April 3, 1931
Meredith “Punk” Worth was born on April 3, 1931 in Winner, South Dakota to Elwood and Frances Worth. He has one sister Carol Cullison, and one brother Malvern “Corky” Worth. On May 18, 1952 Punk married Enid Graham in Ainsworth, NE. They have been married 63 years. Punk and Enid have two children, son Ron and daughter Lorraine who both still live near the family ranch in Keya Paha County.
In May of 1962, Punk and Enid purchased the Charlie Simons place by Norden, NE where they still live and work together today. They began raising Hereford cattle, and over the years transitioned over to a totally black Angus herd. If you ask Punk what he likes doing best, he’ll tell you it’s “raising livestock, working with livestock, and producing the best mother cow possible.”
At 85 years of age, he is still actively running the ranch, developing heifers, feeding and caring for the take-in cattle on a year round basis and putting up all his own hay. Punk lives and breathes the western lifestyle. He has raised high quality beef cattle and owned some darn good ranch horses in his time. In his younger days, he was an active member of the Meadville Roping Club for six years. Punk has always been an avid supporter of the sport of rodeo. For thirty-five years, he served as the Rodeo Chairman for the Keya Paha County Fair and Rodeo at Norden, and he has negotiated many contracts with rodeo stock contractors along the way.
Punk is a drummer and has played in numerous traditional country and western bands for the past fifty-nine years. He still plays and entertains today. From barn dances, clubs, bars, pavilions, and even a garage or two, he’s played and danced in them all.
Punk is a staunch patriot and a Korean Veteran serving in the United States Army from September 1952 to September 1954. He is a 61 member of the American Legion Post #98 where he currently holds the position of Commander.
Punk has been a huge supporter of the Sandhills community all his life. He served on the Keya Paha County Ag Society for 35 years holding the positions of Secretary, Vice President and President. He has been on the Keya Paha County Fire Board for 30 years, a Director on the KBR Rural Public Power Board for 18 years, a 47 year member of the Elks Lodge #1790 and is a Charter Member of the American Legion Post #98 Honor Guard.
When it comes to ranching, all aspects of rodeo and western entertainment, Punk has made extraordinary contributions to them all.