Kenneth William LeHew, 30 Jan 1942 - 10 Aug 2017

LEHEW, SHERBON, HEMPHILL, ROWE, WARMBIER, WATSON, STROUTH, JOYNER, SOSA-PEREZ, BAKER, HEMPHILL, BROWN, WALTER, KAUI

Posted By: Sandy Ficken (email)
Date: 3/11/2018 at 17:36:46

Kenneth (Ken) William LeHew, 75, of Holland, Iowa, was born the son of Kenneth William and Mary Kathryn (Sherbon) LeHew on Jan. 30, 1942, in Mount Vernon, Iowa. Ken was baptized into the Christian faith as a child. He graduated from Walker High School in 1960. Ken served in the Air Force from 1960 to 1962. After being honorably discharged, Ken attended Mount Mercy College in Cedar Rapids and St. Mary's College in O'Fallon, Mo.

On Oct. 29, 1962, Kenneth was united in marriage with Geraldine (Geri) Mae Hemphill in Marion, Iowa. Ken started as a tool and dye maker, and became a mechanical engineer. Through the years, Ken worked at Amana Refrigeration, Orchid Manufacturing and Taylor Winfield. In 2009, Kenneth retired from Taylor Winfield, and they moved to Holland, Iowa.

Kenneth was a member of Pleasant Valley Reformed Church, rural Holland, Iowa. He was an ordained preaching elder and a functioning associate pastor. He served as a president of Pleasant Prairie Classis and served on the administration team for Synod of the Heartland.

Ken enjoyed camping and gardening. He loved writing in his journal, writing poems and stories for his children. He was a very generous and loving person, and was always the first to welcome people. Ken's greatest joys were serving God and spending time with his family.

Kenneth died Thursday, Aug. 10, 2017, at Grundy County Memorial Hospital in Grundy Center, Iowa, of natural causes. Kenneth is preceded in death by an infant son, Brian William LeHew; his parents; and one sister, Betty Jean LeHew.

Kenneth is survived by his wife of 54 years, Geri; 11 children, Christina (David) Rowe of Williamsburg,Iowa, Michele (Gary) Warmbier of Atkins, Iowa, Pamela (Christopher) Watson of Mason City, Iowa, Renee (Mark) Strouth of Ashton, Iowa, Danielle LeHew of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, Andrea (Brian) Joyner of Marion, Iowa, Annette Sosa-Perez of Cedar Rapids, Maria Baker of Waukon, Iowa, Nathaniel LeHew of Cedar Rapids, Matthew LeHew of Cedar Rapids and Anthony (fiancee, Colleen) LeHew of Cleveland, Ohio; five brothers, James of Paragould, Ark., Robert (Mary) of Mansfield, Ohio, Richard (Krisan) of Chewelah, Wash., Philip (Susan) of Marion, Iowa, and Thomas (Lynn) of Marion; four sisters, Mary Jo Hemphill of Cedar Rapids, Kathryn (Steve) Brown of Cedar Rapids, Rose Marie (Ralph) Walter of Chewelah and Alice (Ed) of Kaui, Hawaii; 22 grandchildren; two great-grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews.

Memorial services will be 1:30 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 15, 2017, at the Pleasant Valley Reformed
Church, rural Holland, Iowa.

Visitation will be from 4 to 8 p.m. Monday at the Pleasant Valley Reformed Church, and one hour before services at the church.

Memorials may be directed to the family.

Redman-Schwartz Funeral Home in Parkersburg is in charge of arrangements. Online condolences may be left at www.redmanschwartz.com.

The Gazette, 13 Aug 2017 7c