Kenneth L. Putney

KENNETH L. PUTNEY

Iowa City

Kenneth L. Putney, 1936 – 2021. Devoted husband, father, teacher and coach.

Kenneth L. Putney passed peacefully on April 5, 2021, with his wife, Sara, and immediate family at his side. He was preceded in death by his parents and four brothers, Henry, Larry, Morris and Bill; and survived by four sisters and two brothers, Peggy, Ardith, Teresa, Sue, Tony and Tim.

Ken was born in Van Meter, Iowa, on Dec. 10, 1936, the fourth of 11 children born to Henry Granville Putney and Alice Orra Himes Putney. The family soon moved to New London, Iowa, where Ken would spend his early years, graduating from New London High School in 1954. In the fall Ken began his studies at the University of Iowa; the unexpected death of his mother prevented his return for the spring semester.

After a summer of factory work in New London and Fairfield, Ken returned to Iowa City as a construction laborer on the Coralville Dam project with an eye toward resuming his college education. The continuation of his studies would again be temporarily derailed - by love, not tragedy - when through mutual friends he met, and fell for, a striking new UI freshman, Sara Hempstead. They were married on April 12, 1958.

The newlyweds moved to Davenport, where Ken would see the birth of his son, Kevin, in the Spring of 1959 and the completion of his B.A. in Education from St. Ambrose College in 1961. He launched his career in Durant, Iowa, teaching social studies at the local high school. His daughter, Lynn, was born in 1963. The family moved to Iowa City in 1966, where Ken earned his Masters in Education from the University of Iowa in 1968.

As a teacher, coach and colleague, Ken devoted his professional life to the Iowa City Public Schools system, holding positions first at South East Junior High (1966 to 1974) then City High School (1974 to 1999.) He served as an assistant football coach at both South East and City High, but was particularly proud of the City High Girl's Basketball teams he led as Head Coach from 1977 to 1983. In the 1970s, as president of the Iowa City Education Association, Ken played an instrumental role in securing the first collective bargaining agreement for teachers in the Iowa City school district. In recognition of this effort, he received the 2009-2010 Pioneer Award from the ICEA.

In retirement, Ken and Sara enjoyed travel, RVing, dancing, music and bicycling, and remained avid Hawkeye football fans. Their trips to Croatia, Australia and Alaska were particular favorites and they most recently enjoyed a tour of U.S. National Parks in the West. Although Iowa City is home, they also thrived in a second community as "snowbirds" in Gulf Shores, Ala. They are grateful to their cohorts in Alabama for 20 years of fun and friendship while escaping the Iowa winter.

Survivors include his wife, Sara; son, Kevin; daughter, Lynn; twin grandsons, Curran and MacLaine; and five great-grandchildren. Curran and his family (wife Holly; children Curran Jr. and Warner) and Maclaine and his family (wife Cassie; children Madeline, Jack and Henrik) live in Iowa City. Kevin and his wife Cathy (née Curran) relocated to Iowa City in their retirement. Lynn and her husband, Kelly Guerrero, reside in Washington, D.C.

The family would like to thank the friends, colleagues and former students who contacted Ken in recent months; your kind thoughts are deeply appreciated. Ken was especially touched by the enduring friendship with students from his days teaching in Durant.

Special thanks also to Dr. Craig Champion and Mercy Iowa City staff for their exceptional care.

Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, services must be postponed and will be announced at a later date. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to DAV (Disabled American Veterans), DAV Charitable Service Trust: Homehttps://cst.dav.org

Online condolences may be sent to www.lensingfuneral.com