1938 - 2020
We will live stream Kenneth's service tomorrow Wednesday, January 6, 2021 at 10:15 am on our Love Funeral Home Facebook page. There is no link it will just5 pop up when we go live. Kenneth Lee Dobler was born on March 29, 1938 in Sterling, Colorado to Arthur and Emma (Ziegler) Dobler. He was the first child born to this union. After the drought in 1940, the family moved to the homestead north of Bethune, Colorado.
A second child named Charles Leslie was born on December 1, 1942. Kenneth began his schooling at the Prairieview School located a short distance from the home. He would always talk about the time his pony bucked him off and his lunch box went flying. He ended up having to walk back home. Another memory from his childhood that he often shared with others was getting on a John Deere GP tractor without permission. He took the tractor out of gear and it started rolling down the hill. Kenneth and the tractor ended up being stopped by the wood pile and he had some explaining to do. In the fall of 1952, the family moved to a home three miles west of Burlington so that the boys could attend school at the Burlington High School and be involved in the ag program. Before the move took place, they began planting a windbreak around the new location using trees from the homestead. The family lived in a small “well house” on the property while a new home was constructed. Kenneth began working for Virgil Unruh during his high school years. He joined the National Guard his senior year and graduated with the Class of 1956. In 1959, he met Catherine Homer.
They were married on October 8, 1961. Kenneth was called to active duty (Berlin Crisis) in September and Catherine would join him at Fort Carson in December. A son, Ronald Lee, was born at the Fort Carson hospital on June 4, 1962. After a year, the family moved back to Burlington where Kenneth would work with his dad and also be employed by Wayne Barber and the Buol Brothers. A daughter, Luann Kay, was born on September 11, 1965. Kenneth began working for the USDA Soil Conservation Service in 1964 where he was a Soil Conservation Technician. Ken would complete nearly twenty-five years for the District. He was in charge of designing windbreaks, surveying terraces, certifying livestock pipelines and tanks, and working with surge valves that was a new type of irrigation technology. Kenneth had kept in contact with many of his past co-workers. His love for trees probably began during his teen years. He planted new trees nearly every year of his life.
Kenneth would get up early to do some farming and the chores before reporting to work at 7:30 AM. When his work day at the office was finished, Kenneth would head back to the farm where he would do chores and continue his farm work until late into the night. Kenneth and Catherine purchased some surrounding property during this time, as well. Before Ken’s retirement, he began farming ground for Loren Ardueser and Leland Baney. They would end up purchasing the Ardueser ground in later years. Kenneth was an active member of the First Christian Church. He enjoyed being chairman of the board for a year, serving as a deacon, and singing in the choirs. Kenneth became a grandpa in June of 1994 when Caleb Brentley was born. Caitlyn Leigh would join the family in January of 1997. The grandkids were certainly a highlight of his life. They spent a lot of time out on the farm and definitely share their grandpa’s love for the farm and animals.
He was very involved in their 4-H projects and would attend their athletic and music events, as well. He purchased several of the grandkids’ rabbits at the Kit Carson County 4-H Livestock Sale. Ken would go on the 4-H “Wild Bug and Fish” camping trip each year with Caleb. He had a passion for hiking, camping, and fishing. This trip reminded him of the many adventures he had with his co-worker, Vern Pfannenstiel. Ken and Cathy enjoyed a few trips over the years. They went to Hawaii with some very good friends for their 25th anniversary. They also were able to do some traveling with the Lazy K Coach. Kenneth and Cathy enjoyed attending Blue Grass Music concerts. They used to spend quite a bit of time, in their earlier years, square dancing with the Wagon Wheel Square Dance Club. Work truly was his life, however! Kenneth began a hobby of collecting and restoring tractors in 1997 with the purchase of his Uncle Ralph Stahlecker’s tractor which was identical to the tractor that he first learned to drive. This tractor marks one of the many in his “collection”. Kenneth passed away, with family by his side, on December 30, 2020 at the Kit Carson County Memorial Hospital after more than three years of declining health.
He was a “trooper fighting the battle” and usually had a “witty” comment to share with his care providers. Kenneth is survived by his wife, Catherine, of 59 years. He is also survived by his son, Ron, his daughter, Luann (Jeff) Nitsch, his grandson, Caleb, his granddaughter, Caitlyn, many nieces and nephews, and several cousins. Preceding him in death are his parents, Art and Emma, and his brother, Charles. A memorial fund may be made to the First Christian Church or to the Burlington Volunteer Fire Department in Kenneth's memory and may be left at MNB in Burlington (McCook National Bank).
