Kenneth Chester Dendurent Biography

Kenneth Chester Dendurent, born December 9, 1914

Kenny graduated from Goodland High School and, while barbering in Goodland, attended a barn dance one evening. He saw a cute little blond gal and said "Hey, Blondie! Wanta' dance?" Janet Doane agreed and a relationship began. He migrated to California to assist the war effort by working in an aircraft plant and later cutting the hair of military personnel at a local base. In late 1940, Jan took a train from her nursing assignment in Chicago to Yuma, Arizona to meet Kenny, who also arrived by train from California. They were married by a Justice of the Peace and returned to the Los Angeles area to begin their life together. After spending the war years in California, and a brief stay in Portland, Oregon, Jan and Kenny returned to Kansas, where Jan worked as a nurse and Kenny barbered. Both supported their children in sports and other activities. They also loved to dance and bowl. Kenny was a member of the West Side Independent Order of Odd Fellows lodge and, while holding every office in that organization, served the longest as Treasurer/Bookkeeper. He had a quiet faith, and always quipped "I was a Christian before I was married, but now I'm a Methodist."