Kenneth Kirkbride

A graveside service will be held on Thursday, April 1, 2010, at 1:00 p.m. at Beth El Cemetery. A memorial service will follow at 2:30 p.m. at the First United Methodist Church with The Reverend Trudy Robinson officiating. A reception will follow immediately after the service. Visitation will be held on Wednesday, March 31, 2010, from 10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. at the Schrader Funeral Home. Lifetime Laramie County resident Kenneth Kirkbride, 89, died at the Cheyenne Regional Medical Center, in Cheyenne on Sunday, March 28, 2010, after a brief illness. Ken was born Nov. 18, 1920, in Cheyenne and raised on his parents’ ranch 35 miles northeast of town. He attended rural one room elementary schools before boarding in Laramie and Cheyenne for four years graduating from Cheyenne High School in 1938. He attended the University of Wyoming graduating in 1942 with an agriculture degree. During those years he met Shirley Beeson from Sheridan and the two married June 21, 1942. They were married 63 years. Following graduation, Ken served in the U.S. Army until 1945 in the amphibious engineers in the leading advance from Australia through New Guinea, the Philippines and to Korea by the war’s end. Shirley and he wrote each other daily letters during those three years he was in the South Pacific. Returning home he joined the Harding and Kirkbride Livestock Company to which he remained dedicated the rest of his life. His initiative, hard work and decisiveness helped transform a collection of depression era homesteads into modern efficient ranches. He made contributions both in the business and working sides of the operations well into his 80′s. Ken and Shirley moved to Cheyenne in 1972. Ken served the Wyoming Stock Growers Assn. as its president in 1981-82 having previously served on the Wyoming Livestock Board. He served on the Albin and White Crest school boards for 12 years, was a past president of the Cheyenne Rotary Club and a founding director of Security First Savings and Loan and enjoyed his membership in the Young Men’s Literary Club for 37 years. Shirley and Ken were honorary chairs of the United Medical Center Denim ‘n Diamonds celebration in 1994. Ken’s highest priorities were his family and the ranch and his interests included current affairs, agriculture and travel, having visited all 50 states and five continents. He’s survived by his three sons, Jon (Dianne) Kirkbride, Cheyenne, Alan (Lindi) Kirkbride, Meriden, and Dan (Lynn) Kirkbride, Chugwater; grandchildren T.J. Kirkbride and wife, Michelle, Jeff Kirkbride and wife, Jami, Glen Kirkbride and wife, Rocky, Ryan Kirkbride, Kapri Kirkbride and Anduin McElroy and husband, Ryan, Hannah Kirkbride, Abby Rasmussen and husband, Ben, Jeremy Westerman and wife, Tara, Mitchell Westerman and Charlie Westerman; 13 great grandchildren; and his friend, Angie Morrison. He was preceded in death by his parents, Dan and Peggy, and his wife, Shirley. Memorials may be sent to the Cheyenne Regional Medical Center, the Wyoming Stock Growers Assn. Endowment Trust or the charity of your choice.