A native son of Osawatomie, Kansas, Kenneth Eugene Neuenschwander died Sunday, December 1, 2013 of infirmities at the Life Care Center of Osawatomie. Mr. Neuenschwander was 87.

Ken, as he was known to family and friends, was born March 29, 1926 in Osawatomie, the fourth of five children of Orie F. and Mabel (Bachman) Neuenschwander.

He grew up in Osawatomie and attended Osawatomie schools graduating from Osawatomie High School in the class of 1944. Upon graduation, Ken was accepted into the Army Air Corps and was called to duty in Amarillo, Texas in August of 1944. He was honorably discharged in December of that year after suffering a training injury.

Upon his return to Osawatomie, he worked for a short time on the Missouri Pacific Railroad as a fireman.

On May 24th of 1945, he married Ona Mae Hays at the First Methodist Church of Osawatomie in a ceremony officiated by the Reverend Max Barnes. The couple moved to Manhattan, Kansas where Ken attended Kansas State University. Ken joined the First Methodist Church there. He completed his course work in only three years and graduated in 1948 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration.

After graduation, Ken and Ona Mae moved the family to Tulsa, Oklahoma where Ken worked as an accountant for two oil companies. They moved to Jefferson City, Missouri in 1968 when he accepted a position as Auditor for the Missouri Public Service Commission, a state agency that regulates public utilities.

When he retired, Ken and Ona Mae moved back to the family home in 1996 at 1016 Walnut in Osawatomie where he worked for the betterment of his home town. He ran for a seat on the City Council and was otherwise active politically.

Ken was a loyal husband and father who loved spending time with his children. He supported their education and extracurricular activities including scouting, hunting, fishing and camping. He enjoyed cooking, barbeques and picnics. He was proud of his Swiss-Mennonite heritage and made numerous trips with his family to learn about family history. He taught himself German and traveled to Germany and Switzerland even visiting the village of Neuenschwand from which his family derived its name. He loved cats, enjoyed his friends and cultivated a lifelong passion as a K-State Wildcat fan.

Ken is survived by his wife of 68 years, Ona Mae (Hays); five children, Thomas Hays Neuenschwander of Kenton, OK, Elaine Neuenschwander of Lawrence, KS, Kathleen (Michael) Shipley of Kirkwood, MO, Marlene Neuenschwander of Lawrence, KS, David Eric Neuenschwander of Kirkwood, MO; two grandchildren: Wesley (Christinia Crippes) Teal of Burlington, IA, and Walter Teal of Lawrence, KS and two sisters: Thelma (Neuenschwander) Duncan of Osawatomie, KS and Doris (Neuenschwander) Kreiger of Silverton, OR.

Ken was preceded in death by a son, Michael Gene Neuenschwander of Kodiak, AK in 1978 and two sisters: Betty Lorene Neuenschwander of Osawatomie, KS in 1929 and Maxine (Neuenschwander) Long of Chico, CA in 2013.

Mr. Neuenschwander’s cremains will be interred at a Memorial Service to be held at a later date.

Memorials may be made to: Osawatomie High School Alumni Association and may be sent in care of the Eddy-Birchard Funeral Home, P.O. Box 430, Osawatomie, KS 66064 which is in charge of arrangements.