Kenneth Wayne Walton

Kenneth (Kenny) Wayne Walton 77, of Edwards, Missouri, formerly of Edwardsville, Kansas passed away August 22nd, 2025. Visitation services will be held on Thursday, September 4th, 2025 from 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm at Chapel Hill Funeral Home at 701 N 94th St., Kansas City, Kansas. The funeral service will be held at 10:00 AM, Friday, September 5th, 2025 at Chapel Hill Butler Funeral Home. Interment will be immediately following at Chapel Hill Memorial Gardens.

Kenny was born on March 12th, 1948 in Kansas City, Kansas. He graduated from Washington High School in 1966. He married his high school sweetheart, Deborah (Debbie) J. Gaunce on November 12th, 1966. They spent 50 wonderful years together, building a family and creating many loving memories.

In 1967, at just 18 years old, Kenny was drafted into the Vietnam War. He served his country from 1968 to 1969 as a SP5 demolition specialist in the 25th Infantry “Tropic Lightning” Division. His courage and dedication were recognized through numerous military honors. Foremost among them was the Purple Heart, awarded for his valor and sacrifice. He was also the recipient of the National Defense Service Medal, the Vietnam Service Medal with two Bronze Service Stars, the Combat Infantryman Badge, the Vietnam Campaign Medal with Device 60, the Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry with Palm, the Army Commendation Medal, and the Army Commendation Medal with 1st and 2nd Oak Leaf Clusters.

Growing up, Kenny spent summers with his brothers and sister at his Uncle Cecil’s farm, in Edwards, Missouri, now known as Walton’s Ridge. He helped milk cows, made milk deliveries and ran wild over the 140 acres. Kenny enjoyed hunting when he was younger, but as he got older, he found happiness in feeding the animals instead.

Kenny worked at General Motors Fairfax plant for 30 years. After retiring, he delivered parts for O’Reilly Auto Parts in Bonner Springs, Kansas to fund his hobbies. Which included fishing that typically involved close friends, riding his Harley Davidson trike along the Tail of the Dragon in North Carolina and to Sturgis, trap shooting and target practice using his collection of many guns. He was a jack-of-all-trades and would frequently be found in his shop refurbishing lawn mowers, tractors, cars, and anything with an engine. He loved his dogs and had several during his life, each one a loyal companion by his side.

He spent his final years in peace at his farm, Walton’s Ridge, surrounded by his best friends (dogs), lots of wildlife, his many, many toys, and with the spirit of his best friend and love of his life, Debbie, nearby at all times. Above all, Kenny will be remembered for his orneriness, his resourcefulness and the way he poured his heart into everything he built, fixed or cared for.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Debbie Walton; parents, Felix and (Ada) Nadine Walton; father-in-law, Donald Gaunce; mother-in-law, Irene Gaunce; brother, Jack Walton, sister-in-law, Becky Walton; sister, Felicia Wilkerson; brother, Johnnie Lee Walton.

He is survived by his daughter, Larissa (David) Phillips; son, James (Leona) Walton; granddaughters Micaela Reed and Morgan (Ethan) Lemon; great-grandson Ezra Michael Lemon; brother-in-law, Robert (Tammy) Gaunce; sister-in-law, Colleen (Robert) Hadwick; and numerous nieces, nephews, grand-nieces, grand-nephews, great grand-nieces and great grand-nephews.

In Lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the Wounded Warrior Project.