Obituaries
Kenneth JeDon Gallman
Kenneth JeDon Gallman, 78 of Friona walked through “the valley of the shadow of death” March 13, 2020 in Amarillo. Viewing will be held from 9:00 A.M. to 8:00 P.M., Wednesday, March 18, 2020 in the Ron Smiley Memorial Chapel of HANSARD FAMILY Funeral Home of Friona with family visitation from 6:00 P.M. to 7:30 P.M. Celebration of Life Services will be held at 2:00 P.M. Thursday, March 19, 2020 at the Friona United Methodist Church with Rev. Skip Hodges, officiating. Burial following in the Friona Cemetery by HANSARD FAMILY Funeral Home of Friona.
JeDon was born May 24, 1941, in Clovis, NM to Fred Oran Gallman and Bernice Loraine Noble Gallman. He grew up on the family farm near Lazbuddie, Texas, and graduated from Lazbuddie High School in 1959. He attended Texas A&M University from 1959-1960 and then transferred to Texas Tech University. When his father’s health failed, JeDon went home to take care of his family and the family farm, lacking only 20 hours attaining a degree in Agronomy from Texas Tech. He married Kitty Daylene Black on July 10, 1965. They and their two children, Melanie and Daylen, lived on the family farm at Lazbuddie until 1972 when they moved to Friona.
JeDon was a farmer in every sense of the word but in particular, a cotton farmer. He bought an interest in Clays Corner Gin in 1972 and Farwell Gin in 1977. In 1982 he took on the responsibility of managing Farwell Gin in addition to his growing cotton, wheat, corn, maize and his raising pigs and cattle. In 1994, JeDon purchased and managed Hub Gin until he closed it in 2013.
JeDon believed in supporting the community and especially kids. He enthusiastically gave his time and money to whatever project either the kids or community needed at the time. In gratitude for his unselfish service, he was named Man of the Year in Friona in 1980, Life Member of the Friends of the Library beginning in 1976, Friend of 4-H in 1991, Honorary Member of Friona FFA in 1986. He established Friona Livestock Boosters in 1988, a fund he collected from local businessmen that was used to buy or bump the purchase of show animals for Friona kids. For 30 years he pounded the pavement and sidewalks to canvass the community so that every kid who made the sale, and even those who didn’t, got a fair price for their animals. In 2017 he was honored by the Parmer County Stock Show Board for 38 years of service, many of those years as its president.
JeDon was active in every aspect of his own kids’ lives: Little League coach and umpire, Girl Scout and Boy Scout projects, raising and showing livestock, Band Booster, class parent, audience and encourager. JeDon loved his church and served as a Sunday School teacher.
JeDon is preceded in death by his son, Daylen, his parents, and one sister, Twila. Those who carry on his legacy are his wife Kitty of Friona, his daughter Melanie and husband Jerry Braun of Clovis, his granddaughter Jessie London of Lubbock and grandson Oran London of Friona. He is survived by 3 brothers: Robert and wife Ellen of Lazbuddie, David and wife LeAnn of Muleshoe, Dale and wife Debbie of Bovina; 2 sisters Jan and husband Robert Edwards of Amarillo and Leatrice and husband Bob Adams of Plano, and all his beloved nieces and nephews.
The family would appreciate memorials be sent to the Daylen Gallman Endowed Cowboy Band Scholarship at Hardin Simmons University, HSU Box 16100, Abilene, TX 79698 or the church or charity of your choice.
You may send condolences to the family and sign the online register book at:
www.hansardfamily.com
