Kenneth Eugene Nordyke

Kenneth Eugene Nordyke

Richland

Kenneth Eugene Nordyke, 92, of Richland died Thursday night, June 9, 2022, at Manor House in Sigourney. Kenneth was born on January 15, 1930, the son of Ralph and Vera Hadley Nordyke. He was raised on a Nordyke generational farm south of Rubio, Iowa. He walked the steep hill up and down to the one-room school in Rubio until high school. Kenneth graduated from Richland High School in 1948. He helped his dad on the farm, played sports in high school, loved riding his motorcycle and was a proud older brother, by ten years, to his sister Kathryn. Kenneth, like many others in his community, served in Army during the Korea Conflict. He was stationed in Japan processing the mail as it was unloaded from the ships. During his overseas duty, he wrote countless letters to his then girlfriend, Doris. Kenneth married Doris Guy in Brighton on September 1, 1956, and lived all his married life on a Hadley generational farm outside of Richland. Kenneth farmed, he grew corn, soybeans, hay and used much of the crop to feed to pigs and cattle. His love for the land and farming carried throughout the years until he retired and moved to Richland in 1997. Kenneth was an active member of the American Legion Post 504, Richland Lion’s Club, Richland Friends Cemetery Board, and a life-long member of the Woolson Friends Church. Kenneth and Doris enjoyed square dancing; even hosting a square dance on their farm and looked forward to their warm winter months in Alamo, Texas where he spent countless hours cracking nuts on their porch in Texas. Doris and Kenneth enjoyed traveling including trips to Germany to visit their foreign exchange student and playing cards. One of the phrases often said by Kenneth was “Well You Know.” This phrase speaks to the fact he did know about his family history and what was published in many farm magazines. It is further proven by the thousands of notes completely documenting the when & where of all the mail, clippings, or purchases he made large or small. He also enjoyed taking photographs and showing them to friends and family.

Left to share his story are his sister Kathryn Robertson from Fairfield, his children: Judy Jackson (Verl) of Hedrick, Janet Conger (Larry) of Linby, Laurie Bennett (Dave) of Richland and Alan Nordyke (Ann) of Lee's Summit, MO, and the foreign exchange student they hosted, Barbara Stabenow (Sepp) of Mannheim, Germany, grandchildren: Scott Jackson, Jill Harman (Travis), Jason (Shelly), Lee (Sara) Conger, Adam Bennett, Alex Bennett (Skylar), Austin Bennett (Peyton), Avery Bennett (Danielle), Laura Boland (Andy) and Andrew Nordyke (Sarah), 14 Great-grandchildren, a Great-great, grandson and many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents, and his wife, Doris.

A Celebration of Life will be held on Tuesday, June 14 at 10:30 AM at the Woolson Friends Church Richland, Iowa. Visitation, with family present, will be June 13 from 6-8 PM at Woolson. Family request memorials be directed to the Kenneth E. Nordyke Memorial fund. These funds will be used to support his passion for veterans’ causes as well as his steadfast commitment to the Richland Friends Cemetery. Memorial donations may be left at the church or mailed to the family at 13223 Competine Road, Hedrick, Iowa-52563. Gould Funeral Home of Richland is in charge of arrangements.