Keith Leon Hall, age 85, of Ulysses, Kansas, died on Thursday, September
29, 2022, at Kearny County Hospital in Lakin. He had been living at
High Plains Retirement Village since November 29, 2021, due to his
health issues of Dementia and Parkinson’s.
He was the only child of Thomas Harvey and Ida Estelle (Bly) Hall born
on August 11, 1937, at St. Catherine Hospital in Garden City, Kansas.
He grew up on a farm 9 miles south of Pierceville, Kansas. He attend
all 12 years of school in Ingalls, Kansas, graduating in May of 1955
from a class of 8 which he outlived all of the other 7 kids. He played
sports and a clarinet in band. He loved marching in the parades. He
also drove a school bus while attending school and had plenty of stories
to tell about school days.
After high school, Keith attended Kansas State University graduating
with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Agricultural – Feed Technology on
January 29, 1960. He was a real “Wild Cat” all the way.
He began working for companies and feedlots and even a chicken layer factor in Iowa, Illinois and Nebraska.
He married Linda Lou (Baumgarner) Dolgin on December 25, 1961, and they
adopted a boy 10 months old, but they divorced in 1968 and Keith and
Bryan moved back to Hodgeman County where he worked for Dodge City Co-op
in the feed department. He also helped his father farm, and raise hogs
and cattle.
He remarried on March 18, 1973, to Jean Loree (Baldwin) Eichman at the
First Christian Church in Dodge City. He acquired 2 daughters, Kim and
Debra. Keith and Jean bought a farm south of Dodge City with no
experience in irrigation to raise crops. What a challenge!
He quit the Co-op to farm, raise cattle and hogs, and do the swathing and bailing.
They sold this farm and moved to the Hodgeman County farm in October
1982 to live and farm the section his Dad had owned and who had passed
on in March of 1980. He farmed, custom bailed and swathed, raised cows,
fed hogs and sheep, and also worked as a pre-loader for 18 years at UPS
until he retired in February 2003.
Keith was a member of the First Christian Church of Dodge City where he
served as a deacon and a choir member. He also served on the Ford
County Fair Board, Co-op Board, Extension Council, and Salvation Army
Board and was a volunteer for several years in the store as a clerk.
They sold the farm in 2010, moved to Ulysses on October 12, 2019, as his
health was declining and closer to their oldest daughter and her
family.
Keith loved doing crafts, attending school activities, yard work, watching TV, KC Royals, K-State and KU basketball games.
Survivors include his wife Jean of Ulysses; two daughters, Kim Gibbons
and husband Marty of Ulysses, and Debra Stewart of Jetmore; one son,
Bryan Hall of Salina; three grandchildren, Kristoffer (Ashley Fry)
Gibbons, Miles (Ashley Rodriguez) Gibbons, and Danyel Waller (Andy)
Masters; seven great-grandchildren, Madison and Gage Gibbons, Dominic
and Raquelle Fry, Ollie and Milo Gibbons, and Brody Elliott; and one
great-great-grandchild, Oaklynn Rae Cavasos.
Per Keith’s wishes, cremation has taken place and there will be no
service. Inurnment will take place later at Greencrest Memorial Gardens
in Dodge City.
Memorial contributions may be given to the Grant County Senior Center Exercise Program or LoveShriners.org in care of Garnand Funeral Home, 405 W. Grant Ave., Ulysses, KS 67880. Condolences may be posted at www.garnandfuneralhomes.com.