The
Lehi Round-Up Celebration Committee and the Lehi Civic Improvement Association
have announced that Bert and Taunya Wilson have been named Grand Marshals for
the 2019 Round-Up Rodeo and Celebration.
“I
don’t think Bert has ever sat down and just watched the rodeo! He’s always
running around helping. The only time he missed the rodeo were the years he was
serving his mission,” said Taunya Wilson. The entire Wilson family has a
tradition of attending all the Round-Up events together, and that includes all
three nights of the rodeo.
“I love seeing all the little kids
wearing their Walmart cowboy hats and Round-Up T-shirts at their first rodeo.
People who have been to Disneyland but haven’t been to the rodeo and had a
rodeo burger haven’t been to the happiest place on earth!” said Bert Wilson.
Bert
and Taunya Wilson were both raised in Lehi and graduated from Lehi High School.
Bert attended Utah State University and served a mission in Finland for The
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. His career in the banking industry
spanned over 40 years. Bert Wilson served as Lehi’s mayor from 2010 to 2017.
Taunya
Wilson attended business school and was an elementary school secretary for 25
years. She has served alongside Bert in the Lehi Civic Improvement Association
for more than 40 years and was the Director of the Miss Lehi Scholarship
Pageant. Both Bert and Taunya Wilson have served in many callings for The
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints during their 47-year marriage. They
are currently serving in the Mount Timpanogos Temple. Bert and Taunya are the
parents of four children; Wade, Brad, Shelli, and Drew. They have fourteen
grandchildren and one great-grandson.
“Round-Up
week is a holiday for our family, just like Christmas,” explained Bert Wilson.
For years, the Wilson family watched the parade from Taunya’s Grandma’s house,
continuing that tradition after their daughter bought the home. For the last
few years, the family takes in the parade from their son’s business on Main
Street. “We don’t think about how big the family has gotten until we’re all in
the same place watching the parade!” said Bert.
“This is really humbling. There’s probably a thousand
people who could do this. It’s really an honor for us,” said Bert Wilson of
being chosen as Grand Marshals for Round-Up week.
Bert and Taunya Wilson
are proud of their Lehi heritage and are true examples of success, service, and
the value of long-time family traditions.