Kenneth Leroy Maas

Kenneth Leroy Maas

January 8,1948-February 23, 2022

Kenneth Leroy Maas, 74, peacefully fell asleep in Christ at his home in Morenci, Michigan, on Wednesday, February 23, 2022, following a recurring battle with cancer.

Kenny was born on January 8,1948, in Waterloo, Iowa, to Ernest and Juanita (nee McAhron) Maas, the third of five children. He was baptized on February 15 of that year and confirmed his faith in Christ on June 10, 1962. After one semester at UNI, he served honorably in the United States Marine Corps. In the spring of 1969 he met Kie (Shirley) Smith at Mama Nick's Pizzeria, and they married at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Waterloo on January 3, 1970. Kenny and Kie were married for 52 years and together raised two children, Korey and Kim.

A fifty-year member of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, Kenny completed his four-year apprenticeship at Paulson Electric in Waterloo before becoming a journeyman and general foreman. From 1996-1999, he worked as an Electrical Field Engineer for Haden International; this position took him and Kie around the country, and eventually to Nizhny Novgorod, Russia in 1999. From 2002 - 2007 he served as Business Manager for IBEW Local 288.

Kenny looked forward to annual fishing trips with his brothers-in-law, frequent rounds of golf with his brother Ernie, and riding RAGBRAI with Kie, in-laws, and friends. He enjoyed camping and traveling with his family, seeing much of the United States with them. Kenny and Kie's later travels took them to the Grand Canyon, Hawaii, and Paris–and wherever their children happened to be living at the time, from the Midwest, to California, to England.

Those who knew him will remember Kenny as a quiet but reliable provider: a man who worked hard to provide for his family, his friends, and his church, without ever making a fuss or expecting accolades. Through recessions and lay-offs, strikes and relocations, Kenny not only did what was necessary to provide for his family but made it an adventure for them. When work temporarily took him to Austin, Texas, in 1981, the family went with him, living for a summer in a pop-up camper. Far from a hardship, it became a vacation. Kenny and Kie quietly shouldered life's stresses together, allowing their children a constant sense of safety and security.

Kenny's provision went well beyond the merely material. He provided an example of what it means to be a man of integrity and faith. He treated his wife and children with respect; he ensured that the family ate together and worshiped together; he faithfully attended and was involved in his children's school activities and events. He was present.

Though his work often meant relocating to new cities or states, he and Kie always made a warm and welcoming home and enjoyed working on home improvement projects together. A skilled electrician and builder, Kenny derived (and provided) great joy from home renovation, which he approached as a labor of love.

Such labors of love overflowed to the church. While living in Dixon, Illinois, in the 1980s, Kenny was on the Board of Trustees and the Building Committee for Christ our Savior Lutheran Church, working closely with Laborers for Christ to construct the congregation's first church building. Upon returning to Waterloo, he served as a Deacon at Immanuel Lutheran Church and later at Faith Lutheran Church, where he was again a Trustee and Building Committee member. There he oversaw the construction of a new sanctuary, again working closely with Laborers for Christ. His work ethic, discipline, and commitment to Christ was evident to all who were privileged to know him.

Kenny is preceded in death by his parents. He is survived by his wife, Kie; son, Korey (Kate) Hillsdale, MI; daughter, Kim (Chris) May, Chicago, IL; six grandchildren: Stella May, Atticus, Whittaker, Verity, Evander, and Marcellus Maas; siblings, Ernie Maas (Toledo, IA), Barb Jensen (Lakeland, FL), Fran (Dick) Spadin (Waterloo, IA), and Larry Maas (Dallas, TX).

A family of firm faith in Christ, we know Kenny is at peace and that we will see him again. Before Jesus died He told His disciples, "So now is your time of grief, but I will see you again and you will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy" (John 16:22). We may now feel the grief of Kenny's death, but we also rejoice in his everlasting life with Christ and take comfort in his Savior's promise: "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me will live, even though he dies" (John 11:25).

Visitation will be held on Sunday, February 27 from 2:00-6:00 pm at Eagle-Marry Funeral Home, 303 N. Summit St, Morenci, MI.

Services will be held on Monday, February 28 at 11:00 am at St James Lutheran Church, 22881 Monroe St., Archbold, OH.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Faith Lutheran Church, 1555 W. Ridgeway Ave., Waterloo, IA 50701; St James Lutheran Church, 22881 Monroe St., Archbold, OH 43502; or Hospice of Lenawee https://www.hospiceoflenawee.org

Kenny will be buried at Maple Grove Cemetery, 400 E Reading Rd, Jefferson Township, MI 49226.

Condolences may be expressed at https://www.eaglefuneralhomes.com/. Arrangements: Eagle-Marry Funeral Home, 303 N. Summit, Morenci, MI.