Obituaries

COTTON ROSSER

ProRodeo Hall of Fame stock contractor and life long advocate for the western way of life, Cotton Rosser passed away June 22 at his home in Marysville. He was 93.

Cotton Rosser was inducted into the ProRodeo Hall of Fame in 1995. Rosser and his son, Reno, operated the Flying U Rodeo and Rosser Rodeo stock contracting companies based in Marysville. They produce about 50 rodeos a year. In 1985, Rosser was named PRCA Stock Contractor of the Year.

Cotton was named the 2019 Legend of ProRodeo. Rosser is a pioneer in the rodeo industry, who was ahead of his time in developing the entertainment side of rodeo. Rosser received the PRCA Donita Barnes Contract Personnel Lifetime Achievement award in 2015.

“A lot of rodeos we have had for 60 years, like the Cow Palace, Red Bluff (in California) and Reno (Nev.),” said Cotton, who served on the PRCA Board of Directors for many years. “They even put a statue up in Reno of me (in 2014). It just doesn’t get much better. I have raised a good family and I really tried to help rodeo. Some people say if you’ve seen one rodeo, you have seen them all, and I have always said I don’t think that’s quite true. Rodeo is the greatest sport in the world, and I’m glad to have been a part of it for the last 70 years.”

Cotton was still riding a horse into the arena up until this April, and he wouldn’t have had it any other way.

“Rodeo is the only thing I know,” Cotton said. “It doesn’t get better than that when you ride into the arena and they play the national anthem and there is a full house.”

For more than 60 years, Rosser was known for his spectacular, flamboyant opening ceremonies at rodeos on the West Coast and for many years at the National Finals Rodeo.

He searched out ideas from sources as remote from the sport as ice shows and circuses, looking for that special something he can add to his productions.

The other side of Rosser is his history as a top cowboy, who started competing in all of rodeo’s standard events as a teenager and later as a member of his college rodeo team at Cal Poly State University, San Luis Obispo. As a professional, he won buckles, saddles and trophies.

Among his many titles, one of Rosser’s highlights was winning the all-around title at the 1951 Grand National Rodeo in San Francisco.

Cindy is being inducted as a notable into the ProRodeo Hall of Fame in Colorado Springs, Colo., July 16, and she acknowledged her dad’s passing will make that event more emotional.

Cotton is survived by his wife, Karin, and children, sons, Lee, Brian, Reno and daughters, Cindy and Katharine and lots of grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

JUSTIN NUCKOLS

Justin B. Nuckols, 54, passed away on June 11, at Horse Corral Meadow. He was born March 9, 1968, in Porterville to Robert (Bob) Nuckols and Gail Goins Nuckols. Justin was the 4th generation to attend Hope Elementary School in Porterville, graduated from Porterville High School in 1986, and attended College of the Sequoias and Fresno State University. While at Fresno State, he met the love of his life, Michelle Gutsch. They were married September 2, 1995. Together they made their home in Porterville and raised two incredible sons, Tanner, 22, and Carson, 19. Justin was a devoted husband, father, son, brother and friend. Anyone that knew Justin, loved him.

He was big-hearted and committed to his family and friends. His wittiness kept people laughing with his one-liners and incredible sense of humor. He was a 4th generation cattle rancher and farmer and had a passion for preserving the family’s ranch heritage.

He was a member of the Alpha Gamma Rho fraternity at Fresno State, where he made many lifelong friends. He was a member of 4-H and FFA and a strong supporter of his sons’ 4-H and FFA activities and never missed a chance to be involved with the boys, including making trips to Texas Tech University during the past 3 years to visit them at school.

He was a member of the Tulare County Farm Bureau, Tulare County Cattlemen’s Association and California Cattlemen’s Association. Every night, you could find him working in the shop. He was a master fabricator and mechanic. He could fix anything and if he didn’t have the tool to do it, he’d make it. Justin and the family spent their summers up at Horse Corral Meadow, the cattle ranch in the Sierras that’s been in the family for over 100 years. His appreciation for that land and the family history there were so close to his heart. He loved the back country, especially Cloudy Canyon, Dead Man and the Roaring River area.

His Grandpa Lewis told him the history of that area. He continued the tradition of maintaining the log corrals and fences at Horse Corral. Each year he took the cattle and horses there for the summer, along with family and friends to enjoy what he called, “God’s Country.”

Justin was preceded in death by his grandparents, Lewis and Betty Goins and Bob and Emma Nuckols. He is survived by his wife, Michelle Gutsch Nuckols; his sons, Tanner Nuckols and Carson Nuckols; his mother and father, Gail Nuckols and Bob Nuckols; his sister, Adonas Nuckols; and numerous family members.

