KENNETH L. WASENIUS
Kenneth Lee Wasenius, 91, of Oxford, NE passed away on July 16, 2023 at his home. Kenneth was born on the farm south of Oxford, NE on November 14, 1931, the youngest of three children, to Oscar & Hulda (Johnson) Wasenius.
The family attended Trinity Lutheran Church in Stamford, NE where Kenneth was baptized on June 3, 1934 and confi rmed on July 1, 1945.
He grew up on the family farm south of Oxford and graduated from Beaver City High School in 1949. After high school, Kenneth continued working on the family farm. He was drafted into the US Army in 1952 during the Korean War as a Corporal in the 8th Calvary and was stationed in Japan.
He was released to the Nebraska Army Reserve in July 1954 where he served for eight more years. Kenneth joined Stamford Legion Post 233 in 1954 and served his community as an active member for 69 years.
On June 1, 1969, Kenneth was united in marriage to Irene Rose (Coughtry) Whitney at the Trinity Lutheran Church in Stamford, NE following a beautiful courtship that sparked their lifelong love of dancing. They were blessed with five children, Melanie, Arlyn, Greg, Eric, & Kerwin.
They resided on the family farm south of Oxford where Kenneth was born and raised. Kenneth continued to farm until he was well into his eighties. Kenneth and Irene loved to travel. They spent many summers traveling, most notably driving to Western Canada one summer, to Eastern Canada and Niagara Falls the next, then to Alaska a few summers later. Kenneth belonged to the National Farmers Organization and he took his family on biannual trips to places such as Cincinnati, OH, Nashville, TN, and Las Vegas, NV for the conventions.
In 2012, Kenneth took his first ever airplane ride on an Honor Flight to Washington D.C. with Kerwin to view the war memorials.
Kenneth was a quiet, kind, and loving father and grandfather. He instilled his strong work ethic and love of farming into his children through 4-H and hands on learning. Once he was retired he spent much of his time traveling to birthday parties, school activities and sporting events for his grandchildren.
Kenneth was preceded in death by his wife Irene, his parents, his brother Allen Wasenius and wife Clara, and his sister Ruth Clason and husband Gene.
Those left to cherish his memory include his daughter Melanie Frear and husband Gary of Wood River, NE and their children Laramie, Sidney, Sarah, & Lacie; sons Arlyn Wasenius and wife Alisha of Arapahoe, NE and their children Ashton and wife Olivia and their two children Ellowynn and Ivy of Phoenix, AZ, Alivia of Kearney, Ander, & Annaka; Greg Wasenius of Oxford, NE; Eric Wasenius of Oxford, NE and his children Keira & Hadleigh; and Kerwin Wasenius and wife Meagan of Lincoln, NE and their children Emerson, Paisley, & Gianna; brother-in-law Lester Coughtry of Norfolk, NE, Doug Coughtry of Grand Island, NE, and Darrel Coughtry of Baton Rouge, LA; and sisterin-law Mary Howard and her husband Bob of Thornton, CO; along with numerous nieces and nephews, other relatives, and friends.
Visitation and viewing was held Sunday, July 23, 2023, at Garey Funeral Home in Beaver City, NE from 5-8pm with family present.
Funeral services were held on Monday, July 24, 2023, at 10:30 am at the Trinity Lutheran Church in Stamford, Nebraska with Pastor Thalia Woodworth, officiating.
Interment followed at the Stamford Cemetery, Stamford, Nebraska.
