rock O'Shay, and Hipshot were part of the rhythm of my boyhood in Montana. I'm grateful for all of them. I'm thinking now of Hipshot's form of prayer: lying on his bed, pointing his boot at a list on the wall and saying, "Them's my druthers." That's a very Prairie moment, and Lynde's work had a lot of those moments. Glad he can finally take off his boots.
posted by mrettig at 6:56 AM on August 7, 2013

Sorry to hear about the man's passing.

I guess it happens to us all in the end.
posted by Naberius at 7:11 AM on August 7, 2013

Wait. Just noticed. Lynda Lynde!
posted by mrettig at 11:32 AM on August 7, 2013

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Terrible puns, but I loved them.
posted by BlueHorse at 12:06 PM on August 7, 2013

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I grew up in Los Angeles and Rick O'Shay was my favorite story strip in the Times for most of my years. Yes, I loved the puns, as well as the artistic realism that stopped dead at the character faces. Surreality as it could only happen in the pre-ironic 1960s...
posted by oneswellfoop at 1:20 PM on August 7, 2013

Stan talked with a TV station in November about why he was retiring to Ecuador; very sad to learn of his passing this morning, had been hoping his new adventure would yield many tales.
posted by davidmsc at 2:23 PM on August 7, 2013