Kenneth LaVerne Kirchhoff, son of LaVerne and Edna Schneider Kirchhoff, was born June 16, 1946, in Bremer County, Iowa. He was baptized and confirmed in the Lutheran Faith. He attended country school near Sumner and graduated from Sumner High School in 1964.
On August 23, 1964, he was united in marriage with Janice Smith at the Little Brown Church in the Vale at Nashua. Ken and Janice were longtime residents of the Fredericksburg area prior to moving to Grand Rapids, Minnesota in 2004. Kenny drove semi for 42 years at A.M.P.I out of Arlington, Iowa and for Friggins Transport in Minnesota. He retired in 2008.
Following Janice’s death on May 7, 2007, Kenny continued to make his home in Grand Rapids, and completed building the home by himself that he had started several years earlier.
His death occurred at his home on Tuesday, March 9, 2010, following an accident which occurred while working on one of his tractors, which was one of his favorite hobbies. He also enjoyed fishing, remodeling his home, gardening, making wines, and feeding the chipmunks that lived near his home. He enjoyed nature and on several occasions brought home injured or sick animals.
Kenny is survived by one daughter, Brenda Kirchhoff of Fredericksburg; two sons, Bryan (Sandi Drees) Kirchhoff of LaPorte City and Randy (Carolyn) Kirchhoff of West Des Moines; five grandchildren, Deven, Amanda, and Bryce Warnke, and Anna and Piper Kirchhoff; and Sandi’s children and grandchildren; and two sisters, Darlys (Paul) Braun of Cedar Falls and Valera (Lyle) Poock of Faribault, Minnesota.
In addition to his wife, Janice, he was preceded in death by his parents.
Services will be held at 10:30 a.m., Monday, March 15, 2010, at St. John Lutheran Church in Sumner with Rev. William Runaas, Jr. officiating. Friends may call from 4:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m., Sunday, March 14, 2010, at Becker-Milnes Funeral Home in Sumner and for one hour preceding services at the church on Monday. Interment will at Wilson Grove Cemetery in Sumner.
