STAFF

Leah and her late husband Dean founded Schow Auction Service in 1969. Sitting at a card table with an adding machine in the garage of their first client, she handed out buyer numbers and settled with buyers at the end of the sale. From then on, Leah would accompany Dean “writing up” and photographing upcoming sales, then handle all of the advertising prep work for each one. She would then singlehandedly do all of the “post-sale” work, balancing the sale, invoicing buyers, and preparing settlement information for the client. The cashiering evolved from the card table to a small travel trailer, a bigger travel trailer and finally a custom-built, air conditioned, tandem axle cashier trailer.

In the early ‘90’s clerking/cashiering went computerized, but the workload never waned. Along with the auction business, Leah handled all of the bookwork for their farm & cattle
operation, raised 3 boys, cooked 3 meals a day, kept a spotless house and yard, all the while working 1 to 3 days a week in the office of Ogallala Livestock.

In 2022 she retired from Ogallala Livestock after 50 years of service. However, she continues to prepare auction advertising budgets, cashier and balance each sale and still does all of the post-sale bookwork as well as keep the books for the farm and
cattle operation.

She is a Hall of Fame Member of the Nebraska Auctioneers Association Auxiliary; attends the Paxton United Methodist Church; and enjoys meals out with friends and spending time with her 7 seven grandkids and 1 great-granddaughter.