Kenneth D. PICKENS, the son of Audrey and Robert "Bob" PICKENS, was born June 27, 1937 at Davis City, Iowa. There were two sons, Earl and Kenneth, and three daughters born to the PICKENS family.

When Ken was two-years-old, the family moved to Mount Ayr, then a little later onto a farm near Kellerton, Iowa.

Ken started school at Kellerton. They later moved back Mount Ayr.

Ken began delivering newspapers and washing windows when he was ten-years-old. The money he earned was always taken home to help with the family expenses, a practice he continued until his marriage.

When Ken was thirteen-years-old, he worked for $5 a day at the Hy-Vee grocery store located on the north side of the square. Ken's hours were from 6:30 a.m. until after 12:30 a.m. on the weekends. When he was 14, Jocko HACKER and Nick DURROS offered Ken a job working at their store, West End Market, for 50-cents an hour. Ken worked at this establishment throughout the remainder of his high school years. He graduated from Mount Ayr High School in 1955, excelling in basketball.

Ken was offered a full scholarship from Northwest Missouri State Teachers College in Maryville, Missouri. Ken declined, stating that although he wanted to play basketball, he didn't wish to attend college.

In July of 1955, Ken enlisted in the U.S. Army and was stationed at Camp Chafe, Arkansas, where he was trained in an artillery battalion. Upon completion of his training, Ken was sent to Fort Lewis in Washington State. He arrived there on Christmas Eve, broke, hungry and lonely. After showing the M.P. his papers, Ken wasn't allowed to enter the compound. The guard explained that the barracks were locked up and the base was closed for Christmas week. Ken explained he had no where to go. Taking pity upon him, the M.P. gave Ken a set of keys to the barracks and mess hall, telling Ken to help himself. It made for a lonely holiday season, but at least Ken ate well that week until the base reopened.

By arriving one week late, Ken missed being deployed to Korea with the unit he had been assigned to. He was instead reassigned to the position of base mail clerk. At the completiion of his term of service, two years and one month, Ken was honorably discharged.

Ken returned to his wife, his high school sweetheart, Sharon PAYNE whom he had married after graduation from high school, and his son, Kent who was born July 9, 1956. Ken and Sharon's second son, Kris, was born July 9, 1964.

The PICKENS family resided in Mount Ayr while Ken resumed his position at the West End Market. In 1960, Kens older brother Earl offered him a job as the produce manager for the Hy-Vee Store in Bedford. In 1962, Ken received a promotion and assumed the position of the produce manager for the Centerville Hy-Ve Store.

Ken was promoted to manager for the Hy-Vee Store in Lamoni. He was promoted in 1968 as shift manager for the larger Fort Dodge store. Sharon worked part-time as a bookkeeper and premium manager for the stores. The PICKENS family moved 12 times during a 10-year period.

Ken was the manager for the Iowa City Hy-Vee store 1970 to 1978. Shortly after moving into their new home in Iowa City, two intruders broke into the family home. Sharon and the boys barricaded themselves in a bedroom while Ken faced the intruders with his rifle. During a face-off with one intruder, Ken reluctantly gave up his weapon. He was forced to drive one of the intruders to the store and standy by helplessly while the intruder helped himself to the cash receipts of the safe. Fearing for his life, Ken was able to escape by jumping into a ditch after he was taken into a cornfield. The ditch was 30-feet deep and the intruders were unwilling to go down after him.

Six weeks later, Ken was at the store late one night, doing general maintenance work, when he was held up again by gunpoint. Neither robberies were solved.

Both Kent and Kris graduated from West High School in Iowa City and attended the University of Iowa. Kent reunited with his high school sweetheart at the age of 40. Tragically, Kent died of liver cancer four months after his wedding.

After working in the grocery business for a few years, Kris established a shelf and storage business in Bettendorf where he resides with his wife and three children.

In 1978, Ken was promoted to district manager, then promoted again as director of operations of the Southeast Iowa and Western Illinois district of Hy-Vee, overseeing 26 stores and more than 4,000 employees.

After 34 1/2 years with Hy-Vee, Ken retired at the age of 56 years. Unbeknownst to Ken, his brother Earl announced his retirement on the same day.

Ken and Sharon maintained a summer home in Iowa City, spending winters in Las Vegas, Nevada, not too far from Ken's brother Earl.

Following a battle with cancer, Ken died at the age of 70 years on July 17, 2007. He was interred at Rose Hill Cemetery, Mount Ayr, Iowa.

SOURCE: FETTY, Jack. Rings of Gold Pp. 81-88. Palindrome Pub. Co. Iowa. 2007.

Transcription by Sharon R. Becker, June of 2010