Managing editor
For those who know Jackie Hett of rural Marion, they know she is an attractive, active, and vivacious woman who loves her family, nature, and living in the country.
What some may not know is she is rather shy when it comes to talking about herself.
The 80-year-old rancher still enjoys the lifestyle she has lived for the past 50 years — one of living in the farmhouse she shared with her husband, Walt, for nearly 50 years, working cattle, and spending time with family and friends.
“I couldn’t do all of this without the support of my family,” Jackie said.
Her day begins when the sun comes up. After phone calls from her children, she heads out to feed nearly 100 head of Angus cattle. She also has seven herd bulls in a separate pasture and two horses in a corral near the house.
Jackie still rides horses but these days, the horse of choice for working cattle is a four-wheel ATV.
Right now, she has cows that either have had calves or will have calves in the coming weeks.
“This is one of my favorite times of year,” Jackie said with her signature big smile. “I just love it when we have calves.”
She climbs into the flatbed truck with a wench for large round bales of hay and off she goes.
The first stop is to pick-up a hay bale. A push of a button on the remote control lowers the powerful “hooks,” stabbing a bale, and lifting it like ice tongs picking up a piece of ice.
Off she goes with the hay to a field up the road where her cows are waiting for breakfast.
The octogenarian climbs out of her truck to open a gate to a pasture. In she drives with all heads and eyes on the white truck bringing breakfast. She visually checks the cattle as she spreads the hay on the ground for the livestock to feed, seeing if there are any new calves to include in the herd.
“This has been an unusual time for us because we had four sets of twins,” Jackie said with a twinkle in her eyes. “Typically, we’ll have one set of twins per year.”
Often times the cow will choose only one calf to nurse, leaving the other one to the harshness of nature or for Jackie to take up to a pen by the house where she’ll bottle-feed until the calf is able to be on its own. Sometimes cows that have had calves that have died will “adopt” a twin calf and nurse it.
After the morning feeding, she’ll return home to take care of other chores. During the day, Jackie will haul hay, check pastures, and take salt or mineral blocks to the livestock.
If something needs to be done, Jackie just does it.
She recalled a situation last summer when a calf needed to be seen by a veterinarian.
“The vet couldn’t come out so I just loaded up the calf and took it to town,” Jackie said, matter-of-factly.
She is quick to dismiss the notion that she’s some sort of “super woman,” and acknowledges that she would not be able to remain on the farm without help from her family.
Son Steve oversees a herd of cattle near his home in rural Florence. Three daughters, Melanie O’Sullivan of Valley Center, Melissa Hett of Tulsa, and Melinda Helmer of Wichita, 11 grandchildren, and eight great-grandchildren are all important to Jackie.
“They are so good to me. They’ll come down and help me do yard work or clean house,” she said.
Born in Oklahoma, Jackie Manuel and her family came to Kansas when she was 9 years old. Her father worked for Rock Island Railroad. They lived in Aulne and she attended school there before the family moved to Peabody where she graduated in 1946.
She met Walt through her sister who married Walt’s brother. They married when Jackie was right out of high school.
The couple lived near Florence for a while until they bought a farmhouse in 1959 between Florence and Marion, where Jackie continues to live.
Walt died 10 years ago. The couple was known throughout the county for their large herds of Angus cattle.
Since his death, Jackie was determined to continue the cattle business and the lifestyle she loved.
Besides overseeing a herd of cattle, Jackie has other interests and social activities.
She’s a member of Aulne Methodist Church and has been the treasurer for about 50 years.
Jackie also is an officer of the local TOPS (Take Off Pounds Sensibly) organization, plays Pinochle, Rubicube, and bowls one night per week.
She started bowling in 1955 and can be found bowling in state and national tournaments in Wichita and Reno, Nev., recently tying for first place in a local tournament.
She specifically enjoys playing Texas Hold’Em card games.
“I play everyplace I can in Marion County,” Jackie said.
Her favorite hobby is baking with her specialty being cinnamon twist rolls.
Jackie knows she’s lucky.
“I’ve been blessed with good health,” she said when asked to what she attributed her independence.
She did have a knee replaced five years ago and has the usual aches and pains of a person her age but does not let that get her down.
This winter has been good to the Hetts and other ranchers and farmers because it has been mild.
On those typically cold winter mornings, Jackie would wait before heading out to the pastures to feed the cattle.
Two years ago, the Hetts suffered a blow when a disease required them to thin the herd.
“We don’t have as many calves as should have but we’re building the herd back up,” Jackie said. As it turned out, the bulls were carriers of the disease.
These ups and downs are typical of the livestock business.
“I have to keep things in perspective,” Jackie said. “They’re just animals.”
She pauses and smiles that great smile and it makes a person realize that this is more than just a job for her.
It is her way of life.