Bender, Kenneth

Other Events:

• Reference Number: 5700
• Obituary: 20 Sep 2008

Notes:

Obituary:
Kenneth L. Bender retired to a new world of eternal rest on Thursday, September 18, 2008, at Theda Clark Medical Center. He was born August 6, 1931, on a farm in the town of Pine Grove in Portage County west of Bancroft, Wisconsin, the son of Lloyd and Hazel [Dudley] Bender. Ken's family moved to Oshkosh on November 30, 1941, from a farm near Plainfield. He enjoyed the friendship of so many people of Oshkosh and was blessed to have worked with so many fine people. On February 9, 1952, he married Barbara J. Mager at the Tenth Street United Methodist Church. Ken was employed at Kimberly-Clark Corp. in Neenah for thirty-eight years until his retirement. He had been a member of the National Guard, Service Co. and the U.S. Army Signal Corp with service in Korea. Ken was a member of American Legion Cook-Fuller Post #70. He was proud of what he accomplished in the service with so little to work with.
He was never one to avoid a challenge and was always proud of the end results. He was a former Harley rider and has always enjoyed working on anything mechanical, including autos, motorcycles and old engines. This was his occupation in the military, rebuilding gasoline-powered generators. Much of this he owed to many high school teachers with their patience and the former Harley-Davidson dealer of Oshkosh.
Ken always felt blessed to have enjoyed so many things that many people only dream about. There was not much he did not do. Coming from a farm and traveling the world making friends was beyond belief.
Survivors are a daughter, Janis Rost-White and her husband Tom White, Oshkosh; sons: Thomas (Rebecca) Bender, North Carolina; and Steven (Sandra) Bender, Wautoma, WI. There are seven grandsons: Alex (Jennifer) Rost, Andrew and Michael Rost, Oshkosh; Erik (Jennifer) Bender and Matthew Bender, Bennett, NC; Gregory and Robbie Bender, Oshkosh; three great-grandchildren: Lynn Rost, Oshkosh; Justin and Allison Bender, Bennett, NC. He is also survived by a sister, Deloris (Jerome) Grunwald and by a brother, Norman (Donna) Bender all of Oshkosh; and by many nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his wife of fifty-six years; his parents; a brother La Vern of Racine, WI; and a grandson, Thomas Bender II of North Carolina.
Funeral services will be held at the Konrad-Behlman Funeral Home-Westside on Monday, September 22, 2008, at 4 p.m. with Rev. Jean Schmidt officiating, followed by military honors. Family and friends may call at the funeral home on Monday from Noon until the time of the service. Entombment will be in Lake View Memorial Park Mausoleum. In lieu of flowers, a memorial has been established.
Our Hero
A Hero in our memory
will you always be
For you were the
strength in our family.
A proud man to others,
full of wisdom and hope
To love in your heart is
what enabled you to cope
Always giving of yourself
to others in need.
Your honesty and
devotion is what
helped you succeed.
A son, a husband,
a father, grandfather
and friend,
A brother always loved
by those till the end.
Memories of your life
must carry us through
For such a special man
we found in you
With our hearts
full of sorrow and tears
in our eyes
The moment has come,
we must say goodbye.
In God's arm
you may rest now,
your journey complete
For you will be missed
till we again meet.
Janis L. Rost-White 2008
Konrad-Behlman
Funeral Home
Corner of Witzel Avenue and Lake Pointe Drive
920-231-1510
www.konrad-behlman.com