Obituary for Jess Benton "Ben" Mellor
JESS BENTON MELLOR, 87, of Valentine, Nebraska passed away on May 30, 2020 at the Veteran’s Home in Norfolk, Nebraska.
Ben was born in Merriman, Nebraska on July 13, 1932. He was one of ten children born to Jess and Gaynelle Starr Mellor. He graduated from Atkinson High School in 1951. Ben served in the Army from 1953 to 1955, as a Mess Sergeant in Anchorage, Alaska, during the Korean Conflict.
He met the love of his life, Patricia Schneider of Cody, while visiting friends in Omaha. They were married on May 12, 1956 and to this union five beautiful daughters were born.
Ben and Pat moved to Atkinson in 1957. Ben was instrumental in the completion of the second irrigation well in Holt County on the farm he was renting. Along with crops, they raised hogs, dairy cattle, and chickens. One cold winter morning, Ben said “If we are going to milk, we need to go somewhere warmer,” so he packed up the family and moved to Austin, Arkansas. There they purchased a 100-cow Grade A dairy farm.
Struggling through a drought and a milk price war, he took a job in Little Rock on a freight dock to better support his growing family.
In 1970, realizing his true passion was ranching, they purchased a ranch in Wheatland, Wyoming. Ben was a horseman at heart and in life, a true cowboy.
Seeing a better opportunity, Ben moved the family to Cody in 1973. He owned and operated the Sandhills Cattle Service. On a trip to the National Western Stock Show, he was introduced to the Maine-Anjou breed. He bought Eden, the first registered Maine-Anjou heifer in the state of Nebraska. He joined the Maine-Anjou Association and was a Board Member for several years. He showed cattle at the National Western Stock Show, N.A.I.L.E., Kansas City Royal, and various state fairs. In 1991, he received the National Breeder of the year award for his outstanding contribution to the Maine-Anjou breed through the Production of Superior Quality Animals. In 1994, he received Premier Breeder at the American Royal Maine-Anjou Show in Kansas City, Missouri. In 1998, he dispersed the registered herd and moved near Valentine. Still, he could not stand to be without cattle, so he started a small herd of Shorthorn. Ben and Pat moved to their present home in Valentine on Main Street in 2003, when they retired.
During retirement they enjoyed many activities. Two of Ben’s favorites were fishing and square dancing. The Sandhills Twirlers Square Dance Club danced in Broken Bow, North Platte, White River, at the State Convention in Hastings, and many other places.
He was preceded in death by his parents: Jess and Gaynelle Mellor; brothers: James and Richard; sisters: Ruth, Helen, Laura, Maude and Jenny Beth.
Ben is survived by his wife Patricia; their five daughters: Janet (Charles) Weston of San Antonia, Texas, Jolene (Donald) Grunhaupt of Crookston, Terri Mellor of Omaha, Tami Mellor of Eldorado, California and Gina (Jon) Heath of Grand Island; brothers: George Mellor (Imogene) of Spencer and Murray Mellor (Jean)of Atkinson; sister-in-law Mary Mellor of Butte; 11 grandchildren: Trenton Baumert, Erin Carlson, Lindsey Morales, Brent Baumert, Tyrell Grunhaupt, Seth Grunhaupt, Trisha Mellor, Sara Mellor, Jessica Shannon, Jared Heath, Annessa Heath; and 14 great grandchildren.
Ben was born in Merriman, Nebraska on July 13, 1932. He was one of ten children born to Jess and Gaynelle Starr Mellor. He graduated from Atkinson High School in 1951. Ben served in the Army from 1953 to 1955, as a Mess Sergeant in Anchorage, Alaska, during the Korean Conflict.
He met the love of his life, Patricia Schneider of Cody, while visiting friends in Omaha. They were married on May 12, 1956 and to this union five beautiful daughters were born.
Ben and Pat moved to Atkinson in 1957. Ben was instrumental in the completion of the second irrigation well in Holt County on the farm he was renting. Along with crops, they raised hogs, dairy cattle, and chickens. One cold winter morning, Ben said “If we are going to milk, we need to go somewhere warmer,” so he packed up the family and moved to Austin, Arkansas. There they purchased a 100-cow Grade A dairy farm.
Struggling through a drought and a milk price war, he took a job in Little Rock on a freight dock to better support his growing family.
In 1970, realizing his true passion was ranching, they purchased a ranch in Wheatland, Wyoming. Ben was a horseman at heart and in life, a true cowboy.
Seeing a better opportunity, Ben moved the family to Cody in 1973. He owned and operated the Sandhills Cattle Service. On a trip to the National Western Stock Show, he was introduced to the Maine-Anjou breed. He bought Eden, the first registered Maine-Anjou heifer in the state of Nebraska. He joined the Maine-Anjou Association and was a Board Member for several years. He showed cattle at the National Western Stock Show, N.A.I.L.E., Kansas City Royal, and various state fairs. In 1991, he received the National Breeder of the year award for his outstanding contribution to the Maine-Anjou breed through the Production of Superior Quality Animals. In 1994, he received Premier Breeder at the American Royal Maine-Anjou Show in Kansas City, Missouri. In 1998, he dispersed the registered herd and moved near Valentine. Still, he could not stand to be without cattle, so he started a small herd of Shorthorn. Ben and Pat moved to their present home in Valentine on Main Street in 2003, when they retired.
During retirement they enjoyed many activities. Two of Ben’s favorites were fishing and square dancing. The Sandhills Twirlers Square Dance Club danced in Broken Bow, North Platte, White River, at the State Convention in Hastings, and many other places.
He was preceded in death by his parents: Jess and Gaynelle Mellor; brothers: James and Richard; sisters: Ruth, Helen, Laura, Maude and Jenny Beth.
Ben is survived by his wife Patricia; their five daughters: Janet (Charles) Weston of San Antonia, Texas, Jolene (Donald) Grunhaupt of Crookston, Terri Mellor of Omaha, Tami Mellor of Eldorado, California and Gina (Jon) Heath of Grand Island; brothers: George Mellor (Imogene) of Spencer and Murray Mellor (Jean)of Atkinson; sister-in-law Mary Mellor of Butte; 11 grandchildren: Trenton Baumert, Erin Carlson, Lindsey Morales, Brent Baumert, Tyrell Grunhaupt, Seth Grunhaupt, Trisha Mellor, Sara Mellor, Jessica Shannon, Jared Heath, Annessa Heath; and 14 great grandchildren.