People

: Jeannie Morrisey

: Jeb Burford

: Jeb Free; A volunteer with the Mesa County Oral History Project.

: Jebbie Browne; Justine Elizabeth “Jebbie” Browne was born 26 June 1941 in Evanston, Illinois to Helena Sloop and William Johnson Browne. Browne and her sister, Candi, grew up in Greenville, Michigan and learned to swim at the idyllic Baldwin Lake Beach. Additionally, the Brownes enjoyed the extensive hiking trail system of the community and skiing at Tower Mountain. While in high school, Browne worked with show horses at an Arabian horse farm. After graduating from Bettendorf High School (Iowa), Browne earned a B.A. in Fine Arts (focus in Equine Studies) from Stephens College in Columbia, Missouri. While in college, Browne taught horseback riding at Stephens College Equestrian Center and stables. Browne was also an experienced swim instructor when she migrated west in the early 1960s. In 1962, Jebbie Browne ventured to the Gore Creek Valley with BJ Britton, Joel Fritz and Paul Testwuide, who were some of Vail’s original ski patrollers. Alongside her first job at the Golden Ski at the Lodge at Vail, Browne also taught local children swimming at the Rams-Horn Lodge. Children’s swim instruction led to children’s ski instruction. Browne reported that Bob Gagne, who was an early Vail Ski School Director, allowed her to develop a Local Vail Kids ski program for youngsters ages three-to-six years. This was the original “Tiny Tot” ski program in Vail. Other original Local Vail Kids ski program instructors were Joanne Savoie, Kara Heide, Susan Bristol, Drex Douglas and Jill Napolitan. In 1981, Browne created and published the seminal “Learn-to-Ski” coloring book for children. Based out of Gold (aka Golden) Peak, Jebbie Browne taught in the Vail children’s ski program for fifty years. Renowned athletes who began skiing with Jebbie include Sara Schleper, Sacha Gros and Jeff Campbell. A highlight for many Tiny Tot skiers was skiing a trail through the trees on Vail Mountain with their instructor. Jebbie’s Deck, located on Vail Mountain, was named for Browne and her intrepid young skiers.