Guylene "Sonny" Keithley

This is the story of Guylene “Sonny” Keithley; A man of many talents, an avid hunter, fisherman, and carpenter. Sonny was born on February 21, 1935, when he heard the dogs barking as the Granny Woman rode her mule into the yard.  His parents were Mannie Keithley and Mary Irene (Tinker) Keithley. Sonny had one Sister Jean (Keithley) Wilson. His parents lived in a log cabin on Turkey Creek outside of Walnut Shade, Taney County, Missouri. He was raised as a lover of animals. He raised a pet deer named Fancy, a raccoon and a shoe box full of baby quail raised on top of his dresser. They had a countless number of hound dogs, horses, cows, and a few pigs. As a young boy, he rode a big milk cow through the woods to the plowed fields of the School of the Ozarks where his parents planted tomatoes, beans, and potatoes for shares. At the end of the day, Sonny was put upon the back of a cow or a mule named Zonk and was sent home back through the woods falling asleep till they got home and ready to be put in the barn. Dad and his sister Jean had to walk a mile to a one-room school and they crossed on a log that spanned the creek. In the winter they had to cross on ice with a lantern that was left until that evening when they came back home. He learned to hunt and fish at a very young age. He loved frog gigging and crawdads to go with his fish for supper. Sonny left home at 15 years old to work in a motor generator plant in St. Louis Missouri. He and his friend Leon MieBach got the itchy foot and wanted to go to California to become western cowboy stars. They made it as far as Baca County where Dad had a cousin whose husband was growing broom corn. Leon and Dad had a 37 Pontiac and money; they were living big! They visited Randall Grocery 13 miles south of Springfield where Sonny and Leon met Annetta “Toots” Jane Wallace and her friend Mary Ann Nidey. They bought a box of crackers, a pound of bologna, and some R&C Colas. Toots and Sonny hit it off and started dating. When Sonny went back to Missouri, they wrote to each other for the whole next year. In 1953 Sonny returned to Baca County and in November of that year Sonny and Toots went to Raton, New Mexico and on Friday the 13th of November, they were married by Judge Rockstead.  They returned to Colorado and then moved to Ulysses, Kansas to work on a farm for a Mr. Hemphill. In 1954 their first daughter Glenda Suzette (Suzy) Keithley was born in Lamar, Colorado. They returned to Colorado to work for Delos Wallace, Toots’ Dads Lawrence Wallace, doing farming till Sonny started working for Lewis Crisler at the Texaco Bulk Station in Springfield. Sonny and toots started their house on 649 Hill Street in 1959. It was a 2 bedroom flat-roofed house that has changed over the years. In 1960, Sonny, Toots, and Suzy moved to Missouri to be closer to Sonny’s parents Mannie and Mary. Sonny worked at the State Road Department; then on Friday night, Saturday and Sunday, Sonny ran a go-cart track that he had built and Toots sold fireworks at Rockaway Beach. In the fall of 1961 in September, their 2nd daughter Jamie Janette was born in Branson, Missouri. The summer of 1962 we all moved back to Springfield where Sonny started working for his Brother-in-law Oran Wallace at the Texaco Service Station. Sonny worked there for 13 years till wanting his own business. He bought the Conoco Service Station at 1101 Main Street. Sonny and Toots did service jobs, washed cars and fixed flats and brake jobs. Sonny and Toots had the station for 19 years till gas prices and the oil crisis made them have to close down. Toots went to work at the hospital and Sonny went to Springfield Municipal Utilities where he worked till he retired at 65. Sonny was an avid hunter with many head trophies. He was a great fisherman who was always willing to take kids along to enjoy the day. Sonny and Toots took care of lots of kids by babysitting and Suzy and Jamie always consider them like sisters and brothers wherever they may be. Another favorite of our Dad is his love of playing Santa Claus for all the neighbor families and friends. We know that there are lots of people who love our parents and will have lots of their stories to share. Hopefully, they will share them. He leaves us with lots of love and happy memories. 2 daughters and spouses, 5 grandchildren and 9 great-grandchildren are going to miss him greatly. We who are left are his two daughters Glenda “Suzy” McCarty of Springfield, CO and Jamie and Husband Paul McCullough of Rio Rancho, New Mexico. Grandchildren Shane and Cass McCullough of Rio Ranco, New Mexico, Larra and husband Steve Brothers and their children Sebe and Simone of Albuquerque New Mexico, Lanny and wife Marla Schwarz and their kids Braden, Luna Bella, Scarlett, Logan and Mylo of Edgewood, New Mexico, Lorry and Husband Terry Rhodes and their children Torry and Kymber of Farmington, New Mexico. Those who have passed before Sonny is his wife of 57 years Toots Keithley, his parents Mannie and Mary Keithley and parents-in-law Lawerence and Winnie Wallace and 1 son-in-law Allen McCarty. Sonny will be greatly missed by a host of family and friends. Thank you all for being a part of Dad “Sonny” and Mom “Toots” lives.  Memorial contributions in Guylene’s memory are suggested to go to the Alzheimer’s Unit at the SECHD, 373 E. 10th Ave. Springfield, CO 81073.