To Dixie

Dixie said. . .My mother, Gracie, was Miles & Mamie Orton's second offspring of eight. All are deceased except Sadie and Miles Jr. I was born and lived in Ortonville when not traveling with my parents, The Aerial Ortons (Vernon Liedtke & Gracie Orton). I was taught trapeze but never performed, however my sister, Norma, did. You are correct about the trademark thing. After their divorce, mother couldn't use the Aerial Ortons or Sensational Ortons names. Her second husband's professional circus name was Ricardo, so they used Ricardo & Gracis Orton the Aerial Sensations. Diane asked if anyone knew who fell and broke his jugular vein. I believe she may be referring to my father. It happened when he was practicing in 1957. The stakes pulled out of the ground and the pole toppled, he rode it down and then jumped off about six feet from the ground, landed on his hands and knees, and the pole came down and hit him on the neck critically injuring his juguler vein. He was only 45 years old. Mother passed away in 2000 at the age of 86.Dixie "Hi Dixie, I suppose you are one of the kids above. I remember when your father was killed, wasn't it in Dallas? I wasn't sure who Diane was referring to. Years before, Uncle Criley, having retired from the ring and heavier in weight, attempted to show his kids how to do a handstand, ruptured a blood vessel in his neck and died soon after from a blood clot. This left his widow Florence with a lot of kids to raise alone and of which all became outstanding members of Iowa society,"