08/26/2022
The Painted Hills Festival is pleased to honor two longtime friends, co-workers and ranchwomen in our community as this year’s co-Grand Marshals—Sherry Helms & Joyce Brooks.
Sherry (Neal) Helms was raised in Kimberly on her family’s place. Her dad raised sheep, logged and worked for the state highway department. She married Bob Helms in 1965 and moved to the ghost town of Richmond in Wheeler County by 1966 on his family's homestead. Bob was away often doing contract Catwork logging while Sherry kept things going on the ranch. They raised 4 kids, Bobby, Tamie, Tate, & Jamie along with raising cattle, sheep, hogs, & hay. Sherry was a longtime Mitchell School employee starting in 1974 driving bus and then also took the job of school cook in fall of 1982, retiring as cook in 2000. She continued driving bus until 2010. Sherry loves gardening and reading in her spare time; family and her pets have always been a big part of her life. Bob passed in 2019 and we had tried to honor him as Grand Marshal with Sherry in years past but never could get him to agree! Sherry says it has been great to live in Wheeler County and that Richmond is home.
Joyce (Smith) Brooks was raised mainly in Prineville with her Dad working as a logger with horses and also driving log truck until his early death. Her mom worked in the Marketeria grocery store. After her Mom remarried a man who also logged and farmed; she lived in Spray, Kimberly, Cloverdale near Sisters, Powell Butte, but always seemed to return to Prineville. Joyce married Rusty Cox and had two daughters before parting ways. She then worked cleaning the medical clinic in Prineville when on her own. Soon she married Jim Brooks in 1965—he was a true cowboy, timber faller, & also worked for the state road department. They moved to Wheeler County in 1972 at their place just outside of Mitchell. They raised Wendy, Tina, Justin, & Phillip along with cattle, sheep, horses, & hay. She went to work for the Mitchell School briefly in the old school in 1974 and then returned to work in the new school as the custodian and also cook’s assistant working for 13 years. Hobbies over the years have included gardening, crocheting, knitting, beading, & grandkids. Jim passed in 2009 and the festival certainly would have loved to honor him as well. It’s been interesting to live in Wheeler for Joyce; she has enjoyed all of the friends over here over the years.
Sherry said she met Joyce in 1972 and became friends working at the school. Joyce thought she might have first met Sherry at a branding at Keys’ Ranch or at the school but wasn’t certain. Sherry wasn’t sure about being Grand Marshal, but glad to have Joyce alongside of her! Joyce’s thoughts on being Grand Marshal were that she feels honored to be asked to Grand Marshal with her friend Sherry Helms! Our community is proud to honor these two longtime friends on September 3rd at the 26th annual Painted Hills Festival in Mitchell. Look for them at the front of the parade!
