Kenneth R. Miller

Kenneth R. Miller was born October 21, 1928 to Arnold and May (Andes) Miller at Newton, Kansas. He grew up on a farm west of Hesston and attended a one room country grade school 1.25 miles from home. While in his teens, he accepted the Lord as his Savior and was baptized at the West Zion Mennonite Church in Moundridge. He graduated from high school at Hesston Academy in 1946 and after attending Hesston College one year, worked as an electrician and farmed until spending a year in Voluntary Service at the Mennonite Hospital in LaJunta, Colorado. It was there that he met Evelyn Weaver, who was also in Voluntary Service. They were married in Fort Wayne, Indiana on December 20, 1952. In 1953, they returned to Hesston, joined Hesston Mennonite Church, and he again worked as an electrician and farmed. Kenny and Evelyn's family soon grew with three daughters, Linda, Deborah, and Karen.
In 1957, Kenny started working at the Hesston Corporation for 45 years. The last 35 years he worked as Supervisor of the Medical/Safety Department. Kenny helped start and organize the Hesston EMS. He was a charter member of the Hesston EMS, was an EMT, and a Red Cross First Aid and CPR instructor for a number of years.
On January 21, 2001, Kenny suffered a heart attack going into full cardiac arrest and his life was saved by members of the Hesston EMS team in which he had trained. Another heart attack a week later while still in the hospital coupled with a heart condition from childhood, made it necessary to make ongoing lifestyle adjustments, but was "still a good life".
Kenny and Evelyn were able to often travel, usually by Amtrak, to visit family in Indiana, Ohio and other parts of the U.S.
Kenny was preceded in death by his parents, three sisters, Wilma Fury, Barbara Friesen, Dorothy Yoder and two sons-in-law, Gary Budde and Bruce Lutz. He is survived by his wife, Eveyln, three daughters, Linda Budde of Newton, Debbie Berry (Frank) of Andover and Karen Graber (Joe) of Stryker, Ohio, 12 grandchildren, 24 great-grandchildren and numerous nieces and nephews.
Memorial services will be held at 11:00 a.m., Friday, September 26, 2025 at Schowalter Villa Chapel. Private burial will be held at Eastlawn Cemetery, Hesston. Memorial contributions may be made to Hesston Mennonite Church or Schowalter Villa Good Samaritan Caring Fund in care of Miller-Ott Funeral Home, PO Box 32, Hesston, KS 67062.
Cemetery
Eastlawn Cemetery
5920 N West Rd
Newton KS 67114
US
Private Family Burial
Friday, September 26, 2025
10:00 AM -
Eastlawn Cemetery
5920 N West Rd
Newton KS 67114
US
Memorial Service
Friday, September 26, 2025
11:00 AM -
Schowalter Villa Chapel
200 W Cedar Street
Hesston KS 67062
US
Funeral Home
Miller-Ott Funeral Home - Hesston
P.O. Box 32
107 South Lancaster
Hesston KS - 67062
US
620-327-2685