Kenneth Eugene “Kenny” Ponder was born January 8, 1942 in Centertown, Missouri and departed this life on October 11, 2016 at his home in Pleasant Hill, surrounded by the love of his family, at the age of 74 years, 9 months and 3 days.
He was the son of Leve Virgil and Lelia Marie (Connell) Ponder. The Ponder family left Centertown and moved to Pleasant Hill while Kenny was an infant and he remained in Pleasant Hill for the rest of his life.
On April 7, 1961 Kenny was united in marriage with Dorothy Mae Hatfield and to this union three sons, Johnnie, Kenneth Scott and Gregory were born. Kenny was a hard working man who spent most of his life as a laborer in the steel manufacturing and construction business. In his spare time he thoroughly enjoyed fishing and hunting, the only time he left Missouri, his “adventure of a life time”, was a fishing trip he took with some co-workers to Canada in the late 1980’s. Kenny was a wonderful husband, father, grandfather, brother and uncle who cherished his family and treasured time spent with them.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Leve Virgil and Lelia Marie Ponder; five brothers, George Herman Ponder, Robert Ponder, Gary Ponder, Virgil Ponder and Carl Ponder; one sister, Flora Cusick and one great-nephew Coly Lee Byrd.
Kenny is survived by his wife, Dorothy Mae Ponder of the home; three sons, Johnnie Ponder and wife Dawn, and Kenneth Scott Ponder and wife Tammy all of Pleasant Hill, Missouri, Gregory Ponder and wife Rachel of Lee’s Summit, Missouri; one brother, Leo Ponder of Pleasant Hill, Missouri; one sister-in-law, Roberta Ponder of Pleasant Hill, Missouri; three step-grandchildren, many nieces and nephews, other relatives and many, many friends.
Funeral Service for Kenny Ponder will be held at 2:00 p.m. Monday, October 17, 2016 at the Wallace Funeral Home in Pleasant Hill with Rev. Tony Reynolds officiating. Casket Bearers will be Lonnie Byrd, Darren Cusick, Jim Ponder, Bruce Ponder, Ronnie Ponder and Becky (Ponder) Thompson. Interment will be in the Pleasant Hill Cemetery. The family will receive friends Sunday afternoon from 3:00 – 5:00 p.m. at the funeral home.
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