Kenneth Kenkel
April 29, 1959 — January 22, 2017
Kenneth John Kenkel, son of Marcus and Dorothy (Henkelman) Kenkel was born April 29, 1959 in Harlan, Iowa. When Kenny was born, he was very tiny and sick. He was baptized and confirmed at the St. Joseph Church in Earling, Iowa. He attended grade and middle school in Earling and then graduated from Harlan High School.
In 1974, Kenny received his first gift of life with a kidney transplant, that kidney lasted 11 years and in 1985, he received his second kidney transplant. Despite having the transplants Kenny was a very hard worker, right out of high school he repaired farm machinery for Mike Schechinger. While there, on the sandblasting projects Kenny would carry 5 gallon buckets of sand in each hand, just like all the other hard working guys he worked with. He then went to work in maintenance at Country Care Center and the janitor at Harlan High School. He worked at Hy- Vee for some time and lastly delivered flowers for Floral Elegance. He told his family that when he delivered flowers, he would have done it for free, he just liked to see the look on people’s faces when they received their flowers.
On June 16, 1990 Kenny was united in marriage to Sandra Schiltz at the St. Mary Our Lady of Fatima in Portsmouth, Iowa. Together they lived in Harlan and he loved spending time with his wife and best friend, Sandy. He also loved spending time with his nieces and nephews, and playing with his dogs, Max and Benji. He enjoyed fishing, playing cards, dancing, telling jokes, and watching the Iowa Hawkeyes play football. Kenny was very active in AA and NA. He helped and counseled so many friends, and anyone in need. He loved to be needed.
In September of 2016, Kenny went to live at Little Flower Haven in Earling. While there be became friends with everyone, he really enjoyed playing cards with his friends and neighbors there. He always loved playing cards and dice with his mom and dad and Sandy. On January 22, 2017 he died surrounded by his loving family attaining the age of fifty-seven years, eight months and twenty-four days. He was blessed to live forty-two years with transplanted organs - gifts of life from strangers. He wished he could’ve given back to someone else, he would’ve loved to donate something to someone. He was preceded in death by his mother-in-law Nola Schiltz.
He is survived by his wife Sandy Kenkel of Harlan, Iowa; parents Max and Dorothy Kenkel of Earling, Iowa; brother Larry Kenkel and his wife Julie of Lowell, Michigan; sisters Nancy and her husband Blue Beermann of Manilla, Iowa; Lori and her husband Russ Miller of Sutton, Nebraska; Janet and her husband Rich Thomsen of Logan, Iowa; father-in-law Jerry Schiltz of Harlan, Iowa; brother-in-law Roger Schiltz of Council Bluffs, Iowa; nieces and nephews; other family members and many friends.
In 1974, Kenny received his first gift of life with a kidney transplant, that kidney lasted 11 years and in 1985, he received his second kidney transplant. Despite having the transplants Kenny was a very hard worker, right out of high school he repaired farm machinery for Mike Schechinger. While there, on the sandblasting projects Kenny would carry 5 gallon buckets of sand in each hand, just like all the other hard working guys he worked with. He then went to work in maintenance at Country Care Center and the janitor at Harlan High School. He worked at Hy- Vee for some time and lastly delivered flowers for Floral Elegance. He told his family that when he delivered flowers, he would have done it for free, he just liked to see the look on people’s faces when they received their flowers.
On June 16, 1990 Kenny was united in marriage to Sandra Schiltz at the St. Mary Our Lady of Fatima in Portsmouth, Iowa. Together they lived in Harlan and he loved spending time with his wife and best friend, Sandy. He also loved spending time with his nieces and nephews, and playing with his dogs, Max and Benji. He enjoyed fishing, playing cards, dancing, telling jokes, and watching the Iowa Hawkeyes play football. Kenny was very active in AA and NA. He helped and counseled so many friends, and anyone in need. He loved to be needed.
In September of 2016, Kenny went to live at Little Flower Haven in Earling. While there be became friends with everyone, he really enjoyed playing cards with his friends and neighbors there. He always loved playing cards and dice with his mom and dad and Sandy. On January 22, 2017 he died surrounded by his loving family attaining the age of fifty-seven years, eight months and twenty-four days. He was blessed to live forty-two years with transplanted organs - gifts of life from strangers. He wished he could’ve given back to someone else, he would’ve loved to donate something to someone. He was preceded in death by his mother-in-law Nola Schiltz.
He is survived by his wife Sandy Kenkel of Harlan, Iowa; parents Max and Dorothy Kenkel of Earling, Iowa; brother Larry Kenkel and his wife Julie of Lowell, Michigan; sisters Nancy and her husband Blue Beermann of Manilla, Iowa; Lori and her husband Russ Miller of Sutton, Nebraska; Janet and her husband Rich Thomsen of Logan, Iowa; father-in-law Jerry Schiltz of Harlan, Iowa; brother-in-law Roger Schiltz of Council Bluffs, Iowa; nieces and nephews; other family members and many friends.
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