Kenneth Steven Wilkins Sr.

Kenneth Steven Wilkins, Sr. (affectionately known by many as “Kenny”) was born on May 31, 1946, of the union of Frank C. Wilkins and Kathryn Jackson-Wilkins in Kansas City, Missouri. While attending Central High and Southeast High Schools, he excelled in sports, especially running track. As the only boy of their five children, Kenny was a charismatic, dapper young man who made friends wherever he went. With his whole life ahead of him, Kenny would go on to build a family, business, and life-long friendships on his terms.

On December 29, 1967, Kenneth married LaVern Parks Wilkins. Together, they had two children, Nichelle Wilkins and Kenneth Steven Wilkins Jr.

While Kenneth held several positions with Kansas City brand Taystee Bread, Western Electric, and Bendix, it was the experience he gained working for Duke’s Carpet in the early 1970s that inspired him to open Kenny’s Carpets in 1974. Kenny and his then-wife, LaVern jointly owned and operated Kenny’s Carpets for thirteen years. Kenny continued to successfully run the business as sole owner and proprietor for over 30 years after that partnership dissolved in 1988.

It was Kenny’s outgoing, magnetic personality and unbeatable prices, quality workmanship, and good customer service that contributed to his business's success. In later years, as a coach and mentor to his employees, he shared his creativity, wealth of knowledge, and artistry of the floorcovering industry.

Fun & Funny facts: Kenny was the quintessential Black-History buff! He enjoyed sharing with others his discoveries about various topics and places such as Black Wall Street, Nicodemus, Kansas, and other places. His love for black history was rivaled by only two other things - music and food. He had a huge affinity for various genres of music, especially jazz, and his favorite restaurant back in the day was The Hitching Post on 35th and Prospect. Kenny was a big kid at heart. Well, into adulthood, you could find Kenny shooting fireworks on July 4th, flying kites in Swope Park, or even riding a bicycle backwards while sitting on the handlebars! Everyone in the neighborhood got a real kick out of that!

Kenny attended Ebenezer Missionary Baptist Church of Kansas City, MO, where he received Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior. To know him was to truly love him. To this end, he is succeeded in death by his children Nichelle Wilkins, Kenneth Steven Wilkins, Jr., and Michelle Campbell. He also leaves to mourn, sisters Joann Riggs, Joyce Herndon, Janice Perkins, Pamela Wilkins, and his beloved mother, Kathryn Wilkins, which eventually passed away 3 months after losing her only beloved son at age 105 years old), and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins church members, and friends. He was preceded in death by his father in June of 1976.

A celebration of life memorial service for Kenneth will be held Saturday, July 19, 2025 from 11:00 AM to 12:30 PM at Mt. Moriah, Newcomer & Freeman Funeral Home, 10507 Holmes Road, Kansas City, MO 64131.