Kenneth D Hobson

Born April 24, 1929 in Lawrence County, IN to Leathel J. and May (Mark) Hobson, he married Marilyn Ceigler on September 12, 1958 in Indianapolis, IN. She died May 30, 1988 in Peoria. He later married Mary V. (LaTour) Stephens on September 1, 1991 in Pekin. She survives.

Also surviving are one son, Lincoln C. (Dana) Hobson of Morton; one daughter, Betsy Ann (Tim) Cooper of Pekin; one step-daughter, Missie (Michael) Foster of Batavia; five grandchildren, Ross Tyler Cameron, Bryce Kenneth Farnan, Keely Elizabeth Cooper, John Douglas Hobson and Margaret Corinne Hobson; six step-grandchildren, Danielle Leigh Foster, Jake Robert Foster, Nicholas Michael Foster, Mackenzie Nicole Foster; Jenny (Dave) Welch and Clay Cooper; one step-great-grandson, Brayden Welch; one sister, Mary Jane (Michael) Davison of Cedar Park, TX and many nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents and two sisters, Wanda May Pershing and Wilma Jean Lassen.

Ken served in the United States Army during the Korean War. He was a 1958 graduate of Tri-State University in Angola, IN, with a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering.

Ken retired in 2000 as the chief engineer from Keystone Steel & Wire Company in Bartonville with 35 years of service. He also owned and operated Riggers and Erectors in Pekin for more than 20 years. In earlier years, he worked for Ingalls Stone Company in Bedford, IN and from 1959 to 1965 for Bedford Foundry and Machine Company, where he designed overhead cranes. Ken’s retirement job was serving as a Bailiff at the Tazewell County Court House for the past 11 years.

As a design engineer, Ken was honored with an award winning project recognition for the rehabilitation and restoration of the Third Street Bridge in Delavan at the 2004 Contractor of the Year Awards from the Illinois Department of Transportation.

Ken loved his family and was deeply involved in his children and grandchildren’s lives. He also had a great interest in politics and served as a Republican precinct committeeman in Cincinnati Township for many years.

Ken was a longtime member of First United Presbyterian Church in Pekin.

His funeral will be at 1 p.m. Sunday, February 17, 2013 at Preston-Hanley Funeral Homes & Crematory in Pekin. The Rev. Judy Doyle and Rev. Joseph LaTour, his nephew, will officiate. Visitation will be from 4 to 7 p.m. Saturday at the funeral home. Burial will be in Prairie Haven Cemetery in Pekin.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the American Heart Association, Memorial and Tributes Lock Box, 3816 Paysphere Circle, Chicago, IL 60674 or to the Children’s Hospital of Illinois, 530 Northeast Glen Oak Avenue, Peoria, IL 61637.

To express condolences online, visit www.preston-hanley.com