Keith Leroy Harrod, 92, of Burwell, Nebraska died May 2, 2021 at the Valley County Health System Hospital in Ord, Nebraska.
Funeral services will be 10:30 a.m. Thursday, May 6, 2021 at the First Congregational Church in Burwell. Burial will be in Cottonwood Cemetery in Burwell. Pastor Alan Petersen will officiate. Visitation will be Wednesday from 5 – 7 p.m. at Hitchcock Funeral Home in Burwell. Memorials are suggested to Congregational Church, Burwell Veterans Park or the Burwell Legion Building Fund.
Keith was born July 21, 1928 on his grandparent’s ranch west of Burwell, Nebraska near the Calamus River to Clarence and Frances (Larson) Harrod with his grandma Mae Harrod as the midwife. They moved to Gillette, Wyoming in the fall of 1928, where his brother Clarence Dale was born to the family. In the fall of 1931 they moved back to Garfield County, Nebraska, living on various ranches until January of 1943, when they moved back to the ranch on the Calamus River west of Burwell. Keith graduated from Burwell High School in 1945. On September 23, 1956 he married Barbara Rupe in Burwell. They moved to the School section and built a block house. To this union four children were born, Janet, Gordon, Pat and Cheryl. They were later divorced. Keith was a diversified farmer and rancher. He milked cows, raised hogs, cattle, chickens and had horses. Keith bought his windmill business from his dad in 1974. He later sold it to TR and Cheryl Swett in 1992. He enjoyed organized trail rides & rode in numerous parades, including Aksarben. He kept busy working on old Farmall tractors and he could be seen most years driving one in the Burwell Rodeo parade. Keith loved traveling around the US with Margaret visiting friends, relatives and national parks.
Keith married Margaret (Walker) Schere on February 17, 1979.
Keith was a member of the First Congregational Church. Keith enjoyed cattle, horses, rodeo, old tractors, helping others and family gatherings.
Keith is survived by his children, Janet Nason of Pleasant Dale, Nebraska, Gordon (Shannon) Harrod of Malcolm, Nebraska, Pat (Paul) Awsiukiewicz of Ashland, Nebraska, and Cheryl Swett of Burwell, Nebraska and his stepchildren, Linda (Steve) Gilbert of Duluth, Minnesota, Julie (Michael) Graves of Springfield, Virginia, and John (Melissa) Schere of Burwell, Nebraska. Grandchildren, Margot Nason, Natalie Nason, Andrea Hoffman, Noah Larson, Alison Larson, Dustin (Jana) Wood, Steve (Andrea) Swett, Jarrod (Emily) Swett, Sara (Logan) Krueger, Jeff (Sara) Gilbert, Shannon Gilbert, Kristy Graves (Kevin Bradley), Julie (Scott) Mann, Jayme (Manny) Acuna, Sabrina (Tylr) Naprstek, numerous great-grandchildren, sister-in-law Carroll Harrod, numerous nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.
Keith was preceded in death by his parents, his wife, Margaret in 2018 and brother, Dale Harrod.
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