Keith K. Smith

Keith K. Smith

Funeral services for Keith K. Smith of Springer will be held 10:00 AM, Wednesday, Aug 7, 2013 at the Midway Hill Baptist Church in Davis with Pastors Ron Elmore, Mike Johnston and Willard McCartney, Jr officiating. Interment will follow in the Dougherty Cemetery.

Keith was born Mar 10, 1933 in Dougherty to the late Rubin L. and Mary (Brown) Smith. He died Sunday, Aug 4, 2013 in Ardmore, at the age of 80. Keith and Patsy Giddens were married on Mar 11, 1950 in Gainesville, TX.

Keith Smith was a family man, cattleman and character builder of many. His family was his main focus and he spent much time guiding them while passing on his ethics of honesty and hard work, and of course the importance of a little fun. He was also quite the entertainer; his sense of humor and cunning wit was enjoyed and anticipated by those who knew him. Keith was quite the dancer and did so as often as he could. He even took it upon himself to teach his grandchildren the “Art of Dancing”

He had employment in many different areas throughout his life. Early in his career, he served as a fry boy in a restaurant, after he had moved to Arizona to work in the copper mines. The asphalt mines in Dougherty and rock crushers were part of his work history. For a very short time, he went into the chicken business, a business he didn’t really brag to much about. Lazy S Ranch, Turner Ranch at Sulphur, Fred Ferrell Ranches, and Zeller’s Ranch were the work he thoroughly enjoyed, as this is where he mastered the art of the, “Cattleman”. In his later years, Keith did commercial hay bailing for area ranchers including Healey’s Flying “L” and Southern Cross Ranch and several other area cattlemen.

Keith was National Herdsman of the Year at the 1965 National Western Livestock Show in Denver, 1995 Oklahoma Hereford Commercial Breeder of the Year, former president of the OHA, served on the OHA board of directors, was a member of the American Herford Association and Oklahoma Cattleman’s Association. He worked fitting club calves and show cattle for several years. The Oklahoma Herford Association stated in a 1995 article that, “Keith Smith is an ideal example of what a good cowman is all about.”

Survivors include his loving & devoted wife Patsy; two daughters, Kendra Ford & Husband Steve and Becky Buchanan, all of Springer; six grandchildren, Kenneth Pletcher & wife Katie, Robert Keith Pletcher, Millie Reed & husband Stephen, Kristy Meeks & husband Denny, Steven Ford and Stacy Ford & wife Erin; twelve great-grandchildren, Kollin Pletcher, Cassie Pletcher, Emma Meeks, Kason Pletcher, Clancy Meeks, Ethan Reed, Joni Pletcher, Trace Ford, Lenora Meeks, Lucille Ford, Henry Ford and Ella Reed; two sisters, Lena Ruth Binderim & husband D.C. and Jean Carol Eppler & husband Tom; as well as numerous nieces and nephews including Mahonna Clanton and Ronnie Giddens & wife Nita.
Keith was preceded in death by his parents; an infant son, Rubin Buford Smith; infant daughter, Keitha Joan Smith; one brother, Melvin Smith; mother-in-law, Cordia Giddens ; and son-in-law, Buck Buchanan.
Serving as pallbearers will be his grandsons. Honorary bearers will be Mike Ford, Frank Elliott, Rick Eubanks, Bill Bray, Neil Gibson, Fred Ferrell, III, Phillip Ferrell, Eddie Clanton and Dr. Larry McTague.
In lieu of flowers, the family request memorials be made to a local Ag Booster’s Organization of your choice or the Springer Volunteer Fire Dept.

8/7/2013
10:00 AM

Funeral
Midway Hill Baptist Church

Davis
OK