Kenneth A. Kanan

Kenneth passed away peacefully at Christian Community Home in Osceola, WI on Saturday, November 22, 2025 at the age of 88. One year and 6 days after his beloved wife.
Kenny was born in Minneapolis, MN on October 5th, 1937 to Simon and Emily (Bing) Kanan.
As a young boy, Kenny loved spending time with his Grandma Mary who lived on Nicollet Island in Minneapolis. He frequently walked the railroad tracks to her house to spend time with her in her beautiful vegetable garden and enjoying the goodies grown there. He also remembered helping her prepare sack lunches to bring them to the homeless men living under the bridge.
He loved to fish in the Mississippi river as a boy and he continued to enjoy that hobby later on with his wife and children. Many trips were taken as a family to the north woods of Canada for fun times of fishing and relaxing. Some were a bit more eventful though like the time the borrowed boat was swamped in high winds and big waves! A cold and scary adventure! But true to his character he didn't get upset or frustrated, he handled the situation with calmness and soon all was well very cold and wet, but well.
In high school, Kenny loved sports and he found he was gifted as an athlete. He participated in wrestling, swimming and diving, football and gymnastics. He would go on to excel at gymnastics, winning the title of Upper Midwest Gymnast and a scholarship to the University of Minnesota. However, upon graduation his plans changed and he decided to join the service. He spent 4 years in the Army, where he received his heating, air conditioning and refrigeration training. While in the service, he spent time in France and Germany with duties including controlling the environment of ammunition storage bunks.
Kenny and Shannon had known each other in high school but with the help of Kenny's uncle Frank and Shannon's mom, a Christmas card was sent by Shannon to Kenny. The couple began dating soon after that card and were married on August 20, 1960. The couple's honeymoon took them to Dallas, Texas where Kenny's job at Thermo King had transferred him. During their time in Dallas, they welcomed their first child, a premature little girl they would name Mindy. The couple would soon return to Minnesota, as they greatly missed family and friends not to mention snow!
Their first home was in Coon Rapids where they welcomed their second child, a precious boy named Dodd. They opened an appliance store named S&K Appliances, where they sold and serviced appliances, and also provided heating and air conditioning services. Later they would move to the St. Croix River Valley, where they would spend the rest of their lives together. Kenny was self employed for many years spending much of that time servicing and maintaining restaurant and business HVAC and refrigeration needs.
Kenny and Shannon weathered many hard times together but the hardest trail came when their son, Dodd was killed in a car accident on New Year's Day in 1985.This event led Kenny to seek self-employment, resulting in an offer from the Hazelden Foundation to bring his skills to manage the buildings and grounds of their facility in Center City, MN. He would finish his career there.
Kenny was a loving and faithful husband who never left his wife's side. Shannon suffered with many health issues during their marriage and Kenny was always there to love and care for her. They were truly a couple in everything they did. Kenny and Shannon loved to flea market and collect and sell antiques. They spent many years together enjoying this hobby and were blessed to make many friends along the way!
He was truly a kind and gentle husband, father, grandfather and uncle. All he asked for was to be able to care for his wife until the end and God was kind, allowing him to be there to care for her and be with her when she passed from this life. Kenny left this earth peacefully, trusting in the unbreakable love of Christ believing the truth that it is never too late to trust in Christ for salvation.
He is preceded in death by his beloved wife, Shannon (Nonnie); son, Dodd Anthony Kanan; parents, Simon and Emily (Bing) Kanan; sister, Gloria Jordan; father and mother-in-law, Lyle and Rosalie Frank; brothers-in law, Chuck Jordan, and Loren Frank; sister-in-law, Judy Frank; nephew, Brett Frank; and special aunt, Leann Linder.
He is survived by his daughter, Mindy (Mike) Havlish; grandchildren; Dustin (Lizz) Havlish, Tawny (Chad) Talmadge and Kelsey Havlish; great-grandchildren, Elliot, Eden and Silas Havlish and Brooke and Chase Talmadge; sister, Karen (David) Stout; nephews, Simon (Shawna) Jordan, Dean Jordan and Craig (Becky) Frank; niece, Cheryl (Bob) Neilson; and many wonderful family and friends.
A Celebration of Life will be held at New Life Christian Community Church in Dresser, WI on Friday, December 19, 2025. Visitation to begin at 9:30 AM, memorial service at 10:30 AM with luncheon to follow. Burial at a later date at Trinity Lutheran Cemetery in North Branch, MN.