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Kenneth Blazek, 82, of Orient died Wednesday, Jan. 18, 2017, at Adair County Memorial Hospital in Greenfield.
Funeral and Masonic services will be held on 10:30 a.m. Monday, Jan. 23, at Orient United Methodist Church with burial in the Greenfield Cemetery. Pastor Cathy Nutting will officiate the service and the Masonic Circle Lodge No. 555 of Prescott will conduct the Masonic services. A luncheon will be held at the church following the committal services at the cemetery. Friends may call at the Steen Funeral Home in Greenfield on Sunday, Jan. 22, from 1 to 5 p.m. with family present to greet friends from 3 to 5 p.m. at the Steen Funeral Home in Greenfield. Online condolences may be left to the family at www.steenfunerals.com. Memorials are to be directed to the Kenneth Blazek memorial fund to be established by the family at a later date.
Kenneth Glen Blazek, son of Glen and Velma (Duben) Blazek, was born Dec. 22, 1934, in rural Adams County. He attended school in Richland, where he graduated in 1952.
On Aug. 8, 1954, Kenneth married Estelle Westphal. Together they had six children: Wesley, Phyllis, Arlan, Joy, Mary and Steven. Kenneth was a farmer and raised various livestock. He helped with many types of jobs in the neighborhood, including electrical, plumbing, furnace work, corn shelling, hauling grain and hauling livestock. He also drove the bus for the Orient-Macksburg wrestling team for many years and drove a bus route for Orient-Macksburg schools. Other jobs Kenneth had were hauling Kent feed for many feed dealers in the state, driving the trolley and delivering parts for CarQuest. Kenneth was a member of many organizations, including the Orient-Macksburg school board for many years, Iowa Association of School Boards, Masonic Lodge, Area Agency on Aging, Adair County Sheriff Reserves, Fontanelle Lumber Yard Board and Early Wheels of Iowa.
Kenneth is survived by his children, Wesley, Phyllis, Arlan (Deb), Joy (Jack), Mary (Mike) and Steven (Lea); grandchildren, Stacey, Byron (Jerri), Mike, Matt (Steph), Carol, Steven (Megan), Alex (Haley), Abby, Anna, Matt (Abbey) and Michelle (Eddie); great-grandchildren, Timothy, Dawson, Taylor, Arielle, Kasey, Kelsey, Kaelyn, Jocelyn, McKenna, Emily, Burton, Elliott, Henry, Charolette, Stella, Hazin, Hank, Nash and Roen; brother, Vern; sister, Jean; sister-in-law, Viola; brother-in-law, Rodger; brother- and sister-in-law Bruce and Zola Westphal; and many nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Estelle; his parents, Glen and Velma Blazek; father- and mother-in-law, Ralph and Lucy Westphal; brothers, Lawrence and Bill; sister, Faye and great-grandson, Wyatt.