Don Ray Brackenbury
Don Ray Brackenbury, passed away peacefully on Aug. 11, 2016 with his wife Elaine by his side. Don was born Oct. 7, 1930 to Howard Brackenbury and Rosa Durfee Brackenbury in Almo, Idaho. He was named ?Dawn Ray? after the first light of day, but changed the spelling to ?Don? He was the third of six children. He attended school in Almo and Elba, but dropped out in the eighth grade to go to work as a cowboy. There were not a lot of cars back then, so they rode horses everywhere they went. His first car was a Model A. Because of where the gas tank was positioned on the car, the only way to go up a hill was in reverse. He was drafted into the Army from March 1951 to March 1953. He liked to tell stories about being in the army. Before they were issued uniforms, he and his buddies marched around in their cowboy boots and hats thinking they were pretty important.
After the Army, Don and his brother Bob rode their horses from Almo to Malta, ID and Naf, UT to attend dances. He met Elaine Olson of Bridge, ID at a dance in Malta. They planned to get married on Don?s birthday, but he was stuck out with the wagon building fence and didn?t get back in time, so they were married three days later in Elko, NV on Oct. 10, 1953 with Don?s mom and dad and brother Bob as witnesses. Bob?s main concern during the wedding was that Elaine wouldn?t let Don continue to rodeo after they were married. She did.
Don and Elaine had nine kids; four boys and five girls (daughter Pamela passed away at age two). Don worked on various ranches in Idaho, California, Utah, Montana and Nevada. He was good with horses, knew cows and liked to flood irrigate, but he would get ?itchy feet? after awhile, and move the family to a new job and a new place. On weekends, Don and Elaine would leave the kids with Elaine?s dad while they went to rodeos. Don won several team roping, calf roping and bareback riding buckles.
When Don was 63, he and Elaine ?retired? after a horse fell with him and tore his rotator cuff while working at Hagenbarth Livestock in Glen, MT. If you knew Don, you know retirement did not mean slowing down. Because he couldn?t use his right arm, he taught himself to rope left handed. He and Elaine moved to Caliente, NV where they helped his son Hank and his wife Joi on their ranch. They later moved to Hank and Joi?s ranch in Yerington, NV where they lived until the time of Don?s passing.
Don was an avid reader and enjoyed history. He loved to tell stories and wrote a book of short stories, cowboy poetry and memory?s entitled Cowboy Poetry and Reminiscences which he self published with help from Elaine and his sister Gloria. He was also an enthusiastic gardener and he loved to take his kids and grandkids fishing. Fun things to look forward to when visiting Don were going to hunt arrowheads or to collect pine nuts. He was always ambitious and a hard worker, but he could make a game out of everything so that it didn?t seem like work. If you played a game with Don, you played by ?Brackenbury Rules? which meant he made up the rules to suit him as he went along. He was a joker and loved to tease, especially Elaine. Until recently, he walked two miles every morning before he did chores.
Don will be missed by all who knew and loved him.
A celebration of life will be held on Aug. 27, 2016 in Almo, Idaho. Don?s wishes were to have his ashes spread on his walking trail and mountain in Rainbow Canyon at Caliente, NV.
Don is preceded in death by his parents, Howard and Rosa, his sister Betty Matsen, brother Lyle Durfee and daughter Pamela. He is survived by his wife of 62 years, Elaine; brother Bob Brackenbury, Murtaugh, ID; sister Gloria (Dick) Hodge, Heyburn, ID; Myrna Hathaway Chubback, ID; children Jesse (Samie) Brackenbury, Lancaster, CA; Debbie Brackenbury, Dillon, MT (children Justin, Kristin Robertson, and Austin); Hank (Joi) Brackenbury, Beatty, NV, (son Jared (Adriana)); Carey Reyes, Dillon, MT, (children Matt (Carly), Luke (Mikaela), Sabrina (Travis) McClure, and Robyn (Danny)); Howard Brackenbury, Butte, MT; Ted (Audrey) Brackenbury Dillon, MT, (children Heather (Trent) Merica, Tyler and Tucker); Stacey Roundy, Dillon, MT, (son Andy Steinle); Brandy Brackenbury, Mountain Home, ID (children Tymeri (Ritchie) Hinkley, and Stevie); eighteen great grandchildren, and numerous nieces and nephews.
Kathleen Elizabeth Hefner
Kathleen Elizabeth (Walker) Hefner of Pioche, NV, passed away on Aug. 2, 2016. Graveside services were held at Walnut Hill Cemetery in Baraboo, WI on Aug. 10, 2016. Kathy was born along with her twin sister, Maureen (Marny), on June 6, 1962, in Berwyn, IL to Richard and Georgia (Hula) Walker.
Kathy grew up in Parker, CO during the 1970?s playing with Barbie dolls, riding bicycles, sledding, riding horses, swimming and vacationing in Las Vegas where she received a kiss from Elvis. She later moved to Boulder City, NV where she graduated from Boulder City High School in 1980. Kathy married Richard Morin in 1980 and they had a daughter together. Kathy worked for the State of Nevada Department of Motor Vehicles for 25 years and retired in October 2005. She was very proud of her service and accomplishments while there and her coworkers loved and admired her. She even got to issue a driver?s license to Celine Dion.
In October 2007 she married David Hefner. Kathy lived the rest of her short life in Pioche, NV where she became a Pastor?s wife, committing and devoting herself tirelessly to helping the community and those in need. She worked for the Lincoln County Bookmobile, the Pioche Library and local bank. She served on many boards in the community and on the Labor Day Committee. Kathy enjoyed learning how to sew and made many items, including quilts, with the help and encouragement of the kind and caring ladies in her sewing group. One of Kathy?s proudest accomplishments was raising money through raffles of quilts and afghans for free ?Swim Days? and free swim passes for the families and children in Lincoln County at the public pools in Pioche and Caliente. This part of her legacy will continue with your donations to the Berean Baptist Church in Pioche, NV.
Kathy was preceded in death by her grandparents and mother. She will be greatly missed and leaves behind her husband, David Hefner of Pioche, NV; beloved daughter, Rachel (Greg) Swank of Lafayette, IN; her father, Richard (Jimmie) Walker of Las Vegas, NV; ?Older? sister Melissa (Greg) Garban of Canon City, CO; twin sister Marny (Randy) Adrian of Elizabeth, CO; nephew Matt (Kristal) Walker of Lochbuie, CO; three stepchildren, Marty, Deanna and Ben; two step-grandchildren, Aiden and Maijaliisa; and many friends and neighbors.
We will always carry Kathy?s memory in our hearts. A Celebration of Kathy?s Life will be announced at a later date.
Joe Maeder
1938-2016
On the 12th of August, Joe Maeder passed away in Caliente, Nevada. No services will be held. We would like to thank everybody for their thoughts and prayers.