Last Updated: June 29, 2000
Kenneth Chester Dendurent, born December 9, 1914
Kenny graduated from Goodland High School and, while barbering in Goodland, attended a
barn dance one evening. He saw a cute little blond gal and said "Hey, Blondie! Wanta'
dance?" Janet Doane agreed and a relationship began. He migrated to California to
assist the war effort by working in an aircraft plant and later cutting the hair of
military personnel at a local base. In late 1940, Jan took a train from her nursing
assignment in Chicago to Yuma, Arizona to meet Kenny, who also arrived by train from
California. They were married by a Justice of the Peace and returned to the Los Angeles
area to begin their life together. After spending the war years in California, and a brief
stay in Portland, Oregon, Jan and Kenny returned to Kansas, where Jan worked as a nurse
and Kenny barbered. Both supported their children in sports and other activities. They
also loved to dance and bowl. Kenny was a member of the West Side Independent Order of Odd
Fellows lodge and, while holding every office in that organization, served the longest as
Treasurer/Bookkeeper. He had a quiet faith, and always quipped "I was a
Christian before I was married, but now I'm a Methodist."