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Cecil G. Ice
by Bonnie London
Cecil stated, "If you were going to be in the arena or behind the chutes, you had to wear a cowboy hat. I didn't have one. When Casey won a big event featuring a prized cowboy hat, he gave it to me, and I wore it to every rodeo after that." Cecil still has the treasured hat today, including the box it came in, as well as fond memories of some great times with Casey Tibbs and his fellow cowboys. Casey contacted Cecil to fly them to rodeos so they could make two rodeos a day and accumulate points as well as prize money. "I remember going to twelve rodeos in six days", mentioned Cecil, "Casey rode twice at each rodeo and he was never bucked off. He had it figured out." Cecil reminisces about the rodeo flying trips that were filled with cowboy antics and practical jokes. "They rode hard and played hard. There was never a dull moment. They were always playing jokes on each other," commented Cecil. Even in correspondence, Casey Tibb's humor would prevail, he would address letters to Cecil as: Frozen Water; Pierre, South Dakota, in reference of Cecil's last name of Ice. The Post Office knew who it was and delivered them to Cecil's mailbox. Cecil Ice remains well known to this day and is still running an aerial spray business in Pierre. Born in August 27, 1923, in Miller, Cecil has lived in South Dakota all his life. Cecil began flying at an early age. He earned his pilot's wings at the early age of 14, soloed at the age of 16, earned his Private Pilot License at 17 and a year later received his Commercial Pilot License and Flight Instructor Rating. He was an instructor for the War Training Service and the Civilian Pilot Training Program at the Black Hills Airport before entering the United States Air Force in 1944. During his military duty he ferried fighter planes in the Ferry Division of Air Transport Command, both continental and overseas. Following active duty, he continued his commitment to our country's safety with a GI Flight Training Program. In 1947, Cecil and his wife Marge moved to Pierre and began Ice Flying Service. The year 2007 marked 60 years of providing quality aeronautical services to the Pierre area. During this time, he built an air taxi service, GI Flight Training Program, air ambulance service, charter flights aircraft sales as an authorized Piper dealer, an aircraft maintenance shop with gas sales, pilot instructions and an aerial application business. To date Cecil runs the aerial spray service and used aircraft sales. In 1997, Cecil was inducted into the "South Dakota Aviation Hall of Fame", where he was honored for the integrity with which he runs his business, conducts his life and provides for the aviation industry. Cecil and Marge have three children, Randall Ice of Pheonix, Arizona, Linda Theobald of Pierre and Jeff Ice of Pierre. The contributions Cecil and Marge have made to the aerial industry, their community of Pierre and the state of South Dakota are to be commended. In addition, many enterprising young people have been proud to call Cecil their mentor and value the lessons he taught them as a pilot of the highest caliber. Cecil Ice and Casey Tibbs remained good friends until Casey's death. Times have changed and many years have passed, but recalling memories or the infamous rodeos and stories of their flying trips still brings joy and laughs to their friends and families. |
