ANRS & Rodeo Exes Association Hall of Fame

Keesey and Mary Ellen (Chandler) Kimball - 2011

Keesey Kimball was born in Brewster County Texas to Otis and Virginia Kimball on October 23, 1927. He went to his reward on July 28, 2000. Mary Ellen was born in Terrell County Texas on September 25, 1928. They were married on December 21, 1948.

The Kimballs and the Chandlers were pioneer ranching families and early comers to the Trans-Pecos region of Texas. Both families have been instrumental in the development of the region as well as that of Sul Ross State University and its Cowboy Heritage.

A primary ingredient that holds our culture and its heritage together is family lore.

One of my favorite Kimball family stories is from the days of the Great Depression. At that time, Otis owned a ranch just west of Valentine. When roundup time came, he would trail his cattle to Valentine to be transported to market by train. Of course, the ranch was mortgaged as well as the cattle. So, when he delivered his cattle, the check would usually go straight to the bank and Granddad Kimball would be given some cash for the next year’s operating expenses.

One year during the depression, he trailed the cattle to the shipping pens, sold them and loaded them on the train. He then fed his crew at a restaurant and paid them off. The train was loaded with hobos (as all trains during that time were) and some of them must have seen Otis shelling out money to his crew and buying them supper. He had hitched a ride back to Alpine by riding in the caboose. As he was walking to the caboose, he noticed someone moving through the darkness to intercept him. He knew he was going to be “rolled." What the hobos did not know was that, after paying his crew and buying supper, all he had left was one dime. He outran them to the caboose and saved his dime.

Chandler family lore is equally fascinating. One of my favorites involves the infamous outlaw, Black Jack Ketchum who had an affinity for Chandler horses. According to the oral history, Charley Chandler (Mary Ellen’s grandfather) sold horses to Black Jack Ketchum.

When the last train robbery occurred in Texas, between Sanderson and Dryden, one of the Wild Bunch, Kilpatrick, camped on the Chandler Ranch shortly before attempting the robbery. Mary Ellen’s father, Clarence Chandler, would have been a small boy at that time (around 1911). He recalled seeing their campfire but they did not come to the house and his father told him to “leave those men alone” or words to that effect. Kilpatrick rode with Ketchum and with the Wild Bunch and was in the famous photograph taken in Fort Worth that led to their downfall.

In actuality, the family influence on Sul Ross was almost from the beginning. When the university opened its doors, it took in the junior and senior classes of Alpine High School so it would have a student body. Otis Kimball (Keesey’s dad) got his High School diploma from Sul Ross in 1920 (or 1921). And, incidentally, J. Frank Dobie was the president of that high school class.

Keesey was the FFA State President in 1946. He graduated from Sul Ross in 1949 leaving an indelible mark. Relying on his FFA experience (and his knowledge of parliamentary procedure), he played a key role in the drafting of the original charter and by-laws for the National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association (NIRA).

Harley May won the first NIRA all around cowboy honors in 1949. Mary Ellen is said to have been the all around cowgirl that first year. Unfortunately, and most likely due to laxity in record keeping during that time, the NIRA’s “official” records do not begin recognizing cowgirls (or even their events) until the 1956 national finals in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

Keesey was president of the Highland Hereford Association. It was during his presidency that the Association managed to get three counties (Brewster, Jeff Davis and Presidio) certified as the only brucellosis free counties in the State. This would have been around 1956-58.

Since many cattle from this area were marketed in the mid-west, and had been for many years, this designation was extremely important as it allowed the shipment of cattle from these three counties without a brucellosis test. During the certification process, certain requirements had to be met especially in regard to testing procedures. A certain percentage of cattle from each ranch had to be tested. The program was strictly voluntary and if any rancher had refused to cooperate, it would have died right there. Keesey was able to convince every rancher in Brewster County to cooperate and sometimes took his own crew to assist in the roundup and cattle works. Jim White, Jr. lined up the Presidio County ranchers and Rust Largent lined up the Jeff Davis County ranchers. Keesey was always extremely proud of this feat as he understood how hard it was to get that many ranchers to agree on anything.

Mary Ellen grew up on a ranch her grandfather, Charley Chandler, built around 1900 at the junction of the Pecos River and Independence Creek. Her father Clarence Chandler began leasing ranches including a ranch south of Marathon on the Post road called Loma del Norte. One corner of that ranch went all the way to the bottom of Santiago Peak.

Mary Ellen graduated from Marathon High School, but her early schooling was in a one room school the Chandlers started on their ranch in Terrell County for their kids and other ranch kids. The Chandlers started the school and other ranchers would kick in for expenses.

When Keesey and Mary Ellen married, Sul Ross was going to the Tangerine Bowl. They went to the game on their honeymoon. And incidentally, that was the team that included Dan Blocker of the TV Series “Bonanza” fame.

Mary Ellen attended Sul Ross after high school but did not graduate. She was on the Sul Ross Rodeo team until she married Keesey and started having kids. Speaking of which: Over the years, the marriage was instrumental in keeping the enrollment up at Sul Ross. It yielded five sons between 1949 and 1957; Joe 1949, Gary 1951, Monty, 1952, Charley 1955 (died shortly after birth) and Jeff 1957. Joe has two degrees (an undergraduate degree in Industrial Arts and a Masters in Wildlife Biology), Gary holds a BS in geology, Monty earned a BS in Political Science and Jeff graduated with a Bachelors of Business Administration—all from Sul Ross State.

Somewhere around 1964, Keesey and Mary Ellen bought a house in town (where McCoys Lumber Company is now). At the time, they also bought the stables where many Sul Ross students kept their horses and practiced in the arena. Mary Ellen continued to run the stables and support SR rodeo until Keesey died.

On a personal note, I think of them often and fondly remember the days when I was the business manager/controller for their sand, gravel and ready mix concrete business. I am reminded almost daily of a conversation that I once had with Keesey. One day we were sitting and talking in the office. I assume the topic of conversation had something to do with politics because I do recall that, out of sheer ignorance and naiveté, I made the “brilliant” statement that “Aw, nothing like that could ever happen in America.” He simply looked at me and calmly said, “Boy, don’t be too sure about that.” In today’s world, I am reminded of that lesson on an almost daily basis.

In the history of Sul Ross State University, there may be a small number of families that have contributed as much, but none have contributed more.

Induction into the Hall of Fame is the highest honor which can be bestowed on an individual by the ANRS & Rodeo Exes Association. This honor is for ANRS graduates or friends and recognizes those who have represented the Association, the ANRS Department, or Sul Ross State University with distinction through their personal and/or professional achievements which brought honor to our University. Nominations may be submitted by any member at any time. The ANRS & Rodeo Exes Board of Directors will periodically review nominations and determines inductees into the Hall of Fame. Inductions are not necessarily held annually, but rather when a sufficient pool of inductees is obtained. The induction ceremony is at the Annual Reunion held the last weekend of July in Alpine.

Make a nomination for a deserving individual for induction into the ANRS & Rodeo Exes Hall of Fame!

There is certainly room among these fine individuals for additional honorees. Please give some consideration to nominating a deserving individual for induction into the Hall of Fame.