Kenneth E. Kalahar

MASON CITY: Kenneth E. Kalahar, 86, of 2904 Sunrise Court, died Tuesday, February 20, 2007 at the Muse Norris Hospice Inpatient Unit. Memorial services will be held 10:00 AM Saturday at Major Erickson Funeral Home, 111 N. Pennsylvania Avenue with Rev. Wendy Abrahamson, St. John?s Episcopal Church officiating. Inurnment will be in Memorial Park Cemetery. Full military rites will be conducted by the Mason City Veterans Memorial Association. A gathering of family and friends will be held from 5:00 to 7:00 PM Friday at Major Erickson Funeral Home. Masonic services will be held at 6:30 PM at Major Erickson Funeral Home conducted by Harding Lodge #649 A.F. & A.M. Memorials may be given to the Kenneth E. Kalahar Memorial Fund. Ken was born September 4, 1920 in Fort Dodge, Iowa the son of Mack and Anna (Willey) Kalahar. He graduated from Fort Dodge High School in 1938, received his B.S. degree in 1949 and his M.S degree in 1952 from Iowa State University. Ken served in the U.S. Army Air Corp. in 1942 during WW II. He then served in the U.S. Air Force from 1948-1965. He retired from the Air Force with the rank of Major. Ken married Jeanne Hilton February 7, 1942 in Princeton, Missouri. While living in Mason City, Ken was Director of Gas Operations for Interstate Power Company, Alliant Energy. In 1972, he transferred to Dubuque and retired in 1985 after 32 years with Interstate Power. The Kalahar?s returned to Mason City in 2003. While in Dubuque, Ken was a member of St. John?s Episcopal Church and then St. John?s Episcopal Church in Mason City. Through the years, Ken was active in a number of fraternal organizations including Masonry, Boy Scouts and Rotary. He was a member of Harding and Metropolitan Masonic Lodges, past Master of Metropolitan Lodge in Dubuque, past president of High Twelve International, 1987-88, York Rite, Knights of the York Cross on honor, Scottish Rite, El Kahir Shrine, Eastern Star, Grotto, Sojourner and was a Double Headed Eagle in the Masonic Lodge. He was a member of Rotary, past president of Mason City Rotary, 1964-65 and past Rotary #5970 District Governor. Ken received the Silver Beaver Award in Boy Scouts and was past president of Winnebago Council. He was also a member of Chamber Ambassadors and was past president of the Midwest Gas Association. Ken was a loving husband, father, grandfather and enjoyed spending time with his family at their cabin in Northern Minnesota. Ken is survived by his wife, Jeanne Kalahar of Mason City; daughters, Suzan Klevos and husband Paul of Humboldt, Jodie Stevens and husband Terry of Alexander; sons, Kenneth Kalahar II and wife Joanne of Ankeny, Jon Kalahar and wife Julie of Dubuque; grandchildren, Jeffrey Klevos, Tad Kalahar, Christina, Katie and Kara Gaiser, Kaycee and Courtney Kalahar; great grandchildren, Kristina and Jessica Kalahar and Jordan Elizabeth Latham. Ken was preceded in death by his parents, brother, Mack and 3 sisters, Vivian, Beverly and Evelyn.

Visitation:
5:00 PM to 7:00 PM at 111 N. Pennsylvania Avenue on February 23, 2007 (map/driving directions) 3:00 PM to 3:00 PM at 111 N. Pennsylvania Avenue on February 21, 2007 (map/driving directions)

Service:
10:00 AM at 111 N. Pennsylvania Avenue on February 24, 2007 (map/driving directions)