Kenneth Richard Reaves

Kenneth Richard “Ken” Reaves, age 83, passed away at Luther/Mayo Hospital in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, on Monday, March 25, 2019. He was born on July 8, 1935, in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, to Charles and Sophia (Blume) Reaves, the middle child in a family of eleven. Ken was a graduate of Augustana College, and served in the U. S. Army in Germany. Ken owned restaurants in Sioux Falls, and retired from U. S. West in Minneapolis in 2000. He and his partner, Dale, retired to Sampson township, where he was adopted as “Uncle Kenny”. As a lover of nature, his great joy was helping conduct school visits to the David Obey Ice Age Interpretive Center where he worked for a number of years. Ken loved nature and was known for the hundreds of humming birds that came to his feeders during the summer. Ken’s real delight was his daughters, Julie and Ann, and his beloved grandchildren, Emma, Nick, and Grace.

Ken is survived by Dale Frank, his partner of 37 years, his daughters Julie (Michael Hoppe) Heinemann of Princeton MN, and Ann (Corey) Woodman of Parker CO, grandchildren, Emma and Nick Bohn, and Grace Heinemann, sisters Lynda Larimer of Grandview MO, Sharlynn (James Worrell) Walsh of Newsoms VA, and brother Tim (Alice) Reaves of Sioux Falls, and sister-in-law, Naomi Reaves, also of Sioux Falls, and many nieces and nephews that he loved dearly.

He was predeceased by his parents, sisters Arlene, who died in infancy, Mary Lou Sorenson, Carol Swearengin, Rosalie Reaves, Jeannene Libby, and brothers Charles “Buss”, Lloyd, and Donald.

A celebration of Ken’s life will be held for his Wisconsin friends locally; a memorial service is planned for family and friends a later date in Sioux Falls. Inurnment will be at the Hills of Rest Memorial Park in Sioux Falls. Olson Funeral Home in Bloomer is assisting the family.