Imagine a small town honoring a beloved children’s author with a sculpture that captures the heart of his most famous story. But here’s where it gets even more fascinating: this isn’t just any sculpture—it’s a tribute to Wilson Rawls, the author of Where the Red Fern Grows, and it was crafted by a 94-year-old artist who’s been shaping clay since she was a child. This is the story of Marilyn Hoff Hansen, her masterpiece, and the enduring legacy of a writer who once called Idaho Falls home.
Published at 12:00 pm, November 4, 2025 | Updated at 12:41 pm, November 4, 2025
On the northeast side of the Idaho Falls Public Library stands a sculpture of Billy Coleman and his loyal dogs from Where the Red Fern Grows. Created by Hansen in the 1990s, this piece pays homage to Rawls, who lived in the area while writing the book. Stewart Petersen, who played Billy in the 1974 film adaptation, shares his memories of working with Rawls in the video above. | Rett Nelson, EastIdahoNews.com
A Lifelong Passion for Art
For Marilyn Hoff Hansen, sculpting and painting aren’t just hobbies—they’re a lifelong passion that’s earned her national recognition. At 94, Hansen has spent nearly her entire life creating art, with her work displayed in universities, galleries, and even the Smithsonian Institute in Washington, D.C. Her specialty? Figurative sculptures, particularly of people and animals, with horses taking center stage in many of her most prominent pieces.
‘I grew up on a horse,’ Hansen tells EastIdahoNews.com, her voice reflecting a deep connection to her craft. Much of her art was created in an old milk barn on her family’s farm near the Old Butte Soccer Complex, a space that still houses many of her unfinished projects. Though retired from commissioned work, Hansen continues to explore her creativity at home.
A Labor of Love and Community
Among her many creations, Hansen holds a special place in her heart for the sculpture of Billy Coleman and his dogs. Crafted over several months in the 1990s, the piece began as a small model for Temple View Elementary School. ‘The principal asked me if I’d create a memorial for Wilson Rawls,’ Hansen recalls. ‘The fifth graders were reading his book, and he jokingly asked how many cookies it would take.’
What started as a school project soon gained momentum. The city of Idaho Falls embraced the idea, and Hansen was commissioned to create the full-size sculpture. She used a pair of red tick hounds from Blackfoot as models for the dogs and enlisted multiple grandchildren, including her granddaughter Amanda Ward (now an Idaho State Police trooper), to pose as Billy. The process was a community affair, with busloads of students, teachers, and librarians watching her work.
‘I gave each person a little wad of clay and told them they could place it anywhere,’ Hansen says. ‘I’d have to move it, but they’d know their clay was part of the sculpture. It was their piece, and I never worried about vandalism.’
The statue was installed in front of the library in 1999, with a dedication ceremony held on August 12 of that year. It remains a cherished landmark, a testament to both Rawls’ story and Hansen’s artistry.
The Author’s Unlikely Journey
Long before Hansen’s sculpture came to be, Wilson Rawls had an unconventional path to becoming a writer. He arrived in Idaho Falls in the 1950s, working for the Atomic Energy Commission in Arco. Tired of the long bus rides, he took a job with Jimmy Stewart, a sheep rancher in Monteview. But Rawls’ past was marked by struggles—he’d served time in prison twice in Oklahoma and once in New Mexico, convicted of crimes like stealing chickens and breaking and entering.
And this is the part most people miss: Despite these setbacks, Rawls had a dream to write, inspired by Call of the Wild as a child. He’d penned the story that became Where the Red Fern Grows before coming to Idaho, locking his manuscripts in an old trunk. It wasn’t until he met Sophie Styczinski, a family friend and AEC budget analyst who later became his wife, that his dream took flight. Embarrassed by his lack of education, Rawls had burned his manuscript days before their wedding, but Styczinski encouraged him to rewrite it, edit it, and submit it for publication.
The story was first published in 1961 in The Saturday Evening Post as The Hounds of Youth before becoming the beloved novel we know today. Rawls’ second book, Summer of the Monkeys, was also written in Idaho Falls. He passed away in 1984 at the age of 71, leaving behind a legacy that continues to inspire.
A Friendship Forged on Set
Stewart Petersen, who portrayed Billy Coleman in the 1974 film, recalls a deep bond with Rawls during the production. ‘He took me under his wing,’ Petersen says. ‘I was playing his young boyhood life, and we became friends quickly. I always admired his goodness.’ Petersen describes Rawls as a ‘genuine and down-to-earth’ man, a sentiment echoed by those who knew him.
A Lasting Impact
The fifth graders who watched Hansen sculpt the statue have since grown up, but the memory of that experience remains. Hansen still cherishes the letters they wrote her, sharing what they’d tell their own children about the project. ‘Now they’re grown, and I wonder what they did tell their kids,’ she reflects.
Though Rawls never saw the sculpture, his legacy lives on through Hansen’s art. A smaller replica of the piece now graces a sculpture garden at the University of Oklahoma, dedicated to children’s literature. For Hansen, the months spent creating the sculpture are a cherished memory, and she’s thrilled that her work continues to be appreciated.
But here’s the question: In a world where art and literature often compete for attention, how do we ensure that tributes like Hansen’s sculpture and Rawls’ stories endure for future generations? Share your thoughts in the comments—let’s keep the conversation going.
