James Burton Farley
Montana lost a humble, hardworking rancher and horseman on July 6, 2024, as James Burton Farley went to Our Father’s most beautiful grazing meadows. Burton was born August 14, 1935, in Forsyth, Montana, to Leo and Beulah Farley. He always said he was born on a horse and spent the rest of his life on one or near one.
After graduating from Colstrip High School in 1953, he went on to Montana State College where he worked on a ranch breaking colts and helped recharge the now Montana State University Rodeo Team. After college Burton returned home to the family ranch. The Farley Hereford Ranch was well known for its annual production sales for three decades from the 1960s to the 1980s in Miles City, Colstrip and Pryor Creek.
Burton was known to all as a rancher, cowboy and gentleman.
Burton was and is well respected among his peers. Without hesitation he would jump in to help fellow friends and ranchers, be it branding, driving cattle, fighting fires or mending fences. He was proud to be chosen alongside his son, J.B. as a drover in the 1989 Montana Centennial Cattle Drive. Alongside fellow Montana horsemen, he was privileged to escort President Ronald Reagan during his visit to Billings and also ride in President Bill Clinton’s inaugural parade in Washington, D.C.
He loved helping and watching his children in all of their activities including 4-H, FFA, school sports and rodeo. He was especially proud of his grandson Jesse’s knowledge in the horse racing industry. He and Sherry enjoyed fishing and anything that included horses. His love of competition and camaraderie drew him to the sport of horse racing. He spent over 40 years of his life involved in the sport as an owner, trainer, breeder, and horseman’s representative. Along the way, Burton saddled many winners including a win in the 1980 Rosebud County Derby, a race in which he took great pride in winning and is jokingly considered in horse racing the hardest race to win not named the Kentucky Derby, The Preakness, or Belmont Stakes!
Burton is survived by his wife Sherry, son J.B. Farley; daughters Coralee Farley, LeAnn (Andrew) Hickman, and Tempe Connell; grandson Jesse Ullery; stepchildren Kelly Rued and Leslie Brosz; step grandchildren Colton and Colin Brosz.
A special thanks to all of the care and kindness from Big Horn Hospital, St. Vincent Intermountain Health Hospital, Butterfly Homes and Compassus Hospice.
Visitation will be Thursday, July 11, 2024, 12 – 4 pm.
Funeral services will be held Friday, July 12, 2024, 11 am at the Bullis Funeral Chapel in Hardin and burial following at the Forsyth Cemetery.
Bullis Mortuary has been entrusted with the funeral arrangements.
