VALLEY MILLS, Texas — A Central Texas rancher’s legacy is living on through the dedication of his wife, who never imagined she would one day find herself caring for cattle halfway across the world from her childhood home.
Harold Cobb established the Thirteen Oaks Ranch Santa Gertrudis herd in 1984 with his first breeding bull, known as “Hawaiian Hustler.” Over the years, Cobb raised dozens of cattle, grew his business and became known for his philanthropy across Central Texas. His giving reached as far as Ukraine, where he donated money to a hospital. It was there, in 2009, that Cobb met Olena, a young woman from Kyiv.
The two quickly fell in love and later married, but their story was cut short when Cobb died from Parkinson’s disease in 2017.
“Since Harold died in 2017, I didn’t know