Kenneth Alvin Hensley

 Kenneth Alvin Hensley went home to be with the Lord on Sunday December 9, 2018 at the age of 81. His gentle spirit and kind soul will be greatly missed. Ken had big hands and a bigger heart. His extraordinary work ethic was shown from his younger years on his family’s ranch, to his service in the Navy Reserves, his dairies in Bodega Bay, CA, Windsor, CA and Mt. Vernon, OR, then the years with Les Schwab in John Day, OR and E.O.F.F. He was a man of integrity who worked hard and was always quick to smile and laugh. He loved people and his genuine kindness and enthusiasm for life made him easy to love back.

Ken was born September 19, 1937 in Santa Rosa, CA to Ann and Alvin Hensley and was the oldest of three children. He attended Petaluma High School where he met and fell in love with Dottie Malley. The two were married for 58 years when she passed in July of 2017. He was a devoted husband and an amazing father. In 1969 Ken discovered his dream dairy with a river for fishing and hunting in the hills above and moved the family to Mt. Vernon and then to John Day. He loved the community, the hunting and fishing. In 2004, Ken and Dottie moved to Prineville, and for the last few months he has been cared for in Culver, OR where he passed.

Ken is preceded in death by his wife Dottie Hensley, son Ken Hensley, and parents Ann and Alvin Hensley. He is survived by his sister Diane Taylor, brother Dennis (Jan) Hensley, daughter Nadine McCarty, son Tom (Melanie) Hensley, daughter Janet (Wayne) Johnston, ten grandchildren, and five great-grandchildren.

The family is grateful for the loving care of his care givers at L.L. Owen Home Care and Partners in Care Hospice.

In lieu of flowers, please make a gift of kindness in his memory to someone who is alone, sick or just needs a helping hand.

A celebration of life will be held in the Spring of 2019 in John Day.

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