Henry Scobee

On December 17, 2021, Hank Scobee, age 94, passed away at the VA Medical Center in Sheridan, Wyoming. Hank was born Henry Albert Scobee on March 5, 1927, in Allen County, Kansas, to George and Flossie Faulkner Scobee. In 1930 the family moved to a homestead in Converse County, Wyoming. When Henry was in the 4th grade they left the homestead and moved near Sheridan, Wyoming.

His life as a cowboy started when he was 16 and was hired on as the horse wrangler for the SU Ranch east of Lodge Grass, Montana. He worked there until he joined the Navy in 1945. After his discharge, Henry was hired back on at the SU Ranch. It was at this time that everyone outside the Scobee family called him Hank.

Hank married Lauretta Bradley in May 1951 at the SU Ranch. Hank worked for the Antler Ranch, the EV Ranch, and the Belton Evans Ranch. In January 1956 Hank went to work for the Padlock Ranch where he spent the rest of his 50-year cowboy career.

In 1963 the Padlock offered Hank the foreman job on the north end of the Ranch on Tullock Creek, in Big Horn County, Montana. In 1978 Hank transferred to the main ranch, near Dayton, Wyoming. In 1989 during the State of Montana Centennial celebration, Hank was designated a “Montana Centennial Cowboy”. Hank retired from the Padlock Ranch in 1994 and took a job as a part-time brand inspector for the State of Wyoming. Hank was also an active member of the Ranchester-Dayton Rotary Club for many years.

And at the age of 84, Hank retired from brand inspecting. Hank and his daughter, Donna, wrote a non-published story of his life experiences called “Hank Scobee, a Cowboy’s Life Story.” In 2015 Hank was the Living Inductee for District 7 in the Montana Cowboy Hall of Fame & Western Heritage Center. In May 2021, Hank and Lauretta celebrated their 70th wedding anniversary at home with their children.

Hank was preceded in death by his parents, four siblings, and their spouses—Bill and Lorraine Scobee, Clarence and Shirley Scobee, Georgia “Sis” and Lynn Popp, Rosie “Babe” and Jim Butler; and son-in-law, Rick Pauley.

Hank is survived by his wife, Lauretta; daughters Karen Pauley of Shepherd, MT, and Donna (Rick) Scott of Billings, MT; sons George Scobee of Colstrip, MT, and John Scobee of Sand Coulee, MT; six grandchildren—DR and GW Pauley, Dan and Elizabeth Scobee, Laura Scott and Bobbie Scobee; five great-grandchildren—Brett and Conner Pauley, Gib and Tucker White, and his namesake, Henry Scobee Alverson. Hank is also survived by many nieces and nephews.

The family would like to thank the staff and caregivers at the Sheridan VA’s Mountain View Living Center for the wonderful care Hank received in his final months. Cremation has taken place. A Celebration Of Life will be held on Saturday, May 21, 2022, at 11:00 AM at the Dayton Community Hall with Military Honors, and a dinner to follow the service. The full obituary is at https://www.kanefuneral.com/obituaries. Please sign the guest book and write a memory of Hank.