A Celebration of Life was held June 25, at Nuckols Ranch in Porterville. Memorial donations can be made to: Tulare County Farm Bureau Education and Scholarship, 737 N. Ben Maddox Way, Visalia, CA 93292 (note the contribution is in memory of Justin Nuckols); and Fresno AGR Alumni, 610 S. Lassen, Kerman, CA 93630 c/o Chris McKenna.

NELLIE MCPHEE

On June 25, Nellie Mae McPhee joined the love of her life, Roy McPhee, in heaven. Nellie—known as “Granny” to friends and family alike— was a remarkable cattlewoman, devout Catholic and devoted wife, mother and grandmother. Nellie was born Oct. 25, 1933, in Longmont, Colo., to Pearl and Carl Osborne. Her family relocated to Antioch, when she was about 12 years old.

In 1961, Nellie joined a bowling league while she was living in Pittsburg, and working as a secretary at the U.S. Steel Company. It was at the bowling alley where she first met Roy, whose “marvelous” bowling skills and “ridiculous” cowlick interested her far more than her own bowling average. After playing hard to get, Nellie finally gave in to a lunch date with Roy. The two were married in 1962, and after that, they were rarely found apart.

Roy and Nellie later moved to Lodi, and in 1971, they started a small herd of registered Red Angus cattle, which grew into McPhee Red Angus. That herd soon became the largest Red Angus herd west of the Rocky Mountains and was recognized in 2005 as “one of the most influential herds in the breed.”

Nellie was active in her community and loved joining her friends and family in a game of Mexican Train

JOHN SPARROWK

John Sparrowk passed away on May 11, 2022. John was born Nov. 17, 1960 in San Luis Obispo, the first-born of three kids. He grew up under the guiding influence of his father, Jack Sparrowk, and his mother, Judy Adams. His father and stepmother, Beverly, have a large ranching operation across northern California and southern Oregon. The ranch shaped who John became later in life, giving him a love for the outdoors and agriculture.

Following the Sparrowk family tradition, John attended California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo for his college education. He later worked a variety of jobs. But always seemed to come back to ranching, which was his true passion. Up until his passing, John worked on his father’s ranch in Clements.

John later married Kim Sparrowk and in 1997, he welcomed his son Jarod to his family. John was a funny, playful and caring father. John instilled his strong Christian ideals into his son and built a life of opportunity for him.

Twelveyears later, John met his wife Lora at the Cowboy Church at the Clements Buckaroos. His relationship with Lora blossomed into a lasting bond that would continue for the rest of John’s life. They had planned to move to a home in the middle of nowhere where they could leave a wood stove on around the clock, which if you knew John, you would know how much he loved his fires.

John was a quiet and solitary man, often choosing to do his own thing. You would often find him wandering around during family events quietly observing the scenery. Or you would see him wandering around at home at 1 a.m. since he was an early bird. John was also well-known from his one-line zingers that would have everyone laughing. And even though he often preferred to spend time by himself, he had a very large group of people he called friends and family. He will be missed by many.

dominoes—even though she didn’t hold the winning title perhaps as often as she would have wished.

Her quick-witted tongue and sly sense of humor made her a friend to many, and she was always quick to let you know what she really thought about something.

Nellie was recognized in 1992 as the San JoaquinStanislaus CattleWoman of the Year, and then in 2018 as the San Joaquin-Stanislaus Cattleman of the Year.

Nellie was a member of St. Joachim Catholic Church, Daughters of Isabella, Delta Omega, LockefordClements Garden Club, Lodi Republican Women, California Cattlemen’s Association, American Red Angus Association, California Beef Cattle Improvement Association and Beef Improvement Federation. She was also an active supporter of 4-H and FFA.

In her legacy, Nellie leaves behind four children, Michael (Pam) McPhee of Linden, Kurtis (Pamela) McPhee of Sonora, Mary (Robert) Miller of Linden, and Rita McPhee of Lodi; many grandchildren, Michael (Shayni), Becky (Jose), Lukas, Anna, Royce, Rose, Karey (C.R.), Louie (Allison), Bradley (Jamie), Christina and Jennifer (TJ); 15 great-grandchildren and another on the way; and numerous nephews and nieces. Nellie is preceded in death by her husband, Roy; sister, Carol Rich; and brothers, Carl Osborne Jr. and Clifford Osborne.

A visitation was held Tuesday, July 5 from 1-5 p.m. at the Lodi Funeral Home with a rosary held July 6, a rosary will take place at St. Joachim’s Church in Lockeford.