In Memoriam…
Don Clanton
Castle Rock, Colorado
Dr. Don Clanton, emeritus professor in the Department of Animal Science at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln, passed away December 8, 2025, in Castle Rock, Colorado.
Don was born in Belle Fourche, South Dakota, on December 22, 1926, to Russell Cather and Wilhelmina Marie (Willo) Clanton. He was raised on his family’s sheep and cattle ranch in Harding County, southeast of Buffalo, South Dakota. He began his education in a one-room schoolhouse, riding a horse there each day, graduating from Belle Fourche High School in 1944.
He served in World War II from April to November 1945 in the Army Air Corps. He earned his bachelor’s degree in animal husbandry from Colorado A&M (now Colorado State University) in 1949. Don earned his master’s degree from Montana State University in 1954, and his doctorate from Utah State University in 1957, both in animal nutrition.
Don met Gloria Jean Blue in college and they were married June 24, 1950. Don joined the Department of Animal Science at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln (UNL) in 1958. In 1966, he became the beef cattle research program leader at the UNL North Platte Station. In 1981, he was named coordinator for Beef Cattle and Range Research at UNL Gudmundsen Sandhills Laboratory (GSL). He, along with his colleagues from various disciplines, built GSL into an internationally recognized range research facility in the Nebraska Sandhills.
In 1973, he became involved with raising purebred Simmental cattle, and was elected to the ASA Board of Trustees in 1981. Don is survived by his son, Chuck, and daughter, Willo Auger. He is also survived by four grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
Stewart Schwartz Vaughn, Montana
Stewart “Stew” Lee Schwartz was born in Havre, Montana, on June 4, 1935. He lived his early years on his grandparents’ homestead in Goldstone, north of Rudyard, with his parents, Herman and Mildred, and his siblings, Francis and Arlie. In 1941 his family homesteaded a place west of Fairfield, where Stew graduated from Golden Ridge Grade School in 1949. He attended high school in Fairfield, loved baseball and football, and graduated in 1953.
Stew married Shirley Obernolte, and had three sons, Jim, Scott, and Rick. When the boys were young, Stew bought a place six miles northeast of his family’s homestead. There, he started raising Simmental cattle, and formed the seedstock business Spring Valley Simmental.
Around this time, he married Delores Pleasance from Cavalier, North Dakota and moved Delores and her two daughters, Kim and Roxanne, to Montana. They continued ranching in the Fairfield area until they moved to Millegan, south of Cascade, where they continued raising Simmental cattle. To be closer to town, their last home was west of Vaughn. Stew resided there until his passing on February 20, 2026.
Stew is survived by his wife, Delores; sons Jim and Scott; daughters Kim and Roxanne; and numerous grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and one great-great-grandchild.
Simme Valley Farm Honored with NY BQA Award
The New York Beef Quality Assurance (NY BQA) program honored Simme Valley Farm, owned by Jeanne White of Cayuga County, with the 2025 NY BQA Award. The award was presented at the New York Beef Producers Association (NYBPA) Annual Conference.
Simme Valley Farm has been breeding Simmental cattle since 1972, with a longstanding commitment to herd health, genetic improvement, and overall farm efficiency. Jeanne White, alongside her nephew Philip Paradis, the farm’s full-time herdsman, exemplifies BQA principles through responsible animal care, handling, and management practices. The farm also utilizes rotational grazing, supporting animal welfare, pasture health, and long-term sustainability. These practices reflect a thoughtful, proactive approach to beef production and continuous improvement.
Chrissy Claudio, New York Beef Council, presents Philip Paradis and Jeanne White with the 2025 New York BQA Award.
Jeanne and Phil prioritize low-stress handling and total herd health from the moment a calf is born, maintaining a strong emphasis on preventative herd health and proper vaccination year-round. Simme Valley Farm produces quality feeder cattle, seedstock genetics, and show cattle, while also implementing rotational grazing and other management practices that support pasture health. Their comprehensive approach to beef cattle production and long-term sustainability truly reflects the values promoted through the BQA program.
“Simme Valley Farm truly represents what Beef Quality Assurance is all about,” said Chrissy Claudio, co-coordinator of the New York Beef Quality Assurance Program. “Their commitment to animal care, stewardship, and continuous improvement — combined with their willingness to open their farm and share best practices with others — helps strengthen consumer trust and confidence in how beef is raised in New York.” .
