Kenneth Herman Rose, 90, of Hutchinson, died February 22, 2024, at Welsey Towers, Hutchinson. He was born June 17, 1933, on the family farm near Bloomfield in Knox County, NE, to Herman Philip and Emma (Hinzmann) Rose.
He served in the U.S. Army in Korea, having volunteered for the draft to earn the GI Bill, and then learned that was a hazardous way to fund an education. He graduated from the University of Nebraska with a bachelor’s degree in agronomy and joined the USDA Soil Conservation Service (SCS), now known as the Natural Resources Conservation Agency. He worked for SCS for the next 37 years in several northeast Nebraska locations before transferring to Rochester, MN, and eventually Hutchinson, KS. He was a member of Our Redeemer Lutheran Church, the American Legion Lyle Rishel Post #68, the National Association of Retired Federal Employees, and the National Rifle Association. Kenneth enjoyed employing his creativity with wood-working and stained-glass projects, which he normally gifted to family and friends. He also enjoyed his weekday morning coffee gatherings with friends at Spangles Restaurant, and the activities and events offered at the Delos V Smith Senior Citizens Center and Foundation.
On December 22, 1955, he made what he felt was the best decision of his life and married his Bloomfield High School sweetheart Vivian Boland. Their oldest child Douglas Kenneth Rose was born in 1959 and succumbed to a glioblastoma brain cancer in 2010. In addition to Vivian, Kenneth is survived by daughter, Kellye Jean Rose and her husband Brent Gregoire of Burnsville, MN, daughter-in-law, Erica Bergsland of Edina, MN, grand-children Emily Rose Nghiem and her husband Huy Nghiem (Denver CO), Henry Douglas Rose (Venice CA), Matthew Boland Gregoire and wife Emilie Gregoire (Saint Louis Park MN), Benjamin Ryan Gregoire (Burnsville MN), great-grandson Tye Douglas Nghiem, brother Raymond Rose of Onawa IA, brother-in-law Herman T. Boland II of McLean Va, sister-in-law Laurie Gulbranson (Helena MT), 24 nieces and 19 nephews.
Ken was preceded in death by his son Douglas, his parents, eight sisters, and one brother, 3 nieces and 7 nephews.
Cremation has taken place and a memorial graveside service will be held in Bloomfield NE at a later date.