R. L. Kilgore, Jr. passed away August 5, 2026, at Hutchinson Regional Medical Center. JR, as he preferred to be called, was born July 21, 1947, in Vernon, TX, the son of R.L. Kilgore and Dorthy Belle Knight Kilgore. He graduated from Tyrone High School in Tyrone, OK and attended college at Oklahoma Panhandle State University. He married Connie Jo Bonsall June 26, 1966, in Woods, KS. JR worked for Kansas-Nebraska Natural Gas, Tyrone, OK. In 1969, they moved to Lyons, KS so he could work for Northern Natural Gas Products in Bushton, KS.

In 1982, JR opened a full-service Conoco gas station/mechanic shop and ran that until 1995 when they moved to McPherson, KS so Connie could be a paramedic and he became a truck driver, hauling cattle for various companies including Ross Trucking, Engelland Trucking, and Branson Trucking until JR and Connie decided to operate under their own authority and established Kilgore Livestock, LLC. JR hauled coast to coast and border to border in a bright yellow, long nosed Kenworth, which was affectionately called the “Critter Gitter.” JR retired from trucking in 2017. In 1999, JR and Connie bought a little farm in Abbyville, KS and lived there until the fall of 2025 when they moved to Hutchinson, KS.

JR also spent many years drag racing. His last race car was a Super Gas Monza. It looked like an animal getting ready to pounce at the starting line and thus it was the "ANIMAL”. JR spent many years drag racing and was well known around the NHRA racing circuit. He was a long-time member of the NHRA organization,

JR is survived by his wife of 60 years, Connie; his daughter, Robin Kilgore (Chad Horton) of Hutchinson; grandchildren, Whitney Sifuentes (Jose) of Raeford, NC, Ethan Butts (Gerrica) of Lawrence, KS, Carly Butts (Hayden Davey) of Lubbock, TX, Chandler Diaz (Ryan) of Smithville, MO, and Stuart Watts of Fort Collins, CO; great-grandchildren Charlotte and Hazel Sifuentes, and Cylas Diaz. He was preceded in death by his parents, his sister, and his son, Ryan.

Celebration of Life will be August 22, 2026, at 10 am at the Hutchinson Funeral Chapel, 300 E 30th Ave, Hutchinson, KS 67502.