BROOKINGS, S.D. — Keith D. Bullock was born on June 27, 1922, the son of Alan Lee and Ardelle (Decker) Bullock, in a log cabin home on Poison Creek ranch near Lonetree.
He died Sunday, May 6, at the Estelline Nursing and Care Center in Estelline, S.D., at the age of 95 years.
Keith received his elementary education in a two-room school in Lonetree. He attended high school in Mountain View, and graduated in 1940 as valedictorian of his class. He received a scholarship to the University of Wyoming at Laramie and attended school there.
In 1941, he was employed at a Ford dealership as a parts runner. In 1942, he worked for Mountain Bell in Cheyenne as a telephone lineman. In 1943, he worked for the Albany National Bank in Laramie as a teller.
He married to Lorian Taylor in 1943. From this marriage, five children were born: Van, Cindy, Lindy, Mindy and Alan. He also had a son, Kyle, and a foster daughter, Bettina.
In 1944, Keith bought the Sinclair Petroleum Distributorship, which he sold in 1949, to become the sales manager for Pontiac/GMC Trucks in Laramie. In 1950, he opened a 24-hour-truck-stop in Laramie. After selling the truck-stop in 1953, he moved to Denver where he owned and operated a motel. After selling the motel in 1954, he worked for Chrysler Corp, Dodge Truck Division as a district manager in Salt Lake City, Utah.
In 1955, he transferred back to Denver as regional manager, and later in 1955 was transferred to Omaha, Neb. In 1956, he transferred to Dallas, Tex.; as regional manager, and in 1957 to Atlanta, Ga,; as the area manager for 22 states in the south.
He later owned and operated the Dodge Truck Center Dealership in Salt Lake City, Utah; selling out in 1959. In 1961, he opened a used car lot (Motorama Used Cars) in Denver, Colo. On Oct. 1, 1962, he opened Denver Dodge Truck Center in Denver, which he owned and operated for 16 years. In 1976, he formed a partnership, franchising with Volkswagen, Subaru, Mazda, CMA, Pontiac/GMC, two Dodge car dealerships, Honda and Volvo (all in the Denver area) and Volkswagen in Houston, Tex.; and Subaru/Saab in Phoenix, Ariz.
In 1981, he sold out to his partners and retained the Arizona dealership, which in 1982 became one of the first 28 charter Mitsubishi Dealerships in the US market. In 1993, he sold the Mitsubishi Dealership to a Honda Dealer in Mesa, Ariz.; and retired from the automobile business.
In 1977, he was united in marriage to Barbara Peterson whom he met after she came to work at the Denver Dodge Truck Center in 1973. To this union two daughters were born, Anne Bernadette and Jo Ardelle.
Keith and his family joined the Rockland Community Church in Golden, Colo.; in 1950. He served 10 years on the board of trustees, the last two as moderator (president). He was also a member of the American Legion (Wyoming State Guard), NADA (National Auto Dealers Association) and past president of Laramie Jaycees.
He loved all sports, especially baseball, football, bowling, car racing and was an avid snowmobiler in the Rocky Mountains near his Frisco, Colo,; home. He attended five Super Bowls including Super Bowl 1, approximately 15 Indianapolis 500 races, three Baseball World Series starting with the 1947 Yankees/Dodgers, several college baseball world series in Omaha, Neb.; and a National ABC bowling tournament (1964) in Oklahoma City. He won the Colorado State “Doubles” bowling title in 1968, bowling with his good friend Sonny Schwartz. He also loved the ranch and farm life in South Dakota along with the quarter horses, cattle and cats. He always looked forward to the coffee shop every morning in Estelline, S.D.
He enjoyed numerous trips all over the US including Hawaii, plus overseas to England, Spain, Portugal, France, Switzerland, Germany, Italy, North Africa, China, Japan, Mexico, Tahiti, Bermuda and a once in a lifetime Mediterranean Cruise.
Keith has been involved in many real estate developments in South Dakota, Colorado and Arizona. He spent winters in Scottsdale and Mesa, Ariz.;, and the summer months in South Dakota from 1980 until 2005. After selling the farm two miles west of Estelline, he developed Northridge Addition in 1993 and built a new home there, selling it in the fall of 2005. Keith and Barbara lived in Arizona until moving to Brookings, S.D. in 2015.
Keith is survived by his wife, Barbara of Brookings, S.D.; his children: Van (Diane) Bullock, Morrison, Colo.; Cindy (Bill) Flowers, Gilbert, Ariz.;, Lindy (Dale) Schossow, Littleton; Mindy Costanzo, Gunnison; all of Colorado; Alan (Maggie) Bullock, Meridian, Idaho; Kyle (Christie) Bullock, Broomfield, Colo.; Anne (Jason) Conzemius of Eugene, Ore.; Jo (Gene) Acker, Thornton, Colo.; a foster daughter, Bettina Hill of Germany; 19 grandchildren, 31 great-grandchildren and one great-great-grandchild.
He was preceded in death by his parents and two brothers, Lee and Jay.
