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Red River Valley Amateur Radio Club

Amateur Radio in and around the Red River Valley Area of Northeast Texas

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Home » Announcements » Kim Ledbetter (KI5VLH) – SK/RIP » Reply To: Kim Ledbetter (KI5VLH) – SK/RIP

Reply To: Kim Ledbetter (KI5VLH) – SK/RIP

January 9, 2026 at 9:10 am #47713
Phillip Beall
Keymaster

All,

OK, we just received (0900 01/09/2026) the details for Kim’s service.  A memorial service will held on Wednesday, January 14th at 11:00am at First Baptist Church of Paris (207 S Church St, Paris, TX).  Per the family and per Kim’s wishes he was cremated and there will be no visitation or graveside service.  His obituary can be found here (link).

From the obituary:

Kim Hornor Ledbetter, 72, passed peacefully away at his home on January 3rd, 2026.

He was born August 21, 1953, in Ardmore, Oklahoma to parents Archie and Evalyn. Kim attended Bryan Adams High School in Dallas, Texas, and after graduation, he attended Oklahoma State University in Stillwater, Oklahoma, where he studied hotel and restaurant management. While in Oklahoma City, he met and married his wife of 48 years, Helen Polk.

Kim had a servant’s heart. He was an optimistic, kind, and generous spirit, and when he walked into a room, you could feel it. He loved the Lord, his family and his community. He worked as a Sales Manager at Paris Chevrolet, and in his spare time, he cooked breakfast at local nursing homes, volunteered with C.O.P. (Citizens on Patrol), was a member of the Ham Radio Club, and volunteered with the Kiwanis Club. You could always count on him for a warm hug and a heartfelt prayer when in his presence. He was a passionate piano player, gifted with the rare ability to play by ear. He even learned how to skillfully tune pianos later in life, a gift he shared with many local communities in the area. Many nursing homes and churches throughout Lamar County and beyond invited him to serenade their residents and members regularly.

He is survived by his wife, Helen Ledbetter; children, Kimberly Michelle Ledbetter, Douglas Lee Ledbetter and his partner, Blake Newman; grandsons, Douglas Lee Ledbetter II, Eli Daniel Ledbetter; bonus grandchildren, Logan and Eliza; sister, Connie Vick; brother-in-law, Carroll Vick; cousin, Mitch Jeffrey and a host of nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by both parents and his sister Ann Hammond.

Honorary Pallbearers will be Ed Bradway of Clayton, Oklahoma, Jay Yarley of Princeton, Texas, and Steve Benham of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the American Cancer Society.

The family wishes to express their deepest gratitude for the expert care and support provided by the Elara Caring Hospice Team, as well as the countless doctors and nurses encountered over the multiple years of our hard fought journey.

A memorial service will be held on Wednesday, January 14th at 11:00 am at First Baptist Church of Paris.

73

Phillip Beall (W5EBC)

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Who We Are

Red River Valley Amateur Radio Club (RRVARC) is a licensed FCC radio operator (WB5RDD) and an affiliate of the American Radio Relay League (ARRL) – The National Association for Amateur Radio®.

Club members – hams – are persons interested in amateur radio operations and public service. The Club and its members participate in public service events such as the Tour de Paris, Field Day and educational activities, as well as during emergency preparedness activations.

Non-Profit Organization

The RRVARC is a 501(c)3 tax-exempt organization.

Where We Meet

The Red River Valley Amateur Radio Club meets at High Cotton Kitchen (1260 Clarksville Street, Paris, TX 75460) usually on the 4th Saturday of each month.  There is an optional breakfast gathering at 0830-0900 and the meeting starts at 1000.  The Club meeting is conducted in the rear conference room.

Note: Special events like Field Day and some November and December meetings are excepted.  Check the events calendar for special location, dates and time.

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