Kenneth C. Ingram

Kenneth Clair Ingram was born to Glenn and Miriam (Hicks) Ingram on December 22, 1938. Ken was raised as an only child, but he did have an older sister, Donna Marie, who died at birth. Ken had lots of relatives that lived nearby and he was a much loved child. Ken was athletic and had a lot of fun growing up. By some of the stories he has told, he was maybe a bit ornery as well. Following graduation from Canton High School, Ken served two years in the Air Force. Ken met the love of his life, Dixie Lou (Seitz) Ingram, while she was still in high school on a double date with other people. On the way back to Canton after dropping the girls off at their homes in Hillsboro, Ken’s buddy who was dating Dixie made sure he confirmed with Ken that he wouldn’t drive to Hillsboro on his own to see Dixie, and Ken assured the friend that he wouldn’t. Not long after, however, Ken was dating Dixie and by the end of her Senior year in high school, they were engaged to be married. Ken and Dixie were married on June 5, 1959, and to this union was one daughter, Rhonda. After barber school, Ken became a barber and worked at the Warren Barber Shop in McPherson for 10 years before purchasing his own shop in Canton and barbering there another 27 years. Ken was the best joke teller and never forgot a punch line or how to deliver jokes just perfectly. Ken sang in a men’s quartet as a young adult and so thank you to today’s quartet for singing a song that he and Rhonda often sang in the car on the way home from visiting Dixie’s parents in Hillsboro or his parents in Canton. Ken and Dixie loved to camp and fish and in retirement, they wintered in Texas. They made a lot of friends over the years and kept those friendships years after the camping ended. Dixie was Ken’s rock and when she passed in June of 2018, Ken was never really the same. He missed her greatly and talked about fishing with her again one day. They’re probably catching bass today along with their favorite furry friend, Lacey. Besides camping and fishing, Ken’s grandchildren were his pride and joy. He and Dixie never missed a baseball, softball, volleyball, or football game and they loved every minute spent with Leah, Megan, and Bo. The day before he died, Ken was still bragging about his grandkids. Ken was preceded in death by his loving wife of 59 years, Dixie Lou, his father, his mother, and his sister. Ken is survived by his daughter, Rhonda, and her husband, Jim, his grandchildren Leah, Megan (RA), and Bo (Kendra), great- grandchildren Tytan, Xander, Jaxson, and Noelle, brothers-in-law Robert and Floyd (Evelyn), a niece Carol, and three nephews Lloyd, Matt, and Chris, and a host of other relatives. A graveside service will be held on Thursday, October 8, at 10:00 a.m. at Empire Cemetery, Galva, with Pastor Phil Radatz presiding. In lieu of flowers, memorials to the Alzheimer’s Association or to Brookdale Senior Living, McPherson, in care of Olson's Mortuary, Canton.

Kenneth C. Ingram

December 22, 1938 - October 1, 2020