On February 26, 2019, Kenneth Danvers Lee, age 90, passed peacefully through the veil. Upon hearing this a dear friend said, “Panaca, NV just lost an icon and will never be the same”. For those who knew this old cowboy and rancher, this sentiment will surely resonate.
Kenny D. was born on January 15, 1929 in a small house of the corner of 2nd and Main in Panaca, NV. He was the much awaited and prayed for son of Ruth Danvers and C. Kenneth Lee, and the older brother of Ruby Lee Logan. Kenny often said that he had an ideal childhood growing up in the beautiful valley that would remain his home for 90 years.
He was surrounded by family on every corner, aunts and uncles and cousins everywhere. He worked from the time he was a child and especially had a great love for horses and cattle. By the time he was 12 he was spending summers working cows, and the dream of raising his own started.
He was a graduate of Lincoln County High School, and was drafted in to the Army at the age of 21, during the Korean Conflict. He spent two years away from home in training, mainly at Fort Bliss, Texas, the overseas fighting ended before he was called up and he returned home in March of 1953. During the winter of ’53-54 he began dating Dawn Adair, and several months later, on the night her high school graduation, he proposed.
They married on July 10, 1954 in the St George, Utah temple, returning to Panaca to settle and raise their family. They were blessed with three daughters: Joyce Marie Cox (W. Alvin), Panaca, NV, Tammy Kay Blackner (Brent), Beaver, UT, Cheryl Lynn Bulloch (Daniel) Cedar City, Utah, and one son, Kerry Del Lee (Teri) Panaca, NV.
Kenny was able to work hard enough while the girls were young to eventually go to ranching full-time. He was one of the first cattlemen in this area of the west to start breeding Black Angus cattle, and established a name for himself as a high-quality breeder and producer. More so than that, he established a reputation of integrity and honor that are hard to find in today’s world as he strove above and beyond to always be honest in his dealings with his fellow man.
He served in many community positions, such as the Panaca Town Board, Meadow Valley Conservation District (a position held for 43 years), NV Grazing Board, NV Cattleman’s, and LC Commissioner, but his time helping the 4-H kids at stock shows and leading boys in scouting, especially if it involved dutch oven biscuits and mulligan stew, were some of his most loved. Kenny was a lifetime member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, though he did not become fully active until he was asked to serve in the Sunday School Superintendence at almost 20 years old. This was just the beginning of years of service in the Elder’s Quorum and Bishopric’s, but most of all it was the kindling of a testimony that would sustain him throughout his life.
The one legacy he wanted to leave more than any other was for his posterity to know that he knew the gospel was true. Kenny was preceded in death by his parents, daughter Joyce Cox and son-in-law Al Cox, and sister Ruby Logan, and brother-in-law Everett Logan. He is survived by his wife of 64 years, Dawn, daughters Tammy and Lynn and son, Kerry.
And many beautiful grandkids and greats. Services will be held: Saturday, March 2nd, 2019 at the LDS Chapel in Panaca, NV. Viewing from 9-10:30 am.
Funeral 11 am. (all Pacific Standard Time) Interment will follow at the Panaca Cemetery under the direction of Southern Nevada Mortuary. Online condolences can be sent at www.
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