Sheila Ann (Sampson) Lovitt was born on May 22nd, 1945 and went to heaven on March 24th, 2024. A memorial service will be held at 11am, Saturday, March 30th at Christ's Church, Nashoba, Oklahoma. Condolences may be left at www.brucefuneralhome.com

Sheila was the daughter of Rodney and Aina Sampson.  She grew up in the Seattle area with her sister, Jeanette, and her half-sister, Debbie Fleetwood.

From an early age, she loved animals and the outdoors.  She competed in rodeos and other horse events.  She attended Washington State University in Pullman, Washington, majoring in Forestry and Range Management, but also taking coursework in veterinary science.  She became the first woman in the country to graduate from a university with a Range Management degree.

During her summers, she worked at the Starkey Pacific Northwest Research Station Forestry and Range Sciences Lab, near LaGrande, Oregon.  Her job included analyzing soils and advising locals about range management and soil conservation.  It was challenging to win the respect of lifetime ranchers, and gain a hearing for the latest research findings about successful farming and ranching practices.

She met Tony Lovitt from Nashoba, Oklahoma while he was stationed at Ft Lewis, Washington.  They married on July 20th, 1968. For more than five decades, she had a chance to implement her education and experience by ranching alongside her husband.  Lovitt Beefmasters eventually expanded to 200 acres. The two of them delighted in stewarding their portion of God’s creation and deeply appreciated the gift of its beauty every day.

Sheila's faith in Jesus was central to her life. She and Tony raised their two sons, Heath and John, attending church every Sunday at Christ's Church, Nashoba.  She was introverted and humble, acknowledging that she was saved by grace.  But, she was also very capable, running the ranch by herself for many years while Tony drove a truck to make ends meet.

She is preceded in death by her husband Tony who passed away December 18th 2022. She is survived by her two sons, Heath and John; grandchildren, Lane, Katie, Sophie, Seth, and Colin; and by her sisters, Jeanette Booth and Debra Wood.