Our Sympthay To...

TRENTON “DOZER” BEAVER Trenton Cain Beaver, 11, of Stilwell, Okla., departed this life to be with his Lord on January 14 in an Oklahoma City, OK hospital.        Dozer was 100 percent boy, earning his nickname at an early age by crawling right over things instead of around them. He loved all sports, but his favorites were football, baseball and wrestling. He also loved riding donkeys and spending time with his friends and family. He was an avid OU fan during football season, but an equally avid OSU fan during wrestling season, most of all he was a Christian and loved the Lord. Those surviving Dozer and keeping his memory alive is his mother, Courtney Garrett of Stilwell, OK; father Hickory Beaver and wife Emily of Keys, OK; sisters Becca Garrett of the home in Stilwell, Sadie Garrett of Stilwell, McKenzie and Megan Smith and Shaydia Hallmark of Keys; grandparents Bill and Gina Garrett of the home, Susie and Sam Beaver of Stilwell; great-grandma Lois Bradford and husband Dean of Stilwell, aunts, uncles and many other relatives, and a multitude of friends from around the world.

BILL MOORE (March 25, 1944 - February 2, 2012) William Owen “Bill” Moore, 67, of Shelbyville, Tenn., passed away Thursday, Feb. 2, 2012, at Middle Tennessee Medical Center after an extended illness.  He was a retired owner/operator of Moore Equipment Company and owner of Stepping Out Farm. He has served as president of the American Gaited Mule Association for 20+ years, and is a member of Southside Baptist Church. He is survived by his wife, Mary Jane Mooneyham Moore of Shelbyville; two sons, William Christopher “Chris” (Pam) Moore of Murfreesboro, Cary Jacob (Lori) Moore of Bell Buckle, three daughters, Lisa (Rodney) Schmiede of Shelbyville, Sheila (Donnie) Higgins of Bell Buckle, Angela (John) Floyd of Murfreesboro; and 11 grandchildren and eight great grandchildren. In 1993, Bill Moore chose to become part of 15 families who made a substantial commitment to the development of a dream. Their charter memberships provided the initial funds with which to underwrite the formation of the North American Saddle Mule Association. Without their commitment to saddle mules and the saddle mule industry, NASMA would not be a reality. Their foresight and pledge of confidence established the association we now know.  In addition to serving as a Zone Director on the Board of Directors of NASMA, Bill chaired the NASMA Gaited Committee and provided leadership in both NASMA and AGMA with the desire to establish rules to protect the gaited saddle mule, no matter what breed of origin, from the ever growing abuses that were coming under scrutiny in the walking horse industry. With the increasing popularity of the smooth gaited saddle mule for trail riding, Bill realized that this mule would soon be a favorite in the show ring just like its gaited horse cousins. His insistence on NASMA gaited rules that protected the animal from abuse and held owners, trainers and riders accountable for their actions resulted in rules and restrictions which prevented those actions prevalent in the horse industry. Bill also turned his efforts toward establishing an association  AGMA, American Gaited Mule Association which would go on to develop a registration for gaited mules and the gaited jacks used to produce them. After working diligently to incorporate a mule show at The Celebration, Bill lobbied for NASMA to be the official Association of the The Great Celebration Mule and Donkey Show. Through his efforts and dedication the Shelbyvilloe show has grown to the largest mule show in the East.  This year the show celebrates its 20th Anniversary and is now home of the NASMA National Show. Bill also served as one of the first Executive Committee Members. Bill and his wife Jane founded Stepping Out Farm in 1990.  Located just outside Shelbyville, the farm became a hub for gaited mule enthusiasts who would experience Bill and Jane’s superb southern hospitality.  A training and breeding facility, Stepping Out Farm produced high powered gaited mules in its Hall of Fame. Bill Moore worked diligently for the development of a gaited mule industry in which exhibitors could compete fairly, trail riders could enjoy their smooth riding mounts in all parts of the country and owners and breeders could receive recognition for their efforts in producing quality gaited saddle mules. Bill will be missed as an industry leader, and personally by many who came to know him and were fortunate enough to share his friendship. Taken with permission from www.nasma.us.

PAUL E. STAMPER Paul E. Stamper, 52, of Hazel Green, Ky. passed away January 25 in a Lexington, Ky. Hospital from heart complications. Surviving Paul is his wife, Ronetta, daughters, Reesha Oakley of Ashland, Ky. and Jessica Cornett of Mt. Sterling, Ky.; three sisters and four brothers. Funeral services were held January 28. “The mule industry lost a great man today,” are the words that spread quickly as the news of the passing of Paul leaked out into the mule and donkey industry. Paul was very instrumental in getting the Great Celebration Mule and Donkey Show in Shelbyville, Tn. started. He was a board member and the man who also started the Kentucky Mule and Donkey Association. He was given the first Lifetime Member award recently at the KMDA 2011 State Championship Show. He was very active in the American Gaited Mule Association, serving as a board of director. Paul had several world champion mules, among them the famous Red Rooster.

ROL GALLAHER "It is with sadness that I send this to you to let you know of the passing of my husband, Rol Gallaher. He has many friends in the mule and donkey community all over the west and this seemed like an appropriate way to let them know. We had both been very active in the Oregon Mr. Longear Club for many years. We made many friends at mule and donkey shows around the western states. Rol struggled with dementia in his final years. I’m happy he is now free to ride his mule across the sky unfettered by the constraints of life." --Lee Gallaher, Jacksonville, Ore. Originally published 2012