Kenneth D. Tegner

Obituary

Kenneth Donovan Tegner was born on April 4, 1925, in Hector, Minnesota. Because he was orphaned as a toddler, he lived with his birth mother’s relatives until six years of age when he was taken in by Theodore and Ida Tegner. He lived and farmed with the Tegner family and eventually took their name.

During his younger years, he enjoyed roller skating and became the floor manager at the rink in Renville. He met Iona Visser at the rink, and they were united in marriage at St. Aloysius Parish House, Olivia, on November 23, 1949. Ken and Iona were able to share 70 years of marriage before Iona passed away on May 3, 2020. Thirty-seven of their years were spent on the family farm north of Hector before they settled into their house in town.

Kenny or KT, as he was known to his friends, loved to farm and did so until he was 80 years old when he and Iona decided it was time for him to retire. Many of the years that he farmed he was also a salesperson for Funk’s Seed Company. He enjoyed daily coffee and games of dice at the local coffee shop where he could share a good story and laugh with friends. His other passions were conservation, wildlife, collecting red tractors and only driving red cars.

He enjoyed his last years at Prairie View of Hector. The staff treated him like family and he always told everyone they treated him so well. His family is thankful to each of them for filling his last days with joy, especially when they could not visit because of COVID restrictions.

Ken is survived by his:
Daughters, Diane (Wayne) Sorenson of Park Rapids, MN,
Nancy (Jim) Kodet of Olivia, MN,
Joanne Groenewold of Minnetonka, MN,
Terri (Nate) Larson of Plymouth, MN;
Grandchildren, Melanie Hellekson, Nicole (Ray) Simpson, Jennifer (Matt) McDonough, Sara (Brian) Tollefson, Mark (Kristen) Kodet, and Alexa Larson;
Nine Great-Grandchildren;
Sisters-in-law, Vera Prodoehl of Faribault, MN,
Shirley Visser of Hammond, WI;
Many other relatives and friends.

Ken was preceded in death by his Wife, Iona Tegner; birth and foster Parents, Theodore and Ida Tegner; Brothers-in-law, Ted Visser and Don Prodoehl; and Grandson-in-law, Ed Hellekson.