Kenneth Clarence Courkamp

1948 - 2020

Kenneth Clarence Courkamp was born February 17, 1948 in Lamar, Colorado to Clarence Christian Courkamp and Iris Eileen Dey Courkamp. Kenny left this life on September 27, 2020 in Dodge City, Kansas where he had spent the last couple years in the care of his niece. Kenny's youth was spent in the Wiley and Lamar Colorado area. After graduation from La Junta High School, Kenny attended the Air Force Academy where he played football. He left Colorado behind to live close to good friends in Everett, Washington. He was whip smart from an early age but didn't go the traditional route. He was a long shore man from time to time but often boasted of not working a day in his life. He was a "card player" (the kind Kenny Rogers sang about in the Gambler), and when he was good he was very very good and when he was bad...he was awful. He returned to Colorado often, bringing many of his friends to meet his family. Kenny had friends everywhere he went! Kenny returned to Colorado to stay when his parents needed help as they aged. He lived what for him was his best life. Kenny's nieces, Teresa and Malika, both remember Kenny as their favorite uncle when they were young. He was irreverent, funny, generous of heart, and possibly the black sheep, who knew how to connect with you and saw your shine! For them, that was simply their Uncle Kenny. Some of his nieces' fondest memories are of them sitting on his lap in the sun at Grandma Iris'. Kenny would usually be bare-chested with running shorts on, or wearing his prized ostrich cowboy boots with a cig and a beer. He was always up to take his nieces, nephews or whoever for a ride, calling, "Hey pal wanna take a ride". When the kids around him would whine or fight he would say, "quit your sniveling. I can't stand snivelers" and that was that. The twin nephews, Mitch and Mike, were called the rodents from the day they were born. In later years, these now adult rats turned the tables with a shirt titling him 'King Rat'! Uncle Kenny was always up for a good time, a beer, and a joke. He would be the first to tell ya', "if they can't take a joke, f#%$ 'em!" Take a moment to remember Kenny in the way you knew him. In the last few months Kenny didn't have many words, but it is a sure bet many of you were in his thoughts because his eyes were always telling me (Teresa) so much. Kenny is survived by his sister Darla Reed (Bob) of Wiley, Colorado, and his brother Terry Courkamp of Amarillo, Texas. Many nieces, nephews and their children remember him fondly. Kenny was preceded in death by his parents, sisters Grendl (Glenda) Courkamp Hardie and Donna Laubach, and niece Sherry Reed. ~ See ya' later Pal. Rest in peace.