FAIRMONT — A celebration of life for Kenneth E. Thate, 94, of Fairmont, Minn., will be held 4-7 p.m. Monday, July 15, 2019, at Lakeview Funeral Home in Fairmont. A family service will be held 3 p.m. Monday, July 15, 2019, at Lakeview Funeral Home, with full military honors at the conclusion of the service by Lee C. Prentice American Legion Post 36 and Martin County Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 1222. Burial will be held at a later date in Lakeside Cemetery.

Ken passed away Thursday afternoon, July 11, 2019, at Valley Vue Care Center in Armstrong, Iowa.

Lakeview Funeral Home and Cremation Service in Fairmont is assisting the family with arrangements.

Kenneth Edward Thate was born Dec. 11, 1924, in Fairmont, Minn., the son of Edward William and Emma Anna (Meyer) Thate. He received his education attending country school and then began helping his family on the farm where he continued to work until joining the army. Ken enlisted with the U.S. Army National Guard and was later called up to serve during World War II. He served his country proudly during the occupation of Japan and earned the rank of Staff Sergeant.

After receiving his honorable discharge in 1946, Ken returned home to Minnesota, where he continued helping his father farm in addition to also helping Abe Theide, Elmer Theobald and Art Fausch.

On Feb. 21, 1950, Ken was united in marriage to Elizabeth Jean “Betty” Kerns in Edina, Minn. Together the couple would make their home near Fairmont, Welcome and Granada before moving back to Fairmont, and finally moving to Valley Vue Care Center in Armstrong in 2018. Ken and Betty were blessed with six children: Kevin, Rick, Karen, Sharon, Todd and Greg.

Ken loved farming and, in addition to helping area farmers, he also farmed his own farm near Fairmont for many years. He later drove livestock truck for Meyer Livestock (later Smith Livestock) in East Chain, Minn.

In 1986, Ken retired, and he and Betty moved to Granada, where he worked on the farm for Bob Leet. Ken was a proud member of the Lee C. Prentice American Legion Post 36 and also the Martin County Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 1222.

In his earlier years, Ken enjoyed hunting season and spending cold mornings sitting in the tree stand waiting for the next big buck. He looked forward to the winter months of an epic Minnesota winter and blazing a trail in the fresh fallen snow on his snowmobile. He was an avid sports fan and enjoyed watching all sports but especially loved cheering on the Minnesota Twins, Vikings and Gophers.

Ken loved his family and cherished any opportunity to spend time with his children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Left to cherish his memory is his wife of 69 years, Betty Thate of Armstrong, Iowa; children, Kevin (Vanessa Kettner) Thate, Rick (Lisa) Thate, Karen Green, Sharon (Darrell McCommon) Thate, Todd (Kelly) Thate, and Greg (Tiffany) Thate; grandchildren, Andy (Pheny) Thate, Josh Thate, Dustin (Melissa) Thate, Dayton (Katie) Thate, Ryan (Jody Simon) Quade, Tori Quade, Jake (Sara Pittman) Thate, Corey Polz, Alyssa Corpron, Kayla Corpron, Zack Corpron, Jada Thate, Rachel Thate, Emma Thate, and Carter Thate; great-grandchildren, Lucy Thate, Talin Thate, Angel Thate, Zoie Thate, Makaylah Thate, Veydah Thate, Lincoln Quade, Addison Quade, Blake Hallum, Dawson Hallum, Urijah Heidelberg, Khamari Heidelberg, Akina Heidelberg, Haley Pittman, Jaxson Thate, Trinity Thate, Madilyn Polz and Emma Polz; siblings and in-laws, Alvie Hegener, DuWayne Thate, Marcia Leverson, Mary Kenworthy, Jerry (Mary) Kerns, Mickey Theobald, and Dan (Bev) Kerns; as well as many nieces, nephews, extended family and friends.

Ken was preceded in death by his parents, Ed and Emma Thate; father-in-law and mother-in-law, Lynn and Katie Kerns; granddaughter, Amy Leah Quade; daughter-in-law, Vicki Thate; siblings and in-laws, Velma and Marv Grathwohl, Don Hegener, Phyllis and Bob Standal, Rusty Leverson, Swede Theobald, Ray Kenworthy and Barbara Kerns-Meyer.

The family would like to extend a special thank you to all of the caring staff at Valley Vue Care Center for the outstanding care and attention paid to Ken and his family during the past year.

www.lakeviewfuneralhome.net

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