Vonona Edith "Sam" Scott passed away peacefully at age 81, on Wyoming's "307" Day: March 07, 2024. She was surrounded by her loving family at her winter home in Scottsdale, AZ.
Sam was born on December 10th, 1942 at Fort Monroe, Richmond, VA to Joseph and Audrey Bailey. Sam grew up in Cheyenne, Wyoming. As a kid, she loved spending time at her grandparents' Triangle E Ranch in Ten Sleep, Wyoming. She liked to hunt, fish, and shoot rifles, she loved the open space at the ranch.
Sam graduated from Central High School in 1961. Some of her favorite high school memories included twirling fire at games and dodgeball competitions. Sam was involved in Ski Club ROTC, Orchestra, and Spanish Club. On Saturday nights she "made tracks from Owl Inn to A&W and back again!"
After high school, she attended the University of Wyoming in Laramie where she studied Physical Education and was an Alpha Chi Omega sorority member. In 1963, she was one of six candidates representing UW in GLAMOUR Magazine's National Best Dressed Coed Contest.
After college, Sam took a trip with her friends to Jackson Hole, Wyoming where she fell in love with the Tetons. This led to her employment with Grand Teton National Park in 1967 - 1968. When she wasn't working, Sam loved to snowmobile through the powder, swing on the dance floor, and ice skate under the Tetons.
It was also under the Tetons that she met her husband Donald Keith (Bill) Scott. They were married on November 23, 1968, in the first Chapel of Washakie County in Ten Sleep, Wyoming. The Chapel is still operating today and is considered a Wyoming Historic site. Their first summers together were spent in Bondurant, Wyoming until they built their dream home in Jackson in the late 70s.
Sam and Bill spent many years loading up a herd of horses and their seven kids to travel between Arizona and Wyoming. In the winter months, the family operated Papago Riding Stable in Tempe and then they headed north for the summer to run Jackson Hole Trail Rides. Between the stagecoach and hay rides, breakfast rides and steak fries, hunting camp, parades, and movies, there was never a dull moment at Papago Stables or Jackson Hole Trail Rides.
While managing two homes and business locations for a family of nine was a feat in and of itself, Sam always opened her home to anyone needing a hot meal or a place to stay. Whether you were a hired hand, a friend of one of her kids, or just traveling through, Sam made you feel at home and like part of the family. Over the years, Sam has been considered a second mom to so many.
Sam and Bill were proud to provide their kids with an unforgettable upbringing in the mountains of Wyoming, the desert foothills of Arizona, and in the dirt and under the lights of the rodeo arena. Sam loved and lived for her family. She tirelessly supported all her kids through their school activities including rodeo, rodeo queening, FFA, 4-H, clogging, and music. Sam always had a camera in hand, capturing special moments. Her endless video recordings and pictures attest to dedicated hours supporting not only her kids, but the many friends and family that were important to her.
Today, Sam's family still enjoys the hours of home videos from her recordings and scrapbooks put together for nearly every major life event of all seven kids. Sam also helped document the history of the Teton Barrel Racing Association and the Teton County Fair Rodeo Queens. Over the years, she has made many albums that are still being enjoyed today.
Sam had a knack for creativity and loved her plants and gardening. She appreciated all types of crafting activities but especially enjoyed scrapbooking and ceramics, and she loved all of her collectibles. She enjoyed the time she was involved with community groups such as the Country Blend Teton County Homemakers, Jackson Hole Cowbelles and the bowling league at the Elks Club. She often served as an Exhibit Hall Volunteer and Judge during the Teton County Fair.
In her later years, Sam enjoyed keeping up with her kids, grandkids, and great-grandkids. She also loved staying connected with friends and family through Facebook and Messenger. Most of us have been touched by the thoughtful messages she would leave for birthdays, holidays, anniversaries, and other special occasions.
She has always supported the Jackson Hole High School Rodeo Team, working endlessly on the design and creation of event programs by hand, well before the digital age. She was also a supporter of Teton County 4H, Teton Barrel Racing Association, Teton County Fair and Rodeo Royalty, and the Miss Rodeo Wyoming Association.
The Family would like to sincerely thank the Mayo Clinic of Arizona, Hospice of the Valley in Arizona, Messinger Pinnacle Peak Mortuary in Scottsdale, and Grand Teton Funeral Home in Jackson for their compassionate care in honoring her wishes.
Sam is preceded in death by her parents Joe and Audrey Bailey, brother Joe Bailey, husband Bill Scott, son Clay Scott, and son-in-law Barney Holmes.
She is survived by her children Shelly Scott, Kelly (Barney) Holmes, Jayne (Ken) Chambers, Wayne Scott, Jodi (Drew) McGhee and Shane Scott, grandchildren Sam (Melissa) Scott, Jackson Scott, Tayler (Sean) Flohe, Keith Holmes, Tyler (Taylor) Schwitzer, Dakota Schwitzer, Amber Chambers, Hailey Chambers and Sawyer Scott and 4 great-grandchildren, Rozlin Schwitzer, Haizley Schwitzer, Myla Scott and another great-granddaughter arriving in July.
She is also survived by her brother Bradley Bailey, cousins, nieces, nephews, and so many special friends and colleagues.
Funeral services will be held at 1:00 pm on May 31, 2024, in the Exhibit Hall of the Teton County Fair Grounds at 305 W Snow King in Jackson, Wyoming. Refreshments and reflections will follow the service and then burial will be at Elliott Cemetery in Wilson, Wyoming.
Condolences can be sent to the family at P.O. Box 768 Jackson, WY 83001. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation in her memory to the Jackson Hole High School Rodeo Team, Teton County 4H, or Teton County Fair & Rodeo Royalty. If you wish to still order flowers, the family requests you go to https://g.co/kgs/8fVRS9F
