Many people know Mabel Dobbs for her colorful outfits, blingy jewelry, myriad of boots, her incessant energy despite her 81-years young, or her benevolence and volunteerism. However, many people have no idea how Mabel got here.
Born in Oklahoma during World War II, the oldest of three children, Mabel changed schools 13 times in 12 years, following her parents to different jobs, as her father was a union plumber, which probably made her as personable as she is. After graduation, Mabel married, moved to New Mexico and had three children, Kim, Ron, and Zane. Mabel began her career in banking in 1961 as secretary for Albuquerque Federal, the largest savings and loan in the state, by 1978 Mabel had managed several branches and had been promoted to Vice President, the first woman to hold the title.
Mabel’s banking career continued into the state of Nevada, but she always had a yearning to live in Montana or Idaho. In 1981 she took a position as the manager of a small, private bank in Salmon, Idaho, where she met her “cowboy”, Grant Dobbs, a rancher and former bull-rider, and the love of her life for 33-years, until his passing in 2017. Mabel left the bank and became a full-time rancher’s wife in 1984 and
settled into cattle ranching, haying and irrigating in the Challis, Idaho area. On their few excursions from the ranch, it was always to a rodeo or a PBR, and Mabel and Grant travelled to most of the “big ones”. Mabel became quite a hand through the years, mounted on her strawberry roan, Kim, and tackled some wicked terrain, storms, poor cattle prices, horse wrecks, and broken equipment on their ranches in Challis, northern Nevada, Jordan Valley, and Huntington, Oregon. She never showed her fear or reticence when moving cattle in treacherous situations, but she would put her horse away occasionally and go to the house if the redheaded cowboy yelled at her like a hired hand too many times.
Through trials and tribulations within the ranching industry, the Dobbs’ “called the trucks” in 1992 and called it quits. However, ranching is a blood-borne disease and they found themselves back on a piece of ag. property on Mann Creek raising hay, and before too long a small herd of Longhorn cross cattle. Later Mabel and family began Mann Creek Bucking Bulls, which has since moved to Utah. Mabel went back into banking to fund their ranching habit, working as the senior loan underwriter for Idaho Housing Agency, and later as a mobile loan originator for Valley Mortgage, Republic Mortgage and Family Mortgage. Many hearing this story probably had help from Mabel to get your home loans.
In 2009 Mabel left the work force to take care of her ailing parents, but before too long was pulled back in because of her 30-years of experience in grassroots and non profit organizations to head the local cancer group of Angel Wings Network. Mabel is passionate about what Angel Wings does and who they help in our local rural communities. Mabel is also passionate about her family: Her two remaining children, Kim and Zane, her 6 grandchildren and her 6 great-grandchildren. She loves spending time with them even if it is at a hot Weiser Valley Round-Up, of which she has been a member since 2008, and continues to take money at the gate every year. Thank you, Mabel, for all you do for the community and the Weiser Valley Round-Up!
