Llewellyn Kieke

On the morning of June 29, 2015, Lew Kieke was suddenly called home. Funeral services are scheduled for 2 p.m., Thursday, July 2, 2015 at St. John United Church of Christ in Burton, with Pastor Glen Schoeneberg officiating. Burial will follow in La Bahia Cemetery. Visitation will be from 6 until 8 p.m. Wednesday evening at Memorial Oaks Chapel. Llewellyn Travis Kieke was born Aug. 31, 1938 in Burton to Larey Nelson and Ida May Fuchs Kieke. On Feb. 22, 2005, he was married to Sharon Foehner in Las Vegas. Survivors include his wife, Sharon Kieke of Brenham; daughters and son-in-law Cindy and Mike Randermann, Gaylynn Lawrence, all of Brenham; son and daughter-in-law Dodd and Mary Lange of Burton; daughter, Misti Lange and fiancé, Dr. Michael Roner of Bedford; grandchildren: Chase Lawrence, Orry and Cortney Randermann, Rinn Randermann, Logan Lange, and Adyson Lange; great-grandchildren: Charlie Randermann and Madelyn Randermann; brother and sister-in-law, Murray and Peggy Kieke of Monroe, N.J. Lew is also survived by his special pet companion, Lexi. He was preceded in death by his parents, Larey and Ida May Kieke, and grandparents, Henry and Alma Kieke, Jr., and Ewald and Ida Fuchs. Physically strong and healthy as a boy, Lew was almost never sick, experiencing perfect attendance throughout his educational years. He was a Cub Scout, Boy Scout, attended camp outings and sold concessions at Kyle Field football games. Lew loved working hard and earning money picking cotton for his uncles Robert Garlin and Kirby Wickel. He unloaded box cars for My Way Grocery, measured cotton acreage for the county extension service and worked for G. D. and Lucille Foehner at the Foehner Funeral Home. Lew''s "don''t-wait-get-um" attitude led him to join the Army at the young age of 17, serving for 3 years. After learning how to fire anti-aircraft missiles, he was stationed at a defense site at Travis Air Force Base in California during the height of the Cold War. After his discharge, Lew attended Blinn College and Sam Houston State, where he obtained a B.A. degree in Business Administration. After graduation, he worked for Transcontinental Gas Pipeline and All-State Insurance for several years before acquiring his own insurance business. For many years he acquired oil and gas leases, and later in life, settled into the bail-bond business. Lew''s company, known as Brenham Bail Bonds, has offices in Austin, Brazos, Burleson, Grimes, Waller and Washington Counties, still active after 30 years. Lew was also happy to say that he was expanding his bail bond business at age 76 into new areas. He loved challenges and had the same determination at age 76 that he had at age 13. Lew loved golf and played in a tournament in Bastrop just last week. He was happy to have competed with much younger guys and commented that he played well, even though he didn''t hit it as far as the younger players. He took numerous golfing trips with his friends. Lew and Sharon especially enjoyed yearly trips to Puerto Vallarta. Along with Sharon, he enjoyed cruises to various locations. He was a 32 year member of Brenham Elks Lodge B.P.O.E. 979, where he was Past Exalted Ruler, and enjoyed visiting with his friends, where you could find him with a hand-rolled cigar. He also served as secretary for the La Bahia Cemetery Association. Raising Longhorn cattle was another favorite hobby. He was an avid sports fan, watching football, baseball and golf on T.V. Reading Civil War books and watching old westerns on T.V. were also favorite pastimes. Memorials may be directed to the Brenham Elks Lodge Blinn College Scholarship Fund, or St. John United Church of Christ in Burton. Funeral arrangements for Llewellyn Lew Travis Kieke are entrusted to Memorial Oaks Chapel, 1306 W. Main, Brenham. To post a tribute to the family, visit www.memorialoakschapel.com.