Kenneth R. Dockery

Kenneth R. Dockery passed away on January 25th; he would have been 94 years old on February 10th. Born in Tolbert, Texas; he grew up as the son of small grocery store owners Dewey and Ida Mae Dockery. The family, which included older sister Dewey Mae, spent most of his childhood during the depression moving around the Texas panhandle trying to make a living. At 19, he enlisted in the Army Air Corps, went to war and folded his 6 foot self into the nose of a 486th B-17 bomber to defeat Nazis in Europe. While he talked about training near Las Vegas when it consisted of two hotels with a dirt road between them, he never quite “remembered” what he did on R&R in Cuba. He came back to Vernon to fall in love with and marry hometown girl Anabel Hughes. He started working the family farm in White City and became very involved in conservation farming, far ahead of his time. One of his great pleasures was riding with the Santa Rosa Palomino Club on his gentle giant, Hank. By 1968, Kenneth had three kids and a livestock sale barn in Quanah. There he made life-long friends at the ritual coffee drinking at Red’s or the Corner Drug in Quanah and at the “Sewing Circle” (he parlayed the skills he polished there into a winning game against Amarillo Slim).  He didn’t work for anyone but himself after Uncle Sam. Never really “retired,”  he and Anabel travelled until they settled into summers at their cabin in South Fork, Colorado. While Kenneth never really thought pets belonged in the house, Miss Lulu came into his life and, after Anabel passed away six years ago, Lulu became his favorite companion until his last day. He had a full life, filled with more wonderful moments than can be recounted.

He died surrounded by the family he helped create. His children, Holly Dockery, David Dockery, and Mary Kay Riley; grandchildren DeDe Dockery and Allison Clement; nieces, nephews, and cousins will miss him and always be grateful for what he left behind. Rest peacefully Kenneth, we hope Anabel met you Thursday night with a glass of Famous Grouse.

A memorial service will be held at 10:30 am on February 10th in Quanah, Texas at the Three Rivers Foyer, 216 Main St. In lieu of flowers, please honor Kenneth’s memory through the Santa Rosa Palomino Club, PO Box 952, Vernon, TX 76385; Quanah Meals on Wheels, 1410 Shaw St., Quanah, TX 79252; or Crown of Texas Hospice Foundation for BSA Hospice of the Southwest, #3 Care Circle, Amarillo, TX 79124.