Kenyon W. Walling

KENNEBEC, S.D. -Kenyon (Ken) W. Walling, 56, of Kennebec, S.D., died Saturday, April 9, 2011, at Sanford Medical Center in Chamberlain, S.D.
Funeral service will be on Thursday, April 14, at 10 a.m. at the Kennebec School Gymnasium.
Visitation will be today, Wednesday, April 13, 3:30-5:30 p.m. with a prayer service at 5:30 p.m. at the Methodist Church in Kennebec.
Kenyon "Ken" William Walling was born to Darrold and Alpha (Nack) Walling on July 3, 1954, in Osage. He attended two years at Orchard School and finished his remaining years at Osage Community School, graduating in 1973. Upon his graduation, he joined the U.S. Navy and was assigned to Fighter Squadron 32 stationed at NAS Miramar, Calif.
Later, the squadron was transferred to NAS Oceana, Va., to introduce the new F-14 Tomcat jet fighter to the East Coast. Ken toured Europe and the Mediterranean Sea aboard the USS John F. Kennedy. He received two letters of commendation, one from Grumman Aerospace Corp., and the other from Pratt & Whitney Engines. Ken was honorably discharged in May 1977.
After being discharged, Ken returned to Orchard. He attended California State University at Chico, Calif., before transferring to the University of Northern Iowa, Cedar Falls, where he finished his undergraduate education, receiving a Bachelor of Arts Degree.
After graduating from college, Ken was employed with Jacobson & Sons Construction, building grain elevators and storage facilities as well as handling heavy equipment. In May 1984, Ken came to Kennebec, S.D., to work on the Condo Storage for the Farmers Union Elevator. That same year, Jacobson & Sons declared Bankruptcy, in which Ken went on to work for the SCS. Later, he worked full- time with Kennebec Telephone Company Inc., installing C-band Satellite Dishes for Kennebec CATV. He was faithfully employed by the Kennebec Telephone Company Inc. for over 25 years. In 2005, Ken earned his Master's of Education Degree from Lesley University, Cambridge, Mass.
Ken was a member of the Kennebec Fire Department, serving for more than 25 years as the Fire Department's secretary/treasurer, as well as serving a term as president of the Badland Fire District. He was also an active member of the Johnson-Peterson American Legion Post No. 179 of Kennebec-Reliance, S.D. In 1999, Ken was awarded "Outstanding Citizen of the Year" by the Kennebec Town and Country Club.
On Aug. 27, 1988, Ken Walling was married to Marilyn (Whitney), the daughter of Harold "Lank" and Margaret (Hamer) Whitney, in the United Methodist Church, Kennebec, S.D.
Ken is survived by his wife, Marilyn; his daughter and her fiancée, Kendra and Jordan; and a son, Thomas "Tommy." He is also survived by a sister, Darla and husband Jack Goodale of Stacyville, and a brother, Lon and wife Jean Walling of Milroy, Minn., as well as his father, Darrold Walling of Lucan, Minn., and a step- sister, Sheila and husband Marty Couchman of Lawrence, Kan. He is also survived by Marilyn's brothers and sisters: Bob Whitney, Josie (Whitney) and husband Curly Schoenfelder, Grace (Whitney) and husband Ed Stiefvater, Connie Whitney and wife Wanda, Harriett (Whitney) and husband Jim Ginsbach, and Betty (Whitney) and husband Jerry Worlie.
He was preceded in death by both if his grandparents. Lawrence and Amy (Wetter) Walling and Carl and Ester (Tesch) Nack, his mother, Alpha Walling, one brother, Dan Garret Walling and a step-mother, Marcella (Schleuger) Walling. Ken was also preceeded by Marilyn's brother, Ronnie Whitney.