Keith Franklin Lutes, age 80, of Tryon, passed away September 8, 2012 at Great Plains Regional Medical Center in North Platte, NE.
Keith was born on May 25, 1932 near Sidney, NE the eighth of 13 children born to Louis and Ernestine (Hanna) Lutes. He attended elementary school at Lone Valley north of Stapleton and high school at Stapleton for a short time, later receiving his GED from MO Western College in St. Joseph.
Keith married Alice Stirling on January 15, 1961 in Hale, Missouri. He received Jesus as Savior in November 1953 and served the Lord faithfully in many capacities.
He loved the ranch life and took pride in caring for his cattle and horses. He spent twelve years in MO where he owned and operated a farm also spending 3 years operating a service station. One of the joys of his life was including children and friends on cattle drives. Keith was a McPherson County Commissioner and was the manager of a Feed Store in Tryon. He was a member of the Hall Church, serving on the Board and teaching Sunday School class, and supporting the children’s and youth ministries.
He is survived by his wife Alice of Tryon; three brothers, Vernon (Pauline) of Tryon, Ernest of Hartford, WI, and Loren (Janis) of Texas; four sisters, Inez (Jim) Fattig of Wallace, NE, Phoebe (Frank) Martin of Sun City West, AZ, Olive (Stan) Gurney of Burwell, NE, and Esther (Tom) Harmon of Pierre, SD; sister-in-law, Joyce Lutes of Central City, NE; brothers and sisters-in-law, Geneva (Stirling) and Dan Connell of Tryon and Bill and Carolyn Stirling of Chillicothe, Missouri; and numerous nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents; two sisters Flora Connell, and Susan Shimmin; three brothers, Stephen, Martin and Nathan Lutes; brother-in-law, Al Shimmin; and a sister-in-law, June Lutes.
A memorial has been established to Feed the Children or to the Royal Family Kids Camp and online condolences can be made at www.adamsswanson.com.
Funeral Services will be 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, September 12, 2012 at the Ringgold Free Methodist Church with the Reverend Stanley Gurney officiating. Burial will be at the Miller Cemetery. Visitation will be 9:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. today at Adams & Swanson Funeral Home and the family receiving friends from 6:00 p.m. until 9:00 p.m. at the Ringgold Free Methodist Church. Adams & Swanson Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.