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KENNETH THURSTON

GOWRIE — Kenneth Thurston, 65, of Gowrie, Iowa, passed away on Thursday, June 20, 2019, at Trinity Regional Medical Center in Fort Dodge. Services will be 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, June 29, 2019, at the Gunderson Funeral Chapel with Rev. Jim Davis officiating. Burial will be in the Otho Cemetery with full military honors conducted by the VFW Post #1856. A time of gathering of family and friends will be from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m., on Saturday at the Gunderson Funeral Home and Cremation Services in Fort Dodge.

Kenneth is survived by his wife, Jennifer; their three children, Michelle Thurston of Abilene, Texas, Dawn (Tom) Taylor of Gowrie and Randy (Angie) Thurston of Harcourt, Iowa; six grandchildren, Tyler, Matti, Sydney, Gage, Teryn and Kendal. He is also survived by his three siblings, Julia (Jerry) LaBaume, Gary (Sandra) Thurston and Fran Stauffer. He is preceded in death by his parents and four siblings, Vilda Thurston, Jim Thurston, Dan Thurston and Sandra Vanderhoff.

Kenneth Arthur Thurston, the son of James and Vilda (Thompson) Thurston, was born July 31, 1953 in Fort Dodge and attended school in Gilmore City. Ken enlisted into the United States Marines Corps and was discharged in April of 1972 and was united in marriage to Jennifer Sampson a year later. After their marriage the couple made Fort Dodge their home. Ken worked for Weaver Construction Company and later for Martin Marietta as a heavy equipment loader operator, retiring in August of 2018. In Ken’s spare time he enjoyed gardening, mushroom hunting, fishing and pencil drawing. He loved spending time with his grandchildren and his family.

Memorials may be left to the discretion of the family. A way to honor Ken is to wear casual clothes or even your old worn-out holey clothes to his funeral.