Kenneth Eugene was born on February 19, 1935, to Curtis Leonard and Elizabeth Corey Kelsay in Oklahoma City, OK. He attended kindergarten through 11th grade in Oklahoma City. His senior year his parents were transferred to Houston and Ken attended Milby High School. He was 16 years old when he started the University of Texas. He graduated from UT while working for Humble Oil as an engineer and built the Humble Oil/Exxon building in downtown Houston. In 1953, he joined the army and proudly served his country. On March 3, 1956, Ken married the love of his life, Patsy Cossey in Houston, TX. They were married for 60 years, one month shy of 61 years.Ken worked for Humble Oil for 11 years when a friend of his, Stan Blacklock came into his office and they brainstormed about going in a different direction because Humble Oil had been sold to Exxon. They went into business together partnering to purchase a Chevrolet Dealership in Brownfield, TX. Through Chevrolet the family enjoyed lots of traveling and got to spend a week with “Billy the Kid” the Olympic skier. Ken enjoyed boating, fishing, and was an expert marksman. He’s the only person Patsy knows of that drove a 40 foot RV through down town New York City right in front of the Empire State Building to let his son, Randy, see which building King Kong had hung on in the movie. Ken loved his Harley Motorcycle and once drove through a hail storm with high winds. He then ended up rotating horizontally as he drove it backwards a few yards and then flipped off of it landing on his back in the mud at 72 years old. His family talked him into selling it when he was 76 years old. Ken retired from the Chevrolet dealership in Brownfield and sold it to his partner, Stan Blacklock. He then started consulting and working with 3 other dealerships in Lubbock. The last time he retired…he finished strong with Weststar Commercial Realtors in Lubbock, TX. Patsy and Ken enjoyed their “Retirement home” per say in the Tall Pines of Ruidoso, NM.
Ken enjoyed his First Baptist Church in Brownfield, TX and was involved in a group called “Builders for Christ”. They would build churches in Colorado and El Paso, TX.Survivors include his wife, Patsy Kelsay; sons, Michael Kelsay of Stuart, FL and Randy Kelsay of Lubbock, TX; grandson, Adam Kenneth Kelsay of El Paso, TX.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Curtis and Elizabeth; and a daughter, Donna Kay Kelsay.
