Kenneth Ray Christian

Kenneth Ray Christian passed away on January 18, 2023 in Mexia, Texas at the age of 88.  Funeral services will be 12:00 p.m., Saturday, January 21, 2023 at the First United Methodist Church, in Mexia, with Rev. Jaime McGlothlin and Rev. Danny Niedecken officiating.  Visitation with the family will be prior to the service beginning at 11:00 am.  Bradley Christian, Aaron Christian, Joseph Tumlinson, Keith Allen Tumlinson, Frank Rosner, and Matthew Wilson will serve as pallbearers.  Graveside services will be 2:00 p.m., Monday, January 23, 2023 at Brookside Memorial Park in Houston.

Kenneth was born September 9, 1934 in Houston, Texas to Johnnie Britton and Fannie Mae (Gardner) Christian.  He was a longtime business owner in Houston. 

Kenneth and his wife, Johnnie, moved to Mexia in 1995 where he began his next career, ranching.  He didn’t believe in being idle, all he knew, and loved, was working.  He enjoyed every phase of ranching, especially, raising cattle and baling hay.  Kenneth was a strong-willed man.  He encountered some health issues that would ordinarily have left some disabled, but he fought hard to overcome these obstacles and returned to doing the things he enjoyed so much.  He was determined to keep riding his tractor and baling hay, which he was still doing until the Lord called him home.

There wasn’t anything Kenneth loved more than serving the Lord and spending time with his family.  He was a longtime active member of the First United Methodist Church in Mexia.  He had an outgoing personality, never met a stranger, and treated everyone with respect.

He was preceded in death by his parents; wife, Johnnie Christian; grandson, Brandon Wayne Christian; and sister, Eloise Zwink.

Kenneth is survived by his children, Kenneth Wilson, Jr. and wife, Dina, John Christian, Steve Christian and wife Belinda, Cheryl Ann Wolfe and husband, and Tammie Lynn Mathy and husband, Bob a number of grandchildren and great grandchildren; former stepdaughter, Lanell Palermo and husband, Sam; sisters, Bonnie Patcher and Mary Irby.