Kenneth Main

Kenneth Leland Main, 98, son of Marie Angeline (Brignon) Main and Joshua Main passed away on July 7, 2016 at the Paula J. Baber Hospice House in Ft. Dodge, Iowa. He was preceded in death by his wife Betty Jane (Peck) Main, a son Gary Main, and his parents. Kenneth will be greatly missed by his children Marcia Main, Ft. Dodge; Laura Main Crawford, Rock Falls, Il; and Bradley (Janet) Main, Forest Lake, MN as well as grandchildren Marie (David) Ugorek, Benjamin (Jessie) Crawford, Marshall (Lilla) Main, Amanda (Andrew) West, Monica Main and fianc Jordan West; special lady in his life Winnifred Walters, Spokane, WA; and several cousins. Kenneth was born near Searsboro, IA on October 22, 1917. Following graduation, he worked as a farm hand for 5 years before attending Iowa State College to major in Electrical Engineering. There he met Betty Peck and the two were married on February 23, 1944 in Cedar Rapids, IA. During World War II, Ken attended Army Officer Candidate School and then Harvard/MIT working on early radar and the proximity fuse at Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Lab. He was deployed to the Philippines to train artillery units in this new technology. After the war, he returned to the Lab as a civilian working on developing guided missiles. In 1947 they returned to Ames, Iowa where Kenneth planned to get his masters degree at Iowa State but circumstances led him to take a job with the Marshall County Rural Electric Coop in Marshalltown, Iowa. He later worked in the Agricultural Engineering Department at Iowa State for a year and then became the Superintendent of the Marshalltown Water Department, a job he held until his retirement. Ken made life-long friends wherever he was and especially during his Army service and enjoyed an OCS and Radar school reunion group which met in various parts of the United States for several years. He was a member of Hope United Methodist church in Marshalltown where he enjoyed the adult Sunday school class and the Wednesday night pot luck and worship, the noon Lions, Souvenir, and loved to play bridge at the Senior Center. Refinishing furniture, creating wooden items, and collecting antiques were among his hobbies, and his elf workshop often produced a special project for family members at Christmas. Writing was a special gift of Kens and he loved to recount stories of his past as well as create poems and limericks. He remembered an incredible number of stories and jokes. His family has been blessed with several gift collections of his written works. Ken was a fantastic father, always willing to help his children in any way he could. He and Betty took each of the 5 grandchildren on a family/US history trip of the east coast in the summer of their 10th birthday and he enjoyed many other travels in the United States. Funeral services will be at 11:00 a.m. on (PLEASE NOTE DATE) Saturday, July 23, 2016, at Hope United Methodist Church in Marshalltown, Iowa. Visitation will be one hour prior to service. For condolences or questions please visit: www.mitchellfh.com . In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorials be left to Hope United Methodist Church, Marshalltown; the Paula J. Baber Hospice Home, Fort Dodge or discretion of the family. Mitchell Family Funeral Home is caring for Ken and his family. Phone 641-844-1234.