Kenneth Dale Poore

Kenneth Dale Poore
May 19, 1935- April 12, 2025

Kenneth Dale Poore was born in Byrdstown, TN on May 19th, 1935, to Vannie Mae (Flowers) Poor and Benton Gaither Poor. He was the oldest of four boys and one sister. His family moved to Indiana, and he graduated from Muncie Central High in 1953. He attended Indiana Tech College in 1956-57 in Fort Wayne, ID where he studied engineering. Kenneth enlisted and served in the Air Force from 1957-1962. He served during the year the Berlin Wall went up. He was stationed in both Germany and England. He saw both the wall go up, and the wall come down in his lifetime.
When Kenneth came back to the states, he was stationed in Portland, OR. He visited a military friend stationed in Fairfield, CA. While there, he applied for a position at the University of California Radiation Laboratory in Livermore, as it was known then. The laboratory was strategic in advancing nuclear weapon/energy science and research. Kenneth worked at the "Lab" from 1962-1993, mostly in the nuclear fusion/fission department and laser research department. Over the years, the name of the Lab was changed and today is known as the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory.
Kenneth was also artistic and worked with metals and woods. He had many hobbies, two of which led him to meet the love of his life Patricia Keenan Poore. He did some woodworking/repair work for the local bar owner at the Courtroom, now known as the Oak Door. While there, he got behind the bar and started serving. Kenneth quite liked bartending and so he began "moonlighting" at the Courtroom after work. He met Patricia at this popular Livermore hang-out when she came in with her friends. Ken and Pat, as they were known, hit it off right away.
Kenneth and Patricia married in 1978 on St. Patrick's Day to celebrate her Irish heritage. She was the love of his life. They were married at the home of their good friends in a small ceremony which included Patricia's three daughters, Cathleen, Terrilynn, and Kristin Johnson.
Pat and Ken loved their friends and family, and Kenneth especially loved their grandbabies. They enjoyed the arts, wood-working, wine tasting, cooking, entertaining, the annual jazz festival in Sacramento, attending Bible Study, traveling together, and attending their grand-children's sporting events and dance recitals. He and Patricia attended Sunset Community Church where they were committed to serving in the area of missions for years. They also opened their beautiful home to many over the years.
Kenneth adored Patricia, and Patricia adored him as well. They both loved their 10 grand-children and 17 great-grandchildren. Kenneth kept a detailed record of each of their names and birthdates so as to remember them all. He was always jotting down notes and facts with his mechanical pencil on a 3x5 card which he carried in his front shirt pocket. He was continually working on a crossword puzzle from the paper. These are attributed to his sharp mind and good memory until the end.
He passed away in the same room Patricia did 11 months earlier. In their last years, they got to be together, just as they had always wanted to be. He missed her dearly and was anxious to join her in heaven. He passed just short of his 90th birthday. He was celebrated with military honors at the Sacramento Valley National Cemetery and is buried with his wife Patricia there.
Kenneth is survived by his sister Carol Ann Scholl, brother Gerald Poor, Patricia's daughters, Cathleen Tennyson (Michael), Terrilynn Watkins (John), Kristin Johnson, and grandchildren, Matthew Tennyson, Holli Peel (Michael), Bethany Renzi (Barron), Cierra Richarson (Mitch), Kristianna Toma (Sam), Catelyn Pasut (Daryl), Hannah Tennyson, Johnathan Van Dusen (Brianna), Karina Johnson (Andres), and Kaylee Gomez (Josue), and 17 great-grandchildren, Isabella Tennyson, Brayden Tennyson, Caleb Pasut, Gavin Pasut, Camryn Pasut, Harper Pasut, Micah Peel, Braelynn Renzi, Blake Renzi, Beau Renzi, Cash Richardson, Kennedy Richardson, Payton Billheimer, Emma Toma, Pierce Toma, Anthony Gomez, and Andres Duran Jr.