Jennifer ‘Jenny’ Booth

Sept. 8, 1961 – March 6, 2026

Jennifer “Jenny” Booth, 64, of Burlington passed away unexpectedly at home on March 6, 2026. Although her passing was sudden, we are comforted that it was peaceful and quick – what we all wish for, especially for those we love.

Born September 8, 1961, in Elmira, New York, to the late John and Donna Soper Booth, Jenny spent her early life living in Mansfield, White Haven and Trucksville, Pennsylvania. 

She graduated from Dallas High School in 1979. Jenny maintained lifelong friendships, and together, with best friends Joan Harrison and Laurie Fry known fondly as “The Three Amigos,” still shared many memorable adventures and antics.

Although spread across the country, the multitude of Booth family cousins remain tightly bonded by heritage in the Endless Mountains of Northern Pennsylvania. This May marks the family’s 74th reunion on what are the remaining acres of their grandparents’ dairy farm. The seeds of her love of the outdoors, Mother Earth and life’s adventures were set there.

Jenny’s stalwart work ethic began in her early teens. The money she earned allowed her to board horses and buy her first saddle. To her, trail rides and mucking stalls were more fun than any prom. After graduation she answered an ad in the back of “Mother Earth News” magazine. She pointed her used car west, landing at Valley Ranch, Upper Southfork in Cody, in 1980. She spent three years, first as a nanny and then a wrangler. The western hook was set.

Her gypsy adventures launched her to Ketchum, Idaho; Telluride, Colorado; Reno, Nevada; Ignacio, Colorado; and back to her beloved Cody in 2009. She drove teams of draft horses for winter dinner sleigh rides and led pack trips into the Sawtooths. She wrangled and landscaped. 

Jenny operated a cutting horse business and showed for 10 years. She rode performance horses and turned out gourmet mountain meals for hunting outfitters. She even drove a taxi briefly.

She loved the western life in all its forms, breathing mountain air and developing lifelong friendships along the way, both human and four-legged. She recently laughed that she could still recall the names of almost every horse at Valley Ranch. If a one-eyed cat starving showed up at her door, she was done for. She had a heart of gold.

Beyond ranch life, Jenny was a talented artist. From a young age she had a gift for bringing the outside in – wildflowers and feathers magically arranged in a driftwood vase or an old wasp nest to hold earrings. 

But her artist’s eye was captivated by antlers and skulls. Inspired by Native American culture, she was able to envision a new vibrant life erupt in place of bleached bone. She began carving in 1997, hung up her spurs in 2012 and shifted her focus to full-time carving – jennyboothart.com was born.

Her carvings now grace tables, mantles and walls around the world. Her attention to detail and incorporation of silver, leather and ivory earned her many awards throughout the juried art world: 2012 – Cody High Style People’s Choice, 2013 – Cody High Style People’s Choice, 2015 – Western Design Conference – Honorable Mention Accents, 2016 – Western Design Conference – Best of Show, 2017 – Western Design Conference – Honorable Mention Accents and 2018 – Western Design Conference – Best Artist Accents.

She was an active member of By Western Hands in Cody since 2019, collaborating with classes and demonstrations, making countless, valued friends and students along the way.

Jenny also loved her final residence in Burlington, affectionately calling it “Whoville” for its wholesome, folksy community. She was active on the town council for seven years, adopting town flower planters as her special project. Her civic service extended to volunteering with Basin Food Pantry. She loved her time spent in Big Horn County with all her “mountain trash” friends and girls gatherings, all of whom were more like family.

In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by Travis Darling, whom she considered to be her stepson.

Jenny is survived by her sister, Holly Booth (Rick) Sethman of Scenery Hill, Pennsylvania; brother Kevin (Shelley) Booth of Asheville, North Carolina; nieces Rainey (Johnny) Moschetta, Cailtin (Adam) O’Bryan, Carly Sethman (Ham Wisetjung) and Lucy Booth; nephew Gardner Booth; and great-neices and -nephews Roman, Rosalind, Maya and another on the way.

Jenny is also survived by longtime boyfriend and partner Mike Goton of Shell. They shared much love and laughter in Big Horn County. Jenny enjoyed spring calving at his ranch, and her lavish lasagna feast will be greatly missed by so many at this year’s branding. Her sidekick fur-baby, Irma, has returned to her birthplace on his ranch with her fur-brothers at her side.

A celebration of a life well lived will be held Saturday, April 4, from 3 to 6 p.m. at the Burlington Fire Hall. The service will be followed by good eats and good fellowship. 

An additional service will be held April 11 at 11 a.m. at Prince of Peace Episcopal Church, 420 Main Street, Dallas, Pennsylvania, followed by a luncheon at the Greens at the Irem Temple Country Club at about 12:30 p.m.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in her name to By Western Hands, Cody, or to Basin Food Pantry.