Don Ray Brackenbury Gardnerville, Nevada Obituary

Don Ray Brackenbury

Don Ray Brackenbury, passed away peacefully on August 11, 2016 with his wife Elaine by his side. Don was born October 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 October 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 memories 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 August 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 (Mara), 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.
October 7, 1930 - August 11, 201610/07/193008/11/2016
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Obituary

Don Ray Brackenbury, passed away peacefully on August 11, 2016 with his wife Elaine by his side. Don was born October 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 October 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 memories 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 August 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 (Mara), 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.

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