Dates
Stanley Keen, 76, passed away peacefully on August 4, 2024, in San Angelo, Texas, following a battle with cancer. He was born on November 16, 1947, to Stanley Newton Keen and Violet Venette Bradley in Bowie, Texas.
Stan started school in New Mexico. In 3rd grade, the family moved back to Texas to work on ranches in Winkler and Pecos Counties. From the age of 13, he day worked on the weekends and throughout the summer where he honed his cowboy skills. In high school, Stan competed in the AJRA rodeo circuit. He rode saddle broncs and bulls and won many amateur rodeos. In his junior year, he won the Champion Bull Rider buckle in the AJRA Rodeo finals. In 1966, he graduated from Odessa High School and went to work on the Slash Ranch. By then, he was a PRCA card holder and continued to rodeo professionally until March of 1968, when he was drafted into the United States Army. During his time in Vietnam, Stan was trained as an artillery survey specialist and received several commendations. He finished his time in country as a general’s aide.
Following his time in the service, Stan’s resume included surveyor, Frank and Ball Ranch manager, and 20 years at JL Davis Gas Company, but his passion was always ranching. He liked to say that going to his job everyday was how he supported his ranching habit. He always had a small herd of roping steers but in his retirement years he built a herd of 100 head of mother cows. He was never happier than in those years. There wasn’t a horse he couldn’t ride or a cow he couldn’t rope. A longtime friend, Jerry Clayton, said, “If you looked up Cowboy in the encyclopedia, there would be a picture of Stan Keen”.
Stan is survived by his wife, Kay; their three children, Matthew (Ariel) Holcomb, Holly (Drew) Rylander, and Caitlin (John) Dressler; eight grandchildren, Colton Tatsch, Bao Rylander, Rankin Rylander, Finn Holcomb, Lincoln Rylander, Hazel Holcomb, Mathis Dressler, and Eden Dressler; his sister, Billie Sharp and brother, Jack Keen, and many nieces and nephews.
Stan was preceded in death by his parents, his brother, Fred Keen, his sister, Emily Ann Keen, and his brother-in-law James Sharp.
Serving as pall bearers are Jim Sharp, Jason Sharp, Colton Tatsch, Rankin Rylander, Bao Rylander, and Lincoln Rylander. Honorary pall bearers are Matt Holcomb, Finn Holcomb, Drew Rylander, John Dressler, Mathis Dressler, and Robert Roark.
A visitation will be held on Friday, August 9, 2024, at Harper Funeral Home from 5:00-7:00pm. Funeral Service will be held on Saturday, August 10, 2024, at Glen Meadows Baptist Church, at 2:00pm. Burial to follow at Mertzon Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers Stan asked that you refrain from voting Democrat in the next election.