Stella Mae Scrutchfield died October 1, 2011.

Stella Mae Scrutchfield was born on October 20, 1920 in Sheridan, the second of three children, to Charles Scrutchfield and Bertha Evans Scrutchfield. Stella's youth was spent divided between the family's Badger Creek Ranch, where she learned how to be a cowgirl and work hard without complaint, and winters in town at the family home on Big Horn Ave. She attended Linden School, Central Junior High, and Sheridan High School, graduating in 1938.

Stella was not fond of domestic duties, and took every opportunity to be outdoors and help her dad with the horses and other ranching chores. Since she and her siblings were not close in age, she was a solitary child who spent time with her pet goat, which was found along the road to the ranch. Stella's mother kept the cellar door brightly painted, and she and the little goat would slide down the slick surface during the long afternoons. She also played with the chickens her mother kept and raced up and down the Badger Hills on her favorite horse, Dexter.

Stella talked often of the life on Badger Creek during the dry depression years. They would scan the sky for the clouds that would build up and then disipate without spilling a single drop of rain. There were none of the comforts of electricity on the ranch and in the summer, they ate chicken and beans every day. Since the creek would dry up in hot weather, they would pack snow in the cistern in the winter for water in summer. She remembered fondly the times when her grandparents came out from town with a block of ice, or when there was hail and they could make ice cream. She also loved to read when she couldn't be outside. Her mother said that "Stella always had her nose in a book."

After high school, Stella attended Colorado Women's College in Denver and the University of Utah in Salt Lake. During her summer breaks, she worked at the Quarter Circle U Dude Ranch in Birney, Montana. During WWII, she worked at the Airforce base in Salt Lake. She also taught one year at the Murphy Gulch School where she boarded with the families and rode a horse to and from school. It was her duty to start the fire in the stove each morning before the students arrived.

In 1944, Stella married Reg Bessette and they had one son, Russell. While married to Reg, they outfitted and guided Dudes at Teepee and Meadowlark Lodges in the Big Horn Mountains. During this time, Stella climbed to the top of Cloud Peak, and she told of how being of small stature, she had to jump from rock to rock to make it to the top.

She and Reg later divorced, and on Thanksgiving Day 1953 she was married to Robert Barker. Stella and Bob had one daughter, Robby.

After working for a few years for accountant, James Wolfe, she and Marie Collins bought the accounting business and started Barker & Collins, Public Accountants. They ran a very successful business in downtown Sheridan for many years. Most of their clients were ranch people who they served faithfully for a long time. Some of the families were clients for a couple of generations. Stella often remarked on how much she loved her work and felt her clients were part of her social life as well. She missed that part of her life after she retired.

During their retirement, She & Bob enjoyed travel to various locations alone and with her sister Mary and her husband, Malcolm. They attended several of Bob's military reunions around the country and overseas. In her retirement, she enjoyed coffee and breakfast with friends, reading, jigsaw and crossword puzzles, watching Jeopardy, and spending time with her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Stella loved word games and writing little poems while sitting on her sunporch with a view of the Big Horn Mountains. She also enjoyed her family and loved spending time visiting, eating out, and delighted in their company.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Bob, her parents, Charlie & Bertha, and her brother Leroy.

She is survived by; her sister, Mary Hutton of Sheridan, son and daughter-in-law, Russ & Teresa Bessette, and grandson Nick of Austin, Texas., daughter and son-in-law Robby & John Smith of Sheridan, grandaughter and grandson-in-law, Meghan & Lars Nedwick, great grandchildren Otto, Arne, & Svea of Kotzebue, Alaksa, and grandaughter Alicia Smith and John Begger of Anchorage, Alaksa, as well as several nieces and nephews.

Stella was a remarkable women who lived life on her own terms. She will be greatly missed by her family and friends.

Services will be at Champion-Ferries Funeral Home with a viewing on Thursday evening, October 6th from 6-8pm and funeral services on Friday, October 7th at 10:00am.

Memorials for the Downtown Sheridan Association new community room may be sent to DSA at P.O. Box 13, Sheridan, Wy 82801.

The Sheridan Press - October 5, 2011.