Keith Kreycik

James Keith Kreycik, 90, passed away peacefully on January 7, 2022 at his home in Windsor, Colorado surrounded by family.  He was born on May 6, 1931 to Jim and Edna Kreycik on the family ranch near Woodlake, NE.  He was the fifth child of six children.

He attended a one room country schoolhouse and rode horseback to and from school.  After graduating from the eighth grade he room and boarded in Valentine, NE where he attended Valentine High School.  As a freshman he played on the Valentine football team that was undefeated and unscored upon that season.  In four years he lettered ten times in football, track, basketball and boxing.  During his senior year he was crowned King of the Valentine Coronation.

He graduated from high school in 1949 and attended the University of Nebraska.  He joined the Alpha Tau Omega fraternity and lettered his freshman year in NU football.  He married his high school sweetheart, Audrey Grace Barnes, in 1950 and they lived in Lincoln for the next three years while he attended the University.  He graduated in 1953 with a degree in Agriculture, majoring in Vocational Education.

Following graduation he and Audrey moved to Tecumseh, Nebraska where he was a Vocational Agriculture Instructor in the Tecumseh Public Schools from 1953 through 1955. They then moved back to Valentine where he was employed by Prudential Insurance Company as a rural farm and ranch appraiser.

While in Valentine their family grew with the addition of three daughters;  Laura born in 1955, Beth in 1957 and Amy in 1960.  They built a home on Lakeshore Drive and lived there for seven years.  In 1969 the family moved to Alliance where Keith was employed by the Guardian State Bank as Vice President in charge of farm and ranch mortgage loans.  Keith continued to further his education attending numerous schools regarding farm management, rural appraising, banking and real estate in South Dakota, Colorado and Nebraska.

In 1971 Keith accepted a position with Hall & Hall Mortgage Company and the family moved to Lakewood, CO.  He was employed as a rural farm and ranch appraiser and traveled extensively ultimately appraising rural properties in twelve western states.  He cultivated many lasting personal and business relationships over the nearly thirty years while he was with Hall & Hall.

After retirement in 2001 he and Audrey remained in Lakewood but also spent the winter months in Arizona until 2018.  They enjoyed golf, leisure activities and entertained numerous  family and friends while residing in Sun City West.  In  2018 they moved to Good Samaritan Society at Water Valley, an independent retirement living facility in Windsor, CO. There they began a new chapter of their lives together and have made many new friends.

Keith was appointed to the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission in 1957 and served as it’s chairman in 1962. He served on the Valentine School Board from 1965 to 1969.  He was a member of both the Nebraska and American Societies of Farm Management and Rural Appraisers.  Keith was an active supporter of the  University of Nebraska Alumni Association.  He was an dedicated member of the United Methodist Church, and was actively involved as a  member of Phillips United Methodist in Lakewood  for 47 years.

Keith enjoyed all outdoor activities, mainly golf and hunting.  He enjoyed all sports, but was always an avid Nebraska football fan.  He and Audrey had season tickets and enjoyed traveling to Lincoln for many years.

Keith was preceeded in death by his parents; Jim and Edna Kreycik, three brothers; Dean Kreycik, Jack Kreycik and Don Kreycik and one sister; Jean (Kreycik) Peterson.  He is survived by his wife of 71 years, Audrey (Barnes) Kreycik, three daughters; Laura (Kreycik) Powell and husband Sam of Cheyenne, WY, Beth (Kreycik) Dillard of Alphareta, GA, and Amy (Kreycik) Rice and husband Daniel of Longmont, CO, one brother; Hale Kreycik of Douglas, WY and sister in-law; Jonneye Kreycik of Vernon, British Columbia.  He and Audrey have seven grandchildren, seven great-grandchildren and numerous cousins, nieces and nephews.

Cremation has taken place and services were held at Good Samaritan Society at Water Valley in Windsor and Phillips United Methodist Church in Lakewood, Colorado. Funeral arrangements in Lakewood were handled by Horan and McConaty , 3101 S. Wadsworth Boulevard, Lakewood, CO  80227 (www.HoranCares.com).

If desired Memorial donations may be made to:

Pathways Hospice, 305 Carpenter Road, Fort Collins, CO  80525

AIM at Melanoma, 5729 Lebanon Road, Suite 144-30 750345, Frisco TX

Sandhills Area Foundation, Sandhillsareafoundation@gmail.com

Phillips United Methodist Church Scholarship Fund, 1450 South Pierce Street, Lakewood, CO  80232

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