Kenneth H. Ingram 1925 - 2014
INGRAM, CUMMINS, MESENBRINK
Posted By: Connie Swearingen-Volunteer (email)
Date: 7/27/2014 at 21:18:15
Sioux City Journal
2 July 2014ONAWA, Iowa | Kenneth H. Ingram, 89, of Onawa passed into eternal rest Monday, June 30, 2014,, at Burgess Health Center in Onawa following a brief illness.
Memorial services will be 10:30 a.m.. Monday at Rush Family Care Service in Onawa, with the Rev. Michael Brown officiating. Burial will be in Onawa Cemetery, with military rites conducted by the American Legion Rogers-Crum Post 215 and the V.F.W. Gleason-Rogers Post 6926. Visitation will be 5 to 8 p.m. Sunday, with a prayer service at 7 p.m., at the funeral home.
Kenny, the eldest child of Elmer and Grace (Cummins) Ingram, was born on Jan. 9, 1925, and raised in Onawa. He attended the Onawa Public School System and graduated from Onawa High School in 1943. He was affectionately given the nickname "Boarski" and it was later shortened to "Boar" by his fellow classmates and friends while he played football for the Onawa Bulldogs, lettering in the sport.
After graduating school, Kenny enlisted in the U.S. Army Aviation Engineer Corps, which was later turned into a division of the Seabees, building air craft landing fields in the South Pacific Theater. He was honorably discharged from the 873rd Engineer Aviation Battalion on Jan. 17, 1946, in Fort Leavenworth, Kan. After catching the bus to Council Bluffs, Iowa, and not wanting to wait for the next bus home, he hitchhiked from Council Bluffs to Onawa, surprising his parents as they sat down to breakfast.
After his discharge from the service, he resumed his courtship to the "Pretty Little Lass" he met in the spring of his senior year, and married Shirley Mesenbrink on Sept. 13, 1946. To this union nine children were born, Robert, James, Gary, Marilyn, Don, Mike, Steve, Bruce, and Tracy.
He pursued his career with the Army Corps of Engineers until the office closed in Onawa and moved its operation to Omaha. Not wanting to travel to Omaha, he worked for Wilbur Neilson and Son as a master road builder, and later worked for Ed Seitzinger Contractors as a superintendent. Later in life, he worked for his son-in-law at Schroder Services Inc. and retired in 2008.
He was an avid fisherman and hunter in his younger years, teaching all of his sons in each of them. He became an avid camera buff and rock collector and was overjoyed by the 35 mm Canon camera his son sent him from Vietnam. His story telling was down to the very detail, and he shared with his coffee pals on a daily basis. He loved the Rocky Mountains and the Grand Tetons and never tired of traveling west to see those mountains. He never missed a class reunion when they had them and enjoyed catching up with his fellow classmates. His biggest honor in life was when he received the medals for his service in World War II from Representative Steve King in 2012.
He is survived by his wife of 67 years, Shirley Ingram of Onawa; his children, Robert (Patricia) Ingram of Charles City, Iowa, Marilyn (Phil) Schroder of Onawa, Mike (Mikki) Ingram of Mapleton, Iowa, Steve Ingram of Onawa, Bruce (Debbie) Ingram of Onawa, and Tracy Ingram of Onawa; daughters-in-law, Peggy Ingram of Onawa, and Debra Mathes of Onawa; sister, Shirley (Kenneth) Richardson of Onawa; brother, Richard (Charmaine) Ingram of Sioux City; brother-in-law, DeWayne (Phyllis) Mesenbrink of Onawa; sisters-in-law, Bonnie Yorty of Fremont, Neb., and Marlene Mesenbrink of Aurora, Colo.; 21 grandchildren; 39 great-grandchildren; three great–great-grandchildren; his beloved cat, Bruiser; many nieces and nephews; and a long host of friends.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Elmer and Grace Ingram; parents-in-law, Marvin and Hazel Mesenbrink; three sons, James, Gary, and Donald Ingram; sister, Agnes (Jack) Kohn; and three brothers-in-law, Byron (Jan) Mesenbrink, Eldon Yorty, and Larry (Pauline) Mesenbrink.
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