Keith was a cowboy. Cattle and horses were all he knew growing up. And the US Navy. But he earned his living from raising cattle and horses. He bred and raised Appaloosas. When I knew him, he also ran cattle on the open range in Oregon. Keith married up and well. Bon Nelle was a lady, well-educated, and a medical professional. Keith and Bon Nelle had two daughters, Kay and Connie. They were like their mother and lived with grace, intelligence, and kindness.

Earning a living in rural Oregon was a struggle. Raising cattle and horses is some of the hardest work one could choose, and it does not pay well. But Keith bought property, built a small house, and made a hard-scrabble living for those three ladies. The only time I heard him complain was when a mean stud bit a chunk out of his shoulder.

In Keith’s home three beautiful ladies blossomed. It is a great credit to him that he loved them well.

Keith was a real man. A good man, husband, and father.

Image from the Alban Psalter