AUSTIN, Kenneth Ralph

AUSTIN, LANDRETH, TURIN, RUMELHART, SMITH, FORBES, MORRISON, MORGAN, BECK

Posted By: Volunteer: Sherri
Date: 8/27/2023 at 23:33:17

VB Register
July

Kenneth Ralph Austin

Kenneth Ralph Austin, son of James C. and Matilda Landreth Austin was born March 15, 1920 in the farm home near Keosauqua, Iowa.

He attended the country school near their home and graduated from the Keosauqua High School with the class of 1937. He graduated from Drake University in 1941, received his Masters from Iowa State when he enlisted in the Navy. He was placed in Iceland ten months, transferred to New York and then to Washington, D.C.

After leaving the Navy, he was a sales representative in the Des Moines area for Connecticut Mutual Life Insurance Company.

August 1, 1947 he started with the Equitable Insurance Company of Iowa and was with them during his entire career. Passing through every department and office in the compnay(err) including President and Chairman of the Board. Following his retirement April 1, 1985 he remained active in many organizations til the day of his death.

His death occurred June 26, 1987 in his home in Des Moines from a heart attack.

He was married to LaVerne Turin in Kiron, Iowa, May 9, 1942 who survives. Also surviving are a daughter Marilyn Rumelhart, her husband David, grandsons Pete and Karl, son Alan and wife Marianne and granddaughters Lindsay, Page and Blythe, all living in California. Also surviving are a brother Reuben of Keosauqua, sisters, Florence Smith of Omaha, Nebr., Mabel Forbes, Mary Morrison of Fairfield, Orpha Morgan of Dallas, Tex. and Beulah Beck of Bettendorf.

A memorial service was held in the First Methodist Church in Des Moines at 3 P.M. June 28. A private service was held in the funeral home at 10 A.M. June 27 with a comittal(sp) service and burial in Glendale Cemetery in Des Moines.

Source: "Scrapbook 1986 - 1988", Pg. 375,
Keosauqua Public Library, Keosauqua, Van Buren Co., IA