Kenneth Woodrow Agard (1918-2021)

AGARD, ARENDS, SAMUELSON

Posted By: Eileen Reed
Date: 5/17/2021 at 16:53:13

The Des Moines Register
Des Moines, Iowa
Monday, February 8, 2021

Ankeny - Kenneth Woodrow Agard, 102, died February 6, 2021, at the Mill Pond Retirement Community in Ankeny, where he resided for the past 13 years.

Ken was born in Goldfield, Iowa, on December 16, 1918, the son of Guy and Alice Agard. He grew up in Goldfield and graduated from Goldfield High School, where he was an outstanding athlete. Ken briefly attended Eagle Grove Junior College before apprenticing as a telegrapher-clerk with the Chicago Northwestern Railroad.

On January 18, 1942, he married Lucille Samuelson in Goldfield. They celebrated sixty-six years of marriage and raised six children before Lucille's death in 2008.

Ken was inducted into military service in July 1944 in Denison, Iowa, with the Army 737th Railway Operating Battalion Transportation Corp. He served in the Asiatic Pacific Theatre in the Philippines and Japan until his discharge in February 1946. Ken received the Asiatic Pacific Medal, Philippine Liberation Medal, World War II Victory Medal, and a Good Conduct Medal. He was a life member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars.

Upon discharge, Ken returned to work for the Chicago Northwestern Railroad in various Iowa towns. He moved to Ames in 1951 and lived there until 2009. Ken was employed by the Chicago Northwestern Railroad for twenty-four years. In 1962, he joined the United States Postal Service as a letter carrier and worked in the Ames Post Office for fourteen years until his retirement in 1976.

Ken enjoyed participating in and watching sports, especially when his children and grandchildren were playing. He was an avid fisherman, particularly ice fishing, and loved going fishing with his grandkids and great-grandchildren. He enjoyed traveling and gardening and was very proud of his ability to grow large tomatoes. Ken was active in his church and was a charter member of the Ascension Lutheran Church in Ames.

Ken is survived by two sons, Don of Ankeny, Iowa, and Dave (Julie) of Kearney, Nebraska; two daughters, Judy Agard of Ames, Iowa, and Beth Arends of Corvallis, Oregon; twelve grandchildren; nineteen great-grandchildren; and one great-great-grandchild. He was preceded in death by his wife, Lucille; two sons, Kenneth Kim and Richard; his parents, two sisters, and seven brothers.

The family would like to thank the entire Mill Pond staff for their 13 years of loving care for Ken and Unity Point Hospice Care for their outstanding care the past few weeks.

Due to coronavirus concerns, a private family military service will be held at Memorial Services of Iowa in Ankeny on February 13th at 11 am. Ken was cremated and will be buried in the Ames Municipal Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be directed to the family in Ken's name for donations to Mill Pond's ponds, where Ken, his grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and Don spent years fishing and creating memories together.