Kenneth Raymond Zeller

Kenneth Raymond Zeller, age 91, of Peculiar, MO passed away October 12, 2020. He was born November 4, 1928 to Ollie and Josephine Pabst Zeller, in Pilot Grove, MO. He attended St. Joseph school in Pilot Grove for 7 years and graduated from Ross Grammar School in Saline County, MO, followed by graduation from Slater High School in 1946. He earned an award as a State Farmer from the FFA.

After graduation he enlisted in the United States Army and served the country for 2 years, 18 months of it in Germany, attaining the rank of Corporal. After being discharged, he decided to leave the farm and seek his fortune in the City. He worked for International Harvester, but was recalled back to Service in 1950 and was sent to Korea for 10 months on a second tour of duty. After returning home from there, he went to work for TWA and worked there as a mechanic in several areas for a total of 34 years until his retirement in 1986.

In September of 1950 he was married to Marie Rose Borges. To this union were born 4 children, Barbara, Beverly, Janice and Don. Marie passed away on January 3, 1990. On January 1, 2000, he married Lois Allene Alger, a longtime family friend.

Kenneth was an avid square dancer with several clubs, the most recent being the Live Wires of Belton, MO. He also did line dancing and some round dancing. He and Lois served as Presidents of the Heart of America Federation of Square Dance Clubs from 2008 to 2010, and again from 2019 to 2021. He loved gardening, both vegetables and flowers; traveling the world to all 50 States, Canada, Mexico, Ireland, and Europe, and even walked on top of the world at the Arctic circle. He was a member of American Legion Post No. 488 in Belton, a former member of the Honor Guard in Post No. 626 in Gladstone, the Peculiar Senior Citizens, IAM Local No. 1650, Boy Scout Troop 180, HABOT Blue Grass Club, a former member of St. Charles Catholic Church, and a current member of St. Paul’s United Methodist Church, and its OWLS and OMG groups.

He was preceded in death by his parents, his late wife Marie, daughter Beverly, brothers Norbert and Charles, and sisters Lorene and Lou Ellen. He is survived by his wife Lois, his children Barbara (Bill) Hofstetter, Janice (Jon) Zwiegel, and Don (Shelley) Zeller; grandchildren Brian, Sarah, Jennifer, Jason, Michaela and Adam, great grandchildren Alexa, Tyler, Bryce, Sadie Mae, and Abigail Rose.

Upon marriage to Lois, he added to his family, stepchildren Cheryl and Mark; step grandchildren Jeremy, James, Christina, Timothy, Christopher, Tiffany, Vicki and Gregory; step great grandchildren April, Jeremy, Jr., Ali, Kyria, Sydney, Kaiden, Shayanne, Aubrie, Ella-Marie, and Mark Richard, and great great grandchildren Rekker and Adeline Scarlett. Mark preceded him in death.

Family and friends will gather at St. Paul’s United Methodist Church in Raymore, MO for a walk-through visitation from 10:00-11:30 am Friday, October 16. A Private family services will follow at 11:30 am. Burial to follow in Mt. Olivet Cemetery with full military honors. In lieu of flowers, donations are suggested to Wayside Waifs, 3901 Martha Truman Road, Kansas City, MO 64137, or St. Paul’s United Methodist Church, 1111 W. Foxwood Drive, Raymore, MO 64083.