Kenneth S. Van Dyke

Ken Van Dyke was born in Lindsay, NE to Leo and Elizabeth (Geilenkirchen) Van Dyke. He had two brothers (Dale and Dick) and three sisters (Sister Joleen, Betty Lee and Joleen). After graduating from high school in Silver Creek, NE, he joined the Army and served for two years. He spent the majority of those two years in Germany, but ended up at Ft. Carson in Colorado Springs. He met his wife, Judy Rowland, of Manitou Springs in 1964 while working for Cowan Moving & Storage. They were married in May of 1965 at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Colorado Springs and then had two daughters. After working for Cowan Moving & Storage trucking company for a couple of years, he joined the Colorado Springs Fire Department, where he had a long career that he loved. He retired in 1996 after 26 years of service as a fireman. He held several part-time jobs over the subsequent years in retirement in order to stay busy.

Ken continued his love of gardening after being raised on a farm in rural Nebraska, and had many amazing vegetable and flower gardens over the years. He loved tinkering in his shed and always had something he was fixing around the house and yard. He was always available, tools in hand, to help family and friends with projects, as long as you were ready to go early in the morning so as not to “burn daylight.”

More than anything, Ken cherished his role as Grandpa to his four grandchildren. His eyes lit up any time he was around them and never missed an opportunity to see them. They were his pride and joy. Every year they looked forward to the pumpkin patch that he raised for them, which was a cherished family tradition. Ken passed away 48 days after his wife Judy, just after celebrating their 60th Anniversary in May.

He is survived by his daughters, Lisa Blanot (Mike) and Denise Mrofcza (Brent); and his four grandchildren, Brock Mrofcza, Kellie Sabbatino (Nik), Viktor Blanot and Katie Blanot; and by his sisters, Betty Lee Van Dyke and Joleen Parolek of Nebraska along with several nieces and nephews.

Due to the circumstances and timing of his passing, family and friends celebrated his life along with Judy’s on August 2nd. He and Judy will be laid to rest at Crown Hill Cemetery in the Denver area, next to Judy’s parents, later in the fall surrounded by immediate family.