COBLE, JIM AND LAVERNA (WALKER)

by Jim Coble

Entry F78 from the History of Hooker County Nebraska
with permission of the Hooker County Historical Society

Jim Coble Family. Jim, LaVerna, Lisa, Bill.

I, Jim Coble was born in Hyannis, Nebras-
ka September 17, 1942 to Harry and Doris
Coble. I grew up on my parents ranch along
with my older brother Gary. I attended a
country school, located nearby, where I
received my elementary education. I attend-
ed High School for approximately 2 1/2 years
at the University of Nebraska School of
Agriculture located at Curtis, Nebraska. I
completed the remainder of my High School
education at Mullen, Nebraska. After gra-
duation, I went to work for my father.

In the spring of 1961, LaVerna Walker and
I were united in marriage, the daughter of Dr.
Earl and Helen Walker. I continued to work
for my father until 1967 when we entered into
a partnership arrangement, which in time
was changed to a lease agreement.

In 1970, after visiting with Bob Childers
who was my neighbor, I became enthused
with the idea of raising hogs. I presented the
idea to Norb Schenck who had experience
with raising hogs and he was very interested.
We sold the idea to John Pearson, Bob Coble
and Paul Coble, who joined us in raising
enough funds to buy hog equipment, etc., to
begin what was to be called Hooker County
Feeders.

In approximately 1970, I purchased a
string of bucking horses from Skeet McKillip.
I hired Stan McKillip to help me and along
with his family and mine we put together a
Rodeo String called the S & J. In time I sold
a 1/2 interest to Stan and a while later I sold
the other 1/2.

In 1974, I entered into a partnership
agreement with Gailund Valentine on the
ranch, for a couple of years. During this time
I worked some for the Village of Mullen, also
for Hooker County Feeders. In 1974 we
purchased the Liquor and Drive Inn which
my wife and I operated for a couple of years
before selling it to Paul and Kathy Hassett.
LaVerna and I at this time came back to the
ranch. Our son, Bill and our daughter, Lisa
were attending school in Mullen. They
helped us on weekends, holidays, and sum-
mer vacation with chores at the ranch.

In the late seventies we sold modular
homes for about a year and half. We pur-
chased one for ourselves which we erected in
Mullen where we continued to live off and
one while our son and daughter completed
High School.

Our son, Bill went to Kearney State College
for four years. Upon graduation he worked as
a trainee in the grocery field for about a year,
he then went to work for Ford Motor
Company where he is presently employed as
a field representative.

Our daughter, Lisa attended the Queen
Ann Beauty College in Kearney, Nebraska
and upon graduation she held a couple of jobs
at different Salons until she opened her own
Salon in Mullen. It is in the building where
her Great-Grandfather once practiced Medi-
cine.

In the spring of 1987, we purchased a ranch
that belonged to Doug and Alice Phipps but
at one time was a part of a ranch belonging
to my Uncle George Marshall. We hope to
continue ranching and always interested in
any interesting ventures that will avail
themselves in the future.