Kenneth "Kenny" LeRoy Kuehl

Kenneth LeRoy Kuehl

Kenneth “Kenny” was born on August 7, 1927 to Raymond and Agnes (Ambur) Kuehl in rural Beresford, South Dakota.  He passed away at age 97 on December 30, 2024 in Canton, South Dakota.  During his younger years, he and his family lived in the big white house formerly located on the rural grounds of the old Bethesda Nursing Home, about one mile east of Beresford.  Some of his memories of the Great Depression included terrible hail storms, working an animal trap line which he checked before and after attending rural school, riding his bike to school, and eating too many cheese sandwiches, a staple of their household during the depression.  He started high school in Beresford and was active in FFA.  In 1943, the family purchased a Canton farm in the Grand Valley area.  Kenny finished his junior and senior years at Canton High School, graduating in 1945.  After high school, he continued to work on the family farm until being asked to serve in the United States Army during the Korean War.  He was stationed in Japan, working as a radio technician/repairman, chosen because of his technical aptitude. He was a top-notch sharp shooter as well, a skill which would have likely brought him to the front lines; however, he wasn’t called upon to use this skill.

Kenny married Corrine “Corky” Gifford on September 23, 1956.  Together, they purchased a farm southwest of Canton in 1960, where he proudly farmed many acres and lived for most of the rest of his adult life.  He took great pride in farming and loved watching the crops emerge every year. He would take rides on his Harley Davidson motorcycle to check on the crops, wearing his signature overalls and farmer cap.  

He is preceded in death by his wife Corrine, his parents, and his brothers Charles and Richard. He is survived by sons Mark and Michael, both of Canton, and Cynthia (David) Ellison of Parker, Colorado, as well as his grandchildren/great grandchildren:  Kjersti (Daniel) Nayar/Rowan, Leif, Finn; Alexandra (Zachary) Rodasti/Riley, Asher; Lindsay (John) Cristobal/James, Elise; and Annika Scott/Lucy, as well as sister-in-law Harriet Kuehl and numerous nieces and nephews.

A private service was conducted in January 2025.  Memorials may be directed to the Forest Hill Cemetery Fund in Canton, South Dakota.