Sallie Dishman Kelley

It is with great sadness we announce the passing of Sallie Dishman Kelley, age 75, on February 4, 2023. Sallie was a lifelong resident of Burnet County having resided in Burnet & Marble Falls Tx for most of her life.

Sallie is survived by a son, Dale Dishman of Burnet, Tx; a daughter Laura Schumann & son in law Jamie; four grandsons—Chase Maxwell & Colten Maxwell of Stephenville Tx, Will Dishman of Hobbs, New Mexico, & Zac Dishman of Lampasas Tx; two granddaughters---Caitlyn Schievink & husband Brugt of Stephenville Tx, Sydney Carr & husband Dakota of Lubbock, Tx; two great grandsons, Ramsey Maxwell & Tijs Schievink; and her newest great grandchild, a great granddaughter Silver Lynn Schievink born January 26, 2023. Sallie is preceded in her passing by her parents, D Clyde & Silvia Gardner, and her husband Richard (Rick) Kelley, all of Burnet Tx.

Sallie was a legendary woman in the horse world. She grew up on the back of a horse taking part in ranching, horse training and rodeo. She was a little spitfire dubbed “the Annie Oakley of Burnet County” and began riding at the early age of 2 years old on a pony given to her by family friends. Sallie’s father took her to 29-time World Champion cowgirl Wanda Bush, Mason Tx, when she was 4 yrs old to learn from the best. It was not long before Sallie’s passion for fast horses & winning was born. Sallie traveled the United States competing in rodeo for much of her life winning major competitions such as being the 5x Austin Rodeo Champion Barrel Racer, the Ft Worth Livestock Show & Rodeo Champion & Reserve Champion Barrel Racer, winning money and setting arena records at nearly every major rodeo within the state. In 1968, Sallie produced the 1st All Girl Rodeo in the State of Texas which continued in Burnet Tx until 1972. More importantly she was the first woman in the state of Texas to ever produce a rodeo as well. Sallie served as the President of the Texas Barrel Racing Association multiple times, as a director & and mentor to the sport. She competed in the events of barrel racing, bull riding, calf roping, steer undecorating and showed halter and western pleasure horses as well. Her talents even extended into the race horse world having galloped race horses, rode match races, ponied race horses and becoming an outrider for a very extensive group of racetracks in Texas & New Mexico. Her direction and dedication to all that met her was to help & nurture rider education, as well as further each horse’s ability to be a champion. Sallie spent much of her time passing on her knowledge and love of barrel racing to her daughter, Laura and granddaughter Caitlyn. She took great pride in watching them compete in the sport she loved. Sallie will be missed by all in the barrel racing and horse community as she runs down the alley one last time in the most precious competition of all…her race to heaven.

Pallbearers are: Colten Maxwell, Chase Maxwell, Chuck Dunn, T.J. Dodd, Sidney Pruett, and Troy Fox. Honorary Pallbearers are: Mark Fox, Johnny Cox, Todd Fox, Alfred Hill and Dan McBride

A visitation will be held on Thursday Feb. 9, 2023 at Clements-Wilcox Funeral Home from 6:00pm-8:00pm. Funeral will then be held on Friday at 1:00pm in the chapel at Clements-Wilcox Funeral Home with the burial to follow at Lakeland Hills Cemetery.