Kenneth L. “Ken” Burgess

A service to celebrate the life of Kenneth L. “Ken” Burgess, is scheduled at 1:00 PM on Saturday, June 10, 2023, at First United Methodist Church, Lubbock, followed by a time of fellowship with family and friends in the church parlor. He died on Wednesday, May 24, 2023. Please visit www.memorialdesigners.net for a service broadcasting schedule, and an area to share stories of Mr. Burgess with his family.

Kenneth L. Burgess was born on April 17, 1931, to Floyd and Naomi (Jones) Burgess in Earth, TX. He married Sue Duggan on June 13, 1954, in Seymour, Texas.

Ken graduated from Springlake-Earth High School prior to attending Texas Tech University where he graduated with a degree in Animal Husbandry. While in Tech, he joined the ROTC program holding several leadership positions. After graduation, he received 1 of 5 Air Force commissions from his class to the United States Air Force and piloted a B-47 Stratojet during the Korean conflict carrying atomic weapons as a member of the Strategic Air Command. He reached the rank of 1^st Lieutenant during his 5 years of service and was in line for promotion to Captain but decided to resign his commission to pursue a career as a veterinarian. He applied for Vet school at Texas A&M, but no positions were available at the time, so he started his farming profession.

Ken farmed for approximately 11 years and during that time served on the Loan Committee for the FHA in Littlefield gaining credit experience that would benefit his next career opportunity. Because of his agricultural credit experience, he was asked by his brother-in-law Doug Brown and the President of the Bank in Olton to help with some troubled agriculture loans in one of his banks as a consultant. Afterward, he was asked to join the bank in 1967 to help improve the bank’s agricultural underwriting capabilities. Thus, was born a 32-year successful banking career.

Ken graduated from the Southwestern Graduate School of Banking in 1974 and was awarded a “Thesis with Distinction” for his thesis “Marketing for Small Agricultural Banks in the Seventies”.

During his time in banking, he led investor groups to purchase four banks and one Savings and Loan. Three of the banks and the Savings & Loan were in the Panhandle (Olton, Muleshoe, Littlefield & Plainview). With these three banks, he formed one of the nation’s first small bank holding companies. He later put together a new group of investors to purchase Security State Bank in Abilene.

He was involved in leadership roles in the communities he lived in as well as state leadership roles in the banking industry. He served on the Boards of the Texas Bankers Association (TBA) and the Independent Bankers Association of Texas (IBAT). He chaired numerous committees for each of these organizations. He served as Chairman of IBAT in 1983. He was a founding Board Member of the Texas Independent Bank (TIB) which is today the largest Banker’s Bank in the nation. He also served as a member of the Community Bank Advisory Council of the Federal Reserve Bank in Dallas.

Ken served as Director, Chairman, and strong advocate of the West Texas Rehabilitation Center, Chairman of the Rehab Center Foundation, Board of Directors for Abilene Regional Medical Center, Chairman and Director of Abilene Country Club, Chairman of the Development Corporation of Abilene, Chairman of Raindance Corporation and Board Member of the West Texas Coalition for Innovation and Commercialization (Governor’s appointment). In 2012, he was named Abilene Citizen of the Year by the Chamber of Commerce. He also served as a member of the Texas Tech Foundation Board of Directors and was a strong supporter of all things Texas Tech.

Throughout his lifetime, Ken continued to own and fly civilian aircraft as flying was one of the joys of his life. He was also an avid fisherman and knew all the hot fishing spots around Abilene, naming one of his favorite locations “Lake X” – only confiding in those closest to him the real location! Flying and fishing remained his two favorite hobbies, although later he enjoyed playing golf as well.

Ken Burgess was a devoted husband, a steady, proud, and supportive father, a wonderful and proud grandfather, and a great-grandfather. He served as an outstanding example of a man of high character, honesty, and integrity, with a humble demeanor evident to everyone he encountered.

He is survived by his wife, Sue Burgess; sons, Ken (Cathy) Burgess, Greg (Sherry) Burgess, and Brad (Suzanne) Burgess; grandchildren, Kenneth L. (Crystal) Burgess III, Brittany (Brian) Livingston, Jennifer (Matt) Crotwell, Chase Burgess, Will (Katie) Burgess, Brooke (Charles) Heatherly, and Sheridan (Jerry) Strawn; great-grandchildren, Lauren, Taylor, Reagan, Jelani, Chris, Addy, Lilah, and Jace; and brothers, Jim (Elaine) Burgess, and Mike (Marilyn) Burgess.

He is preceded in death by his parents; a sister, June Brown, and husband Doug; and a brother, Wayne Burgess.

In lieu of flowers, Ken’s family suggests memorials to the Texas Tech University RAWL’s College of Business – Excellence in Banking Endowment C/O Whitnie Hill at 703 Flint Avenue, Lubbock, TX 79409 or The West Texas Rehabilitation Center 4601 Hartford St., Abilene, TX 79605.

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