Meet The Mooks
A native of Lincoln, Nebraska, Harland graduated from Southeast High School in 1956 and moved to California to teach high school in 1963. He has a social science degree from the University of Kansas (1960), (Kansas Football 1957) and a master's degree from the University of Nebraska (1963). He taught for a total of 39 years, two of which were at Kemper Military School and College in Booneville, Missouri. The remainder of his career was teaching U.S. History at Westminster High School in Westminster, California, where he also coached football and track for nine years. Harland retired in June, 2000, and when he isn't at home, he divides his time staying at the Ranch in Scio and visiting his daughter in San Antonio, Texas. Harland's love of horses began in 1970 when we acquired our first horse. Now, 35 years and 24 horses later, his favorite horses are his first, Tall Chief's Monahseetah, and Miss Follys Doll, who is now a brood mare at the Ranch and had her first foal, Future Sassy Delight, in 2000.
Harland
and Linda on the Golden Princess Mediterranean Cruise, July 2002.
Originally from the Midwest, Linda graduated from Blue Springs High School
in Blue Springs, Missouri, and met Harland while she was attending the
University of Missouri
in Columbia. They married in Blue Springs, Missouri in 1963, shortly
before she graduated from MU with a journalism degree. She later received
her masters in communication at the California
State University at Fullerton, California. She was editor of the Seal
Beach Leisure World News in Seal Beach, California, from 1965-69, and then taught journalism and English at Corona
del Mar H.S. in Newport Beach, California, until 1996. She worked as president of the Newport-Mesa
Federation of Teachers and represented 1250 teachers in the Newport-Mesa Unified School District from 1996-2003. On March
1, 2003 she retired from the Newport-Mesa Unified School District after working for 34 years as
teacher and union president and began working for the California
Federation of Teachers as Issues Coordinator. Linda died
at her home on December 30th 2004 after a battle with colon cancer.
She was age 62.
Katie,
Harland, and Linda showing Future Go Lucky at the Oregon Summer Classic in Central Point, Oregon June 25-30, 2002.
Katie was born in 1977, five years before the Mooks bought the ranch in Oregon. Katie grew up with her school years in California and her summers and vacations in Oregon. She was active in 4H and rode and trained horses with Gail Mann for her 4H projects. After graduating from Foothill High School 1995 where she ran track, she accepted a track scholarship at the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia. She graduated from W&M in 1999 with a double major in biology and environmental science. She worked at the Lloyd Center for Environmental Studies in South Dartmouth, Massachusetts from 1999 to 2002. She now lives in San Antonio, Texas and from 2003 to 2006 she taught at the San Antonio Zoo in the Education Center. In August, 2007 she started teaching 7th grade science at the Alamo Heights Junior School in San Antonio.
Katie and Edgar Kraus, and Linda and Harland Mook at the Hotel Valencia, San Antonio, Texas, December 4th, 2004.
After trailering their horses back and forth between California and Oregon for years, the Mooks are looking forward to being at the Ranch full time in the future. Besides having the ability to spend more time with the horses, the Mooks look forward to the serenity and small town atmosphere of Scio, Oregon (population: 610).
Mook Town
Mook-en-Middelaar is a town in Netherlands. Look at a map to find out where Mook Town is.
The Mook town flag.
The Mooks visited Mook town in 1998.
Art in Mook town. In the background
a view of the River through Mook.
Mook played an important role in the War for Independence of the Netherlands. In 1574 Requeses forced Ludwig of Nassau, the brother of William of Orange, into a battle at Mook. Read more about the history of the battle at Mook.
The country side around Mook
town. Look at more pictures
of the vicinity.