Kenneth Roland ALLBAUGH

ALLBAUGH, BERGREEN, ELDER, KNORR, BURRELL, NABER

Posted By: Sarah Thorson Little (email)
Date: 2/10/2024 at 13:07:01

July 26, 1922 ---- October 13, 2017

Kenneth Roland Allbaugh, 95, of Waterloo died Friday, Oct. 13 at Friendship Village in Waterloo. He was born July 26, 1922, in Lake City, Iowa son of Roland C. and Cornelia E. (Bergreen) Allbaugh. He married Mary Margaret “Meg” Elder on Feb 6, 1945 in Grove City, PA. She preceded him in death on Oct 12, 2008.

Ken served as a Marine during WWII, graduated in electrical engineering from Iowa State College (University) in 1947, and worked the next 40 years for Iowa Public Service (now Mid American Energy) in Eagle Grove, Shell Rock, and since 1960, Waterloo, Iowa. Regardless of his location or stage in life, Ken’s avocation was public service. From serving as president of his 1940 high school senior class, through 27 years as a Hawkeye Community College board member, culminating in his designation as a 2011 Waterloo Courier 8 Over 80 honoree, Ken lived to serve others.

Much of Ken's service focused on youth and youth education:

School: high school senior class president, concertmaster, Boys State, National Honor Society, state president Iowa Pilgrim Fellowship Congregational Church youth group, president Iowa State College Frisbee House Congregational youth group, president Iowa State College YMCA Student Board, chair American Institute of Electrical Engineers Student Chapter, member of ISC Knight of St. Patrick Engineering Honorary Society. Ken funded ISU engineering scholarships for many years and has a laboratory and conference facility named in his honor.

Church: First Congregational United Church of Christ Deacon, Trustee, Mission Board and Iowa Conference UCC Board, Mayflower Homes Foundation Board, Pilgrim Heights Retreat Center Board, Sunday School teacher.

Boy Scouts: Winnebago Council Board member 1951 - 2007, Sundance District chair and Finance chair, awards include Silver Beaver, God and Country, Order of the Arrow, James West Fellow, also National Jamboree and Philmont Camp attendee, and Legacy Society member.

Hawkeye Community College: Board member for twenty seven years and past chair, Hawkeye CC Foundation founding member, Iowa Association of Community College Trustees, National Association of Community College Trustees, Phi Theta Kappa honorary member. Ken funded HCC nursing scholarships for Friendship Village employees. His first scholarship recipient served as his nurse after heart bypass surgery in 2005.

Civic: Waterloo Technical Society president, Iowa Engineering Society Secretary, Waterloo Diplomats president, Friendship Village Auxiliary president, Civitan President and District Governor. Service with Waterloo/Cedar Falls Symphony, Rotary, Junior Achievement, United Way, Grout Museum, and American Legion.

In 1984, Ken’ daughter, Laurie, taught her dad how to fly her hot air balloon Wildfire. With his commercial pilot’s license, Ken thrilled in taking his friends “into the wild blue yonder.”

Survived by: a sister, Janet (Keith) Knorr of Ocala, FL; a son, David (Jeanne) Allbaugh of Waterloo and two daughters, Ann (Steve) Burrell of Richmond Hill, GA and Laurie Allbaugh of Waterloo; two grandchildren, Rachel (Travis Naber) Allbaugh of Boone, IA and Dan (Amy) Allbaugh of Urbandale, IA; and four great grandchildren, Austin and Hannah Naber, and Elliott and Andrew Allbaugh. Preceded in death by: his parents and wife.

Services: 10:30 a.m. Saturday, Nov 4, at the First Congregational UCC Church in Waterloo. Visitation will be 4 to 7 p.m. Friday, Nov 3, at the Locke Funeral Home in Waterloo, and for an hour before services at the church on Saturday. Burial in Waterloo Cemetery.

Memorials in lieu of flowers: may be directed to the Church, the Hawkeye Community College Foundation, or the Friendship Village Foundation.

http://www.lockefuneralhome.com/obituaries/ken-allbaugh

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8 over 80 recipient Allbaugh passes away by Pat Kinney

WATERLOO — Ken Allbaugh was all about people and community — in his decades of service for his employer, Hawkeye Community College and various civic organizations.

Allbaugh, who worked 40 years as an engineer and engineering supervisor at Mid- American Energy and predecessor Iowa Public Service Co, and decades on the board of Hawkeye Community College and its foundation, died Oct. 13 at age 95.

He spent his final years in declining health, which frustrated him to some extent because he was “a very social person,” said his son, Dave Allbaugh. “As a youth I was always curious my dad didn’t have conventional hobbies, like golf, fishing or bowling,” Dave Allbaugh said. “My dad’s avocation was community service.”

Allbaugh, born in Lake City, was a graduate of Eagle Grove High School. He studied engineering at a local community college and at Iowa State University when he was drafted into the military for World War II. He suffered from asthma and the Army wouldn’t accept him, but the U.S. Marine Corps did. Initially entering radar training, he became an officer and served as an artillery instructor at the Marine base a Quantico, Va. He met his wife, Meg, while serving with the Marines in western Pennsylvania.

He finished his degree after the war at Iowa State in 1947 when he was hired by IPS. He served three years in Waterloo, five at Eagle Grove, five in Shell Rock and ended up back in Waterloo, retiring in 1987 as a division engineer.

Allbaugh enjoyed working with youths, and in youth education. He served as a local Boy Scout executive committee member for more than 50 years. He also founded the Cedar Valley Civitan service club chapter. He was a founding board member of the Hawkeye Community College Foundation, serving there for more than four decades. He served 27 years on Hawkeye’s board of trustees, from 1969 to 1983 and 1986 to 1998. He was board chairman when the school, initially Hawkeye Institute of Technology, became a community college.

Dave Allbaugh said his father was fond of frequently quoting another HCC contemporary, the late Harold Brock, who said, “It’s good to hang around young people. It keeps you young and keeps you grounded.” He also was always pulling for the underdog.

In 2012, Ken Allbaugh received The Courier’s annual “Eight over 80“ award, given to individuals over age 80 for lifetime service.

Dave Allbaugh also noted three days after his father’s passing, Andrew Kenneth Allbaugh, was born — Ken’s great-grandson and Dave’s grandson.

Services for Ken Allbaugh are planned for Nov. 4. Locke Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier -- Waterloo, Iowa
Ocober 20, 2017