- Date Of Birth: December 24, 1945
- Date Of Death: February 8, 2017
- State: California
Kenneth Dale Matney 71, went home to be with the Lord, Wednesday, February 8, 2017. Kenny was born in Paso Robles on December 24, 1945. The family soon moved to McKittrick, CA where he grew up attending Olig and then McKittrick Elementary. Kenny went on to Taft Union High School and then to Taft College where he enjoyed athletics and played football at both. After school, Ken went to work in the oilfields and, true to his character, was loyal, starting out with CWOD and ultimately retiring under the company’s name of Santa Fe Energy. Although he made his living in the oilfields, his passion was working on the Temblor Ranch where he started early in his youth and continued to find ways to enjoy the ranch until his last day. He loved being outdoors and whether it was riding horses or the more mundane aspects, the ranch lifestyle suited him.
For recreation Kenny enjoyed “projects” that most rational people would simply consider work. If you knew him long enough, he was either on a project with you or he did one for you. Kenny could always be found at a Friday night football game and any other sporting event in which one of his family members was participating.
Kenny’s biggest passion was his family. He is survived by his loving wife of 48 years, Susie Matney; son, Steven Matney (daughter-in-law, Tonya); daughter, Sharon Smith; sister, Martha Twisselman (brother in-law, Carl); grandchildren, Vanessa Uribe, Ali and Eli Matney; and numerous loving nieces and nephews. Those who knew Kenny, know the list goes on and on but would be incomplete without two men he thought of and loved like brothers, Darrell Twisselman and Mark Mitchell. He was preceded in death by his father and mother E.J. and Mary Matney and his brother, Jack Matney.
