Keith Land (born Lester Keith Wilson Land), 73, retired farmer and building contractor, whose family had farmed land on the Kingman and Harper County line for more than a century, died February 12, 2009 in Harper Hospital.
Born October 2, 1935, on a hilltop farm four miles east of Rock, Kansas, Keith was the third son in a family of three girls and three boys, offspring of the late Lester William "Pat" Land and Lillian Raida Land.
When Keith was four, the family left Cowley County to return to the Kingman County farm purchased in 1903 by his grandfather, Frank Raida.
After attending Illinois Dist. 62, Norwich High School, and spending his stint in the Army, Keith married Donnis (Boyts) Yoder, mother of two sons, Rod and Stan. After a third son, Raymond, was born, the family built a home on "the East Place," across the road from Joe Vavra. After their sons married, Donnis and Keith moved to Harper, her family's hometown.
Keith had always loved living "where the wild things are" and once tamed a baby squirrel, "Chipper," that had fallen from its nest onto Keith's head (or so he said!). When it became entangled regularly in his mom's hair, she strongly recommended that he return it to its natural habitat. For months afterward, it would return from the orchard, seemingly "recognizing" Keith as its benefactor.
Keith is survived by his wife, Donnis, of the home; stepsons Rod (Debbie) Yoder and daughters Katie (Wayne) Mastin (Kingman) and Kara of Dodge City; and Stan (Cheryl) Yoder and children Jamie (Jarod) Richardson (Hillsboro) and Allen of Kingman; Keith and Donnis' son, Raymond (Charlotte) Land of Wichita.
Keith's siblings are June McClelland of Grove City, PA; Wanda and P.K. Smith of Wichita; Wendell and Janetta Land of Tulare, CA; Don and Arlie Land of Enumclaw, WA; many nieces and nephews. He is preceded in death by his sister Gloria Dene Long.
Born October 2, 1935, on a hilltop farm four miles east of Rock, Kansas, Keith was the third son in a family of three girls and three boys, offspring of the late Lester William "Pat" Land and Lillian Raida Land.
When Keith was four, the family left Cowley County to return to the Kingman County farm purchased in 1903 by his grandfather, Frank Raida.
After attending Illinois Dist. 62, Norwich High School, and spending his stint in the Army, Keith married Donnis (Boyts) Yoder, mother of two sons, Rod and Stan. After a third son, Raymond, was born, the family built a home on "the East Place," across the road from Joe Vavra. After their sons married, Donnis and Keith moved to Harper, her family's hometown.
Keith had always loved living "where the wild things are" and once tamed a baby squirrel, "Chipper," that had fallen from its nest onto Keith's head (or so he said!). When it became entangled regularly in his mom's hair, she strongly recommended that he return it to its natural habitat. For months afterward, it would return from the orchard, seemingly "recognizing" Keith as its benefactor.
Keith is survived by his wife, Donnis, of the home; stepsons Rod (Debbie) Yoder and daughters Katie (Wayne) Mastin (Kingman) and Kara of Dodge City; and Stan (Cheryl) Yoder and children Jamie (Jarod) Richardson (Hillsboro) and Allen of Kingman; Keith and Donnis' son, Raymond (Charlotte) Land of Wichita.
Keith's siblings are June McClelland of Grove City, PA; Wanda and P.K. Smith of Wichita; Wendell and Janetta Land of Tulare, CA; Don and Arlie Land of Enumclaw, WA; many nieces and nephews. He is preceded in death by his sister Gloria Dene Long.
Keith Land (born Lester Keith Wilson Land), 73, retired farmer and building contractor, whose family had farmed land on the Kingman and Harper County line for more than a century, died February 12, 2009 in Harper Hospital.
Born October 2, 1935, on a hilltop farm four miles east of Rock, Kansas, Keith was the third son in a family of three girls and three boys, offspring of the late Lester William "Pat" Land and Lillian Raida Land.
When Keith was four, the family left Cowley County to return to the Kingman County farm purchased in 1903 by his grandfather, Frank Raida.
After attending Illinois Dist. 62, Norwich High School, and spending his stint in the Army, Keith married Donnis (Boyts) Yoder, mother of two sons, Rod and Stan. After a third son, Raymond, was born, the family built a home on "the East Place," across the road from Joe Vavra. After their sons married, Donnis and Keith moved to Harper, her family's hometown.
Keith had always loved living "where the wild things are" and once tamed a baby squirrel, "Chipper," that had fallen from its nest onto Keith's head (or so he said!). When it became entangled regularly in his mom's hair, she strongly recommended that he return it to its natural habitat. For months afterward, it would return from the orchard, seemingly "recognizing" Keith as its benefactor.
Keith is survived by his wife, Donnis, of the home; stepsons Rod (Debbie) Yoder and daughters Katie (Wayne) Mastin (Kingman) and Kara of Dodge City; and Stan (Cheryl) Yoder and children Jamie (Jarod) Richardson (Hillsboro) and Allen of Kingman; Keith and Donnis' son, Raymond (Charlotte) Land of Wichita.
Keith's siblings are June McClelland of Grove City, PA; Wanda and P.K. Smith of Wichita; Wendell and Janetta Land of Tulare, CA; Don and Arlie Land of Enumclaw, WA; many nieces and nephews. He is preceded in death by his sister Gloria Dene Long.
Born October 2, 1935, on a hilltop farm four miles east of Rock, Kansas, Keith was the third son in a family of three girls and three boys, offspring of the late Lester William "Pat" Land and Lillian Raida Land.
When Keith was four, the family left Cowley County to return to the Kingman County farm purchased in 1903 by his grandfather, Frank Raida.
After attending Illinois Dist. 62, Norwich High School, and spending his stint in the Army, Keith married Donnis (Boyts) Yoder, mother of two sons, Rod and Stan. After a third son, Raymond, was born, the family built a home on "the East Place," across the road from Joe Vavra. After their sons married, Donnis and Keith moved to Harper, her family's hometown.
Keith had always loved living "where the wild things are" and once tamed a baby squirrel, "Chipper," that had fallen from its nest onto Keith's head (or so he said!). When it became entangled regularly in his mom's hair, she strongly recommended that he return it to its natural habitat. For months afterward, it would return from the orchard, seemingly "recognizing" Keith as its benefactor.
Keith is survived by his wife, Donnis, of the home; stepsons Rod (Debbie) Yoder and daughters Katie (Wayne) Mastin (Kingman) and Kara of Dodge City; and Stan (Cheryl) Yoder and children Jamie (Jarod) Richardson (Hillsboro) and Allen of Kingman; Keith and Donnis' son, Raymond (Charlotte) Land of Wichita.
Keith's siblings are June McClelland of Grove City, PA; Wanda and P.K. Smith of Wichita; Wendell and Janetta Land of Tulare, CA; Don and Arlie Land of Enumclaw, WA; many nieces and nephews. He is preceded in death by his sister Gloria Dene Long.
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