BARENT, STAN AND LUCILLE (SIMONSON)

Stan Barent was born on June 14, 1918 at the ranch home in Cherry County, 17 miles northwest of Seneca, Nebraska. His mother died at an early age, leaving him and his brother Bud for his Dad to raise. Stan grew up on his Dad's ranch and entered the United States Army on October 23, 1942; he was stationed at Mineral Wells, Texas. Because of a serious leg injury that he had suffered when he was 16, as the result of a haying accident, he received an honorable discharge in April 1943. Stan worked on various ranches and participated in area rodeos for a number of years. He and DeWayne Buechler invested in a string of rodeo stock and put on rodeos in a number of towns; Mullen, Seneca, Thedford, Anselmo, Trenton, Lincoln, and Kearney. Later they sold their stock to the late George Stichka.

August 18, 1946, Stan married Lucille Simonson, daughter of S.T. Simonson (Sam) and Helen. Lucille was born 1927 on her parent's ranch. This was a double (yard) wedding at the Simonson ranch home with Lucille's sister, Allegra and DeWayne Buechler. In January 1948, the 2 couples moved to the Red Ranch east of Seneca where they ranched and continued to put on rodeos. Stan participated in all five events and placed a number of times. He was State Champion Bulldogger in 1961. He is a past president of the Nebraska State Rodeo Association.

January 1949 blizzard was disastrous for them, as they lost many of their cattle that drifted into the Middle Loup River and froze to death. July 16, 1962 was another bad year as a severe hail storm destroyed their pas-tures, alfalfa and hay meadows. The leaves were torn from the trees, cattle and horses were badly beaten on their backs and hind legs.

Stan and Lucille purchased the land east of Seneca from her parent's October 31, 1964 and began building a brick home on the property and moved into it the next fall. Stan contracted haying jobs during the summer; usually 8 to 10 boys and girls helped coming from various towns in and around the area. They stayed with them all summer, it kept Lucille busy with the cooking and washing but they thoroughly enjoyed them.

In 1975, the Barent's bought another track of land along the Middle Loup River, west of the viaduct west of Thedford, Nebraska that belonged to Wesley Sherman. In November 1977, they built another brick home, moving into it March 1978. In 1979, they bought the land from Bud McGooden which joined their two places north and south of Hiway #2. In 1982 they sold the building site of the McGooden land to David and Peggy Ruzicka.

Stan keeps busy ranching and enjoys it. He helped to get the high school rodeos started. He has judged many R.C.A. and N.S.R.A. Rodeos, as well as High School rodeos. He has been a member of R.C.A. and N.S.R.A and of the Nebraska Stockgrowers Association. He has always been active in soil conservation projects.

Lucille taught school before and after she and Stan were married, and was busy as a secretary and timekeeper when Stan was active in Rodeos. She is a member and Past Noble Grand in the Rebekah Lodge at Mullen, a member of Winifred Chapter No. 292 of the Order of the Eastern Star in Mullen, a member of the Cattlewomen, and treasurer of the United Church of Christ Fellowship in Seneca. She has been a Avon Representative for a number of years and has really enjoyed it.