William "Ken" Luttrell

1924 - 2026

Luttrell, William "Ken"

January 16, 1924 - January 9, 2026

William Kenneth "Ken" Luttrell, age 101 and 51 weeks, owner of Sunset Plantland from 1966 to 1998 and WWII Marine Corp survivor of battle for Iwo Jima, passed away Friday, January 9, 2026, at Fairmont Senior Living of Clayton. He had lived in Sunset Hills and Crestwood, MO, for 70 years.

Ken was born in the Brentwood home of his parents, William Henry and Lena Opal Luttrell, on January 16, 1924, younger brother of Arthur Tennyson Luttrell and eventually older brother of James Walter "Jay" Luttrell. He graduated from Brentwood High School in 1942 and, after finally getting his mother's approval, he enlisted in the Marine Corp.

After training at Camp Pendleton in San Diego, then stationed in Hawaii, Sgt. Luttrell was part of the Pacific theater campaigns of 1944-45 including Saipan, Tinian, Mariana Islands, Roi-Namur and eventually Iwo Jima. He landed there on February 19, 1945, but was wounded by a severe shrapnel injury to his face and evacuated February 21, and spent the next year enduring nine surgeries to repair his lower jaw and mouth. Ken was honorably discharged from the military in November 1945 after receiving the purple heart and other commendations for his heroic service.

June 26th, 1945 Ken and Rachel "Rae" Simpson married after meeting at Union Electric where they both worked. Ken and "Rae" settled in St. Louis after the war, and Ken began his career as a stereotyper for the East St. Louis Journal, and for many other publications, most notably the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Ken took pride in taking part in the stereotypers Union, holding term as president and traveling around the area to support other journeymen. A highlight of his time was working in Sparta, IL as a stereotyper and meeting Sidney Poitier and Rod Steiger as they filmed "In The Heat of the Night."

In the early 1950s, Ken and Rae lived in Brentwood when their daughter Nancy "Rae" Luttrell was born.

Ken was a high school graduate who went on to become an extraordinary entrepreneur. He and his brother-in-law, Art Rola, started Sunset Plantland in 1966 at 3850 South Lindbergh Boulevard in Sunset Hills, which became a beacon for community gatherings around holidays and throughout the years for all gardening needs, as well as conversation and camaraderie with Ken. He was a Missouri certified master gardner and Rotary member, actively involved in his community. Ken's marriage to Rachel "Rae" Simpson lasted 30 plus years until her passing in 1982.

Ken married Jeanne Waterhout in 1986, and they became business partners and co-owners of Sunset Plantland. They traveled to Hawaii, Mexico, and other exotic areas, and enjoyed daughter Nancy and son-in-law Tom Pettit's four children, Ken's grandkids.

Alongside running Sunset Plantland, Ken's skills and hobbies included fishing, film (darkroom) photography, traveling, music, musicals, movies, and more. Ken loved all animals, with a particular zest for cats, including the many nursery cats who made their home at Sunset Plantland, most notably "Rosemary", a feline rumoured to live to 32 years old. He instilled and passed down his interests, love, and curiosity to his grandkids, imbuing them with the passion to believe in themselves and follow their dreams, as well as the innate nature to be of service to others in all they do.

Ken and Jeanne moved to a new house in Sunset Hills around the time of their retirement in 1998, almost across the street from the nursery he had run for 33 years. Jeanne passed away in February of 2012.

In 2016 Ken proudly enjoyed taking an Honor Flight to Washington, D.C. accompanied by his younger brother Jay and their grandsons, Danny Pettit and Jon Simons. Ken's daughter Nancy and Jay's daughter Susan Luttrell Simons, and grandkid Katie tagged along.

In 2023, at the age of 99, Ken joined other WWII veterans who traveled to France to mark the 79th anniversary of D-Day, the June 6, 1944, storming of the beaches at Normandy that began the end of World War II.

Ken is survived by daughter Nancy and son-in-law Tom; grandchildren Danny Pettit, Katharine Rachel Luttrell Pettit, Emilia Luttrell Pettit, Grace Luttrell-Pettit Eberle and spouse Patrick Eberle and great-grandkid Rachel Barbara Eberle. Ken is Uncle "Bub", Great-Uncle, and friend to many, beloved by everyone who had the pleasure of knowing him.

Visitation will be 4-7 p.m. Tuesday, January 13, at Bopp Chapel Mortuary, 10610 Manchester Road, Kirkwood, MO. A second visitation at Bopp will be at 9:30 a.m. Thursday, January 15, followed by funeral service at 10:30 a.m., and burial ceremonies at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery at 12:30 p.m.

Donations can be made to any deserving animal shelter and to Greater St. Louis Honor Flight.