James Earl Sanburn

James Earl Sanburn was called home to rope his final calf on Friday, May 27, 2016 surrounded by his wife, Jane and children. Earl was born on August 7, 1942 to H. Lee and Mable (Franklin) Sanburn in Lenox, Iowa. He was welcomed home by his sister, Jean. As a child, he enjoyed playing farmer with his sister, making fences and corner posts from twigs. Later, Earl made a harness and reins with the help of his Dad, so Nancy, his goat could pull him in his red wagon. He never passed up the opportunity to go horseback riding when given a chance, especially his father’s team. Raised in the rural areas around Lenox, Bedford, Conway and Nodaway, Iowa. Earls early school years started in Conway, then Jr. High and High School were completed in Nodaway. Earl married Carolyn Dunn of Nodaway August 10, 1957 and to this union, 3 children were born, Terri, Tracy and Cody. In 1959, Earl moved his family to Corning when he started working at Conoco Oil. Along with breezing race horses in the early hours at the Race Horse Track, where later he learned to shoe the trotter and race horses from Herbert Sitz, known as Ole Man Sitz. In 1960, he hired out as a lineman, trouble shooter and later a technician with Western Telephone Company, now known as Frontier. He worked there for 25 years. Earl became disabled from and automobile accident in 1985 which was the beginning of the end for Earl’s career in many different ways. Early on, Earl always had a talent with his hands when it came to fixing broken horse tack with a fancy knot or braid. He prized himself to perfection with his braiding. This brought him to teach himself to braid rawhide knots on the leather headstalls. Earl was by all means a master at braiding rawhide, along with an expert on bits as well. His love for horses developed at a very young age and grew to be a very big part of his life for many years. Earl was very fortunate to have owned several very nice roping horses. One that took him to a championship in Calf Roping at Grand River, Iowa in 1971. Earl was a URA-IRCA card holder. Earl enjoyed showing his horses as well as trading a few along the way. Hunting was another of Earl’s hobbies. He always liked to watch a good dog work. German Short Hairs and Black Labrador Retrievers were his favorite. On June 15, 1985, Earl married Jenalee Jane (Beckett) Curphey of Lenox. They resided north of Lenox for a short time, then to Sidney, Iowa. Later they found themselves moving to Wickenburg, Arizona for 18 years, moving to North Platte, NE 2014. After Earls failing health put an end to his roping and riding horses, he found much enjoyment doing more of his rawhide braiding. The two of them went to many horse events in S.W. Iowa and Eastern Nebraska, displaying his tack with his craftsmanship of braiding on it. One of Earl and Janes highlights was setting up their line of tack at the USTRC Roping at Sidney, Iowa every year, even after their move to Arizona they continued to come back for it until 2006. They always combined this trip with visiting their friends and family as well. While in Arizona, the two of them traveled around to more horse events, enjoying the new friends they made in conversations about horses and tack. Earl and Jane enjoyed several years in Arizona riding their horses, Rebel and Lucky, in the desert, along with Bodie, their black lab, a constant companion to Earl. All enjoying the beauty of the desert. The horses soon became therapy pets with Earls health failing. He was very strong and determined to beat all of his health issues. Never giving up to the very end! Earl was a devoted and loving husband, father, grandfather and brother. He will be missed and loved, but we know he is no longer in pain and is now in heaven at peace with our maker. He is survived by his wife, Jane; daughters, Terri Sanburn (Gary Warner) of Stapleton and Tracy (Sean) Jackson of North Platte; son, Cody (Triana) Sanburn of Lincoln; grandsons, Aidan and Kade; 10 step grandchildren; 6 step great grandchildren; sister, Jean Moore of Clarinda; neice, Marilyn (Kim) Shore of Clarinda; nephew, Jeff (Lisa) Moore of California; stepsons, Richard (Kathy) Curphey of Cedar Rapids, IA, Mike (Bobbie) Curphey of Texas and Gary Curphey of Sharpsburg, IA; sisters-in-law, Leola Adams and Lois Lamb both of Mt. Ayr, IA, Imogene Mains and Janice (Mike) Miller both of Creston, IA; brother-in-law, David Beckett of Lenox, IA; cousin, Robert Miller of Sand Springs, OK. He was preceded in death by his parents; step-father, Joe Neuhardt; brothers-in-law, Marty Moore and Earl Beckett; and a step grandson.