Keith Gene Colburn was born to Dean and Delores Colburn on August 11, 1959, at the Sandhills General Hospital in Valentine, Nebraska.

He attended District 175 from kindergarten through third grade. He attended Ballards Marsh School from fourth through eighth grade and graduated from Valentine High School in 1977. During high school, he participated in wrestling and FFA. He built projects from wood and metal in vocational ag classes.

On October 26, 1985, Keith married Kristine Kaye Riege. They moved into the house built mostly by Keith, his dad, and brother David. He is the beloved dad to Seth Jay, Mark Lee, and Joni Rae.

After graduation in 1977, Keith started raising pigs on the ranch. Over the years, he sold feeder pigs to 4-H members from Valentine to Thedford and west to Cody, Chadron, and the state of Wyoming. He enjoyed watching the kids show and sell pigs. He had a long list of locals who depended on him for butcher hogs.

Keith loved ranch life—from fencing, swathing hay, moving bales, mechanic work, and raising cattle and hogs from birth to the sale barn.  The cattle he raised were always branded with the XP brand that was passed down to him from his grandfather. Keith also kept good records on the cattle. His database was written on feed tags in both shirt pockets.

His formal education ended after high school graduation. However, he continued to learn by reading repair manuals, ag publications, and searching the internet. Often the answer to a question was "I don't know.  Ask Keith." He was also a teacher, teaching his children many things including stewardship of the land, a strong work ethic, carefully managing money, fur trapping, deer hunting, and fishing. He enjoyed fishing with his children, grandchildren, nieces, and nephews.

He was very interested in family history—his own and that of families in the area. He was proud to have his house protected by the check-rowed ash trees planted by his Great-Great-Uncle Gus as a tree claim in the early 1880s. He recently purchased the original Wendler homestead.

Keith had high standards, leaning toward perfectionism. He worked hard and could be a taskmaster. The person he expected the most from was himself. He never met a stranger and was always caring, humble, and organized.

Keith loved a good joke—both hearing and telling. When he told a joke, it often took a long time because he spent as much time laughing as telling—a trait he passed on to his children. Even a less-than-stellar story was very entertaining.

Keith stepped up, assisted by his family, to make it possible for his parents to continue to live on the ranch. He stopped in regularly to visit and share ranch and community updates, usually leaving the house with a handful of cookies or peanut M&M's.

Keith passed away June 22, 2018 in Kearney, Nebraska. He is survived by his wife Kristi, son Seth and wife Hillary, son Mark and wife Amanda, daughter Joni and husband Kris Kaczanowski, granddaughters Alyssa and Hailey, parents Dean and Delores, sisters Kay (Bob) Miller, Nadeane (George) Allard, brother David (Chris) Colburn, mother-in-law Alice Riege, sister-in-law Carol (Dale) Kyser, many nieces, nephews, great-nieces, and great-nephews.

Memorials are suggested to the family.

Funeral service was held on Tuesday, June 26 at 2:00 PM at the Presbyterian Church in Valentine.  Burial followed at Mt. Hope Cemetery in Valentine.

Funeral service for Keith Colburn age 58 will be held at 2:00 Tuesday, June 26th at the Presbyterian Church in Valentine .  Burial will follow at Mount Hope Cemetery.  Visitation will be Monday, June 25th from 1-9 at Sandoz Chapel of the Pines.  The family will greet guests from 6-8 at the funeral home.  Keith passed away June 22nd at Good Samaritan Hospital in Kearney.