Kenneth Richard Love

Kenneth Richard Love was welcomed into the loving arms of his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ on October 23, 2019. He was born on November 27, 1925 in Hannibal, MO to Henry Clyde and Janey Gunter Love. The family moved to Alton, IL where Ken attended Alton High School graduating in 1943.

Ken enlisted in the Naval Aviation Cadet Program while a senior in high school. He entered the Navy in 1943 in the V-12 Program at Missouri Valley College then attended PreFlight School at Chapel Hill, N.C. He separated from the Navy in 1945 and earned his Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from the University of Illinois, Champaign in 1947.

Ken went to work for Southwestern Bell Telephone Company in 1947. His forty year career with SWBT took him to Hannibal, Springfield and St. Louis, MO before relocating him and his family to Oklahoma City in 1962 as Division Traffic Superintendent. Due to corporate divestiture, he transferred to AT&T in 1984 as Area Manager of Operator Services for Oklahoma and Kansas, and retired in 1987.

Ken married the beautiful Anne Rosack August 27, 1948 in Alton, IL. Their incredible seventy-plus year marriage was blessed with two children: Tina and Tim. Anne and Ken modeled their Christian faith in raising their children. Their constant encouragement and involvement were gifts passed through to their grandchildren and great grandson.

Beyond his family, music was Ken’s greatest joy. It began when he joined his school band at age nine. This continued throughout his life to include high school band, Naval marching and dance band, various Dixieland bands, informal groups of friends and over twenty years with the Nichols Hills Band. Ken could play the trombone, baritone, piano and Wurlitzer organ, which he taught himself. Florida vacations weren’t complete without organizing a group to entertain. He also frequented nursing homes with his music and sang in barbershop quartets in St. Louis and Oklahoma City.

Ken was a committed fifty-seven year member of Westminster Presbyterian Church serving as Elder, Trustee, Sunday School teacher, SPARK tudor, deliverer of Mobile Meals and various congregational committees. He served as President of the Downtown Lions Club of Oklahoma City and President of the Telephone Pioneers Oklahoma Chapter. He was an avid golfer, having made two hole-in-ones in his career. Upon retiring, he truly lived his motto “plan your work and work your plan” by equally dividing his time between golf and the Northside YMCA.

Family members predeceasing Ken include his wife Anne, parents, brothers Herbert and Harold, and sister Lois. He is survived by his daughter Tina Ridley and husband Tim, son Dr. Tim Love and wife Susan, and grandson Jack Love all of Oklahoma City; granddaughter Aubrey Carroll, husband Macon and great grandson Crosby of Charlotte, N.C. and grandson Michael Love and fiancée Moria Lawlor of Houston, TX.

Celebration of Ken’s life will be held Friday, November 8, 2019 at 3pm in the Sanctuary of Westminster Presbyterian Church, 4400 North Shartel, Oklahoma City. In lieu of flowers, donations in Ken’s honor may be made to Westminster Presbyterian Church.

To God be the glory.