Verner Karr

Kerrville Lee Karr of Kerrville passed peacefully from this life Tuesday February 1, 2011 at the age of 94. Lee was born on his familys ranch in Coleman County to Joe and Abigail Livingston Karr. Lee was preceded in death by his parents, his two sisters Grace and Geneva and his brother Joe.

Lee accepted Christ as his savior at an early age and throughout life never failed to give God the praise. Lee reminisced often about teaching the boys Sunday school at First Baptist Church in Georgetown years ago and proudly displayed a picture of one of the classes.

The son of a respected West Texas rancher and livestock man, Lee followed in his fathers footsteps from a very early age buying crippled and down cattle off the railroad in Brownwood, nursing them back to health and profiting handsomely. Soon after returning from WWII Lee continued becoming a livestock man of his own rights opening the first commercial cattle feedlot in Texas, located west of Georgetown. The big feedlots of the Texas Panhandle followed shortly and Lee worked many years in that industry.
Lee was never happier than when he was riding a good horse and long ago lost count of the top horses he broke, trained and owned. Conversations with him often turned to the topic of horses and there was never any doubt he knew what he was talking about. Riding his horse thru the front door of the family house much to the displeasure of his mother and having a job delivering newspapers horseback were two of his favorite childhood memories. Lee broke and trained many colts off the famous BarO ranch in Llano County and considered those to be the of the .

Photography played an important role in Lees life and capturing cowboys in their environment was something he had a well understood knack for. Lee coauthored the book Rope Burns depicting the top steer ropers of the 1950s thru the 1970s.
Lee volunteered at the Museum of Western Art in Kerrville giving visitors a rare insight into western art from a cowboys perspective.

Teaching a youngster to ride became Lees favorite mission in his later years. He was always looking for an opportunity to make a difference in a young persons life and believed a whole lot about life could be learned a horseback. A special gleam in his eye went along with telling about seeing one of his past quotstudentsquot.

In addition to many friends, Lee is survived by a son Spencer Karr and wife Anne of Dodge, Texas, three grand children, Doug Karr and fianciuml12Acirc169 Lyndsey Cormack of Carrollton, Texas, Amy Ritter and husband Jim of Katy, Texas, Kimberly Morgan and husband Todd of Spring, Texas and one greatgrandson Caleb Ritter. Lee is also survived by son Allan Karr. Also surviving Lee is her sisterinlaw, Dorothy Karr of Fredericksburg, TX.

Pallbearers will be Doug Karr, Todd Morgan, Jim Ritter, Jim McDaniel, Chris McDaniel and Elesio Carabajal.

ation will be held at Kerrville Funeral Home on Thursday, February 3, 2011 from 2:003:00PM.

A funeral service will be held at 3:00PM following the visitation, at Kerrville Funeral Home. Committal services will be held in Nichols Cemetery, Kerrville.


In lieu of flowers the family requests donations be made to the Cal Farleys Boys Ranch, P.O. Box 1890, Amarillo, Texas 791740001 or to the charity of your choice.

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