Kenneth William Couch

Ken was born July 9, 1930, in Independence, Kansas, where he lived until high school graduation in 1948. He and his wife, Patty, were both from Independence, born one day apart in the same year and delivered by the same doctor. After spending years attending the same schools, they fell in love in their senior year of high school. The rest is history, and they were married for 72 years.

After high school, Ken joined the Navy, where he spent the next four years defending our country. From there, he attended Kansas State University where he was the recording officer in the American Society of Civil Engineers Fraternity, Sigma Tau. After graduation, Ken accepted a job with Conoco in Ponca City, Oklahoma. He attended graduate school in Stillwater, Oklahoma, where he received his Master's Degree from Oklahoma State University.

During Ken's years at Conoco, he was located in Lake Charles, LA, Baltimore, MD and Aberdeen, MS. During the Mississippi stay, he was called to work on the Murchison Project, a platform for drilling oil in the North Sea. He and Patty lived in Holland during the building of the North Sea platform, and when that part of the project was complete, they moved to Aberdeen, Scotland, where the platform was installed for operation. After several years, Ken and Patty returned to the US, and he worked for a subsidiary of Conoco, Witco.

In addition to his leadership in the workforce, Ken held several offices with the West Houston Medical Center's volunteers, as well as the local chapter of AARP. He was also a Master Gardner, completing the final training in 2005.

During the Navy years, his first daughter, Kennette, was born, in the college years, his second daughter, Tavia, was born, and in the Conoco years, his final daughter, Julie, was born.

Ken is survived by Patty, his wife of 72 years, three daughters, Kennette Hill (Herman), Tavia Tiblets (James) and Julie Merritt (Layne), four grandchildren, Jessica Hill, (John), Heather Merritt (Huy), Emily Hill (Mark) and Rachel Driver (Ryan), four great grandchildren, Landon and Lindley Huynh, Kenleigh and Weston Driver, along with numerous grand animals.

Ken will be remembered for his devotion to his family, love of travel and passion for the Houston Astros. He never met a stranger and was always willing to go above and beyond to help with whatever was needed.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to a charity close to Ken's heart, St. Jude's. www.stjude.org/donate/pm.html?

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.forestparkwestheimer.com for the Couch family.