March4,1945–August11,2026____________________
Graveside services with full military honors for Keith W. Dorsey, 81, longtime Ziebach County rancher, were held August 18 at the Last Stop Cemetery on the Dorsey Ranch west of Isabel.
Memorials have been established to the Isabel American Legion Post, the Isabel Fire Department and the Glad Valley Fire Department.
Keith William Dorsey was born on March 4, 1945 to Jim and Olive Dorsey in Gordon, NE. He grew up on a ranch in the Sand Hills of Nebraska with two siblings, Ronald and Helen. He started ranching at a very young age and received his pilot’s license as a teenager which he continued to have for over 65 years– something he was very proud of.
He graduated from Gordon High School in 1963. While attending college in Omaha, NE he was drafted into the Army. He served in Vietnam from 1966-1967. After receiving an honorable discharge, he returned home to the Nebraska Sand Hills Ranch. In his words he decided to come to South Dakota and run the family ranch at Glad Valley and look for somebody “ranchy” to marry. Keith’s version is he was hauling hay through Isabel with his stack mover where he saw a lady standing on the side of the road with her little red suitcase. Mary threw her suitcase on the load of hay, jumped in the truck and the rest is history. He married Mary Waddell in 1980 and together they raised three kids: JimBob, Danae and Deon. Many wonderful memories were made on the ranch working, rodeoing and never missing their kids’ many school activities.
Keith was selected to go on the National Honor Flight in October 2022. He also had the opportunity to fly various business jets alongside his dear friend, Joe Kohnen. Keith was honored to receive the Quilt of Valor, due to his military service, specially made by a dear friend and classmate, Yvonne Hollenbeck.
Keith served the Isabel Rodeo Association as a board member and president, and in various positions on the Glad Valley Fire Department, Soil Conservation Board and American Legion in Isabel and Lemmon. His last business adventure was going into partnership with his daughter-in-law, Krystal, called K & K Chickens.
As a final tribute to his remarkable life, in the early morning on August 10, Keith took one last departure from his beloved ranch runway.
He is survived by his wife Mary, son JimBob (Emily), granddaughter Cayenne, son Deon (Krystal), daughter Danae and grandsons Taggen, TK, and Tash, sister Helen (Dan) Legett, many nieces and nephews; Joe (Lori) Kohnen, and Lisa (Robert) Martin. Keith was preceded in death by his parents Jim and Olive and brother Ronald Dorsey.
(Mary Dorsey’s address is PO Box 54, Isabel, SD 57633)