Kenneth E. Dils

Kenneth Eugene Dils was born Oct. 27. 1924 in Point Marion, Pennsylvania, the 7th of 9 children born to Thomas & Georgia Dils. In 1939 the family moved to Adrian, Michigan where Kenneth would eventually meet & marry the light of his life, JoAnn. But more about that later.

Adrian is also where Kenneth began a career doing something that would be the hallmark of the rest of his life - driving. He started out at the age of 16 driving dump trucks to deliver loads of road & bridge building materials in northern Michigan, then went on to drive semis over-the-road making deliveries throughout the eastern part of the U.S., as well as spending some time driving around the country in a Greyhound bus.

Kenneth's life behind the wheel was interrupted twice when he was drafted into the US Army, in 1946 for World War II and again in 1950 for the Korean War. Both times he was discharged from boot camp because of blisters on his feet, but he wasn't released the 2nd time until after undergoing an intensive study at Walter Reed Hospital for the cause of those blisters. Upon his discharge Kenneth was given a copy of the lengthy report & was told by his commanding General that if he was ever drafted again he was to have the draft board read the report and that by the time they were done reading it the war would be over.

It was during this 2nd enlistment that JoAnn came to her senses and realized Kenneth was the one for her. They were married on November 21, 1950. Over the next 63 years they moved to Colorado, finally settling in Aurora, and raised 3 children - Christy, William and LuAnn - and also influenced the lives of 4 grandchildren, 11 great-grandchildren and 3 great-great-grandchildren. One of those grandsons, Clint Ohlde, wrote this touching tribute:

I just found out that my Grandpa passed away this morning.

My grandpa Kenneth Dils was a really cool dude. A real down to earth human being. His favorite thing in the world was interacting with people. He lived to get a smile out of you. He didn't care where you came from, what color your skin, your gender, your class, all he cared was that he made you laugh... He drove RTD buses all over Denver making people laugh with his ridiculously silly jokes. If you were raised in Denver, you just might remember him.

Back in the day, my grandpa was this magical person to me, who could make or fix anything. He once told me, "I might not have invented it, but if somebody else made one, then I can make one, too". The words stick with me and give me motivation. Those old school guys had skills. And my grandpa liked to make stuff. He would take a plain-jane panel van, and pimp that ride to the fullest. I mean wall to wall plush velour...Mirrors....Lighting...Sink...TV's...CB's...Dog kennel...AC power...etc, on the low. Then he'd cruise my grandma and the dogs around the country before selling it to start the next camper or pickup project. I always hung around and learned while he worked on projects with my dad. A lot of our time together was spent fixing and repairing stuff with him, my dad Steve Ohlde, my brother Kevin Ohlde (r.i.p.), and my Uncle Rick Trout. We lived check to check and on unemployment often, like most working class folk, so we often needed help. And we helped each other. I learned a lot by being broke, because you have to do everything for yourself. You don't go to a shop to fix anything, you fix it yourself. ..because that's your only choice. Being broke makes you rich. Rich with strength, skills, and determination.

My grandpa worked for years wrenching at Ford, but my memories are full of RTD buses. He worked so hard that you'd never see him even though we lived blocks apart on the East Side. He told me once that he worked the equivalent of 45 years in 15 years by driving everyday. And he retired very proudly from RTD with a handsome check. But he didn't really want to stop driving, because he loved his people. He needed them. Their smiles and laughter. That's what he lived for: his woman, his family, their dogs, his bowling ball, pool cue, the Denver Broncos, and laughter...

I will never forget your smile, your jokes, the tiny house you built, your beautiful rock garden on 30th Avenue, all of your dogs, all the times you saved our butts with your electrical and mechanical handiness, or saved our hungry stomachs by bringing warm food and love, that time I tricked you for Christmas that only you and I understand, the Broncos tickets you gave me and Pops, all the football and holidays at your place, the toolbox and skills you gave me, the way you welcomed Angela Hill, Kiara and Danielle Ohlde into your hearts and home, the "barking spiders" lol, making that loooooong trip out here with my mom & grandma to visit, the looks on your face at the Winchester Mystery House...lol.

I'm just so glad that you got to see me make at least some kinda life, after spending my youth in turmoil. I am really sorry for all the years we missed out on, but I'm more happy for the times we did spend together. You showed me how to treat a woman, by example. You showed me the goodness in everyone, and to treat people well.

Well grandpa, when I leave this world I want to leave it with as many happy memories as you did. I want people to remember me like they will always remember you, with a laugh and a smile.....

I LOVE YOU GRANDPA, and RIP.......Actually, naw...... screw that! Get your pool cue and get your hustle on, Pop's! Grandma's sending it with you..... I wanna hear bowling pins falling, cards shufflin', dominoes slamming, Broncos Cheering, and most of all Grandpa, I wanna hear your silly jokes.......

Kenneth's reputation for telling jokes began when he was driving over-the-road. Often when going into the cafe at truck stops along his regular route he was greeted with shouts calling for the joke of the day, and, as Clint just told us, this continued through his retirement from RTD. His repertoire usually had a few new jokes but he also had his old favorites. You always knew what was coming when he's say "Did I ever tell you the one about...?" It didn't matter if you answered yes, he'd grin & tell it again, and you'd always laugh just to see the joy on his face.

So what better way to end today than with one of his favorites, which is also his message to us:

What did the hat say to the gloves? You wait here, I'll go on a head.