by Jill Funke

The last two years have been challenging for Larchwood resident Kenny McKenney. In addition to losing his wife to dementia and his youngest son in a motorcycle accident, Kenny also began having some bladder and intestinal issues. In March of 2007, his medical team determined that Kenny had colon cancer. The surgery to remove the cancerous material happened so quickly that Kenny wasn’t even able to return home to pack a bag for his hospital stay. Following the operation, Kenny underwent chemotherapy treatments in May and radiation in July, with many return appointments to provide his medical team with blood and urine samples that they examined for the presence of cancer cells. Another scare took Kenny to the Heart Hospital, where he was treated with blood thinner for clots that had developed. Since last spring, he has been living with health issues that keep popping up as a result of his cancer, as well as side effects from the numerous medications he takes for a variety of health concerns. Currently, Kenny is awaiting the results of his most recent medical tests to learn the latest prognosis from his medical team.

Having moved to Larchwood with his family in 1941, Kenny has lived in this area almost all of his life. According to him, being raised on a farm with his three brothers was a great way to grow up. Looking back on his childhood, Kenny says that his mother was a good woman, which is something he came to appreciate as an adult. When a neighbor joined the Marine Corps, Kenny thought as a young man, military service would also be a good decision for him, so in 1953 he also enlisted in the Marines. The United States was involved with the Korean War at the time, and Kenny thought he would be sent overseas. Yet he ended up serving his country as a security guard at Lake Mead in Nevada. Recalling that time in the military, Kenny is quick to point out that the personal discipline he learned in the service has helped him throughout his life, and he feels that almost any young person would gain life-long benefits from serving their country.

Once out of the service, Kenny married his wife, Connie, in 1960, and the couple had three children. To earn a living, Kenny worked in the fuel oil business. As many residents of the area know, he also worked as an auctioneer, delighting crowds with his banter and humor. Looking back, Kenny remembers being fascinated with auctioneering since he was about eight years old. In 1957, he attended a two week course in Mason City that prepared him to conduct auctions to this day. Kenny enjoys the entertainment value of an auction, and is often surprised at the value that bidders will assign items. There have been times when he was disappointed that an article up for auction was sold for far less that what Kenny thought it was worth. In other instances, he has been pleasantly surprised at the amount bidders were willing to pay for an item. His fifty years of auctioneering experience has taught Kenny that the monetary value of any auction item can never really be predicted, as no one knows for sure how much or little buyers will be willing to spend. For about twelve years, Kenny lent his talent to the Tea Auto Auction, where he was able to meet many area dealers as well as other auctioneers.

Kenny also enjoys working for the Larchwood Golf Course. While he waits for the results from his latest medical tests, he hopes that he can go back to work there when the weather turns warm. In the meantime, Kenny has been struggling to exist on his monthly social security check. When Connie was placed in a nursing home for the special care she needed as a patient with dementia, the cost of that care quickly depleted the couple’s financial assets. Kenny is thankful that he receives his numerous medications from the Veteran’s Health Administration, the bills for his living expenses are greater than his social security income. For this reason, Kenny’s friends in the community will be holding a benefit fundraiser for him on April 19th at the Sports’ Center in Larchwood. They will begin serving lunch at 11:30am, with entertainment including a silent auction, raffle, pool tournament, bean bag tournament, and karaoke. Organizers are hoping to raise enough funds to help ease Kenny’s immediate financial concerns to enable him to focus he energy on his medical treatment. Anyone wishing to make a contribution should call Mike Rothenbuehler at 605-254-2889 or 605-333-6801 (days), Gary Grotewold at 605-351-0945 or 712-477-2378, or Marilyn Grotewold at 605-575-4190 or 605-366-8398.

While he admits that the last two years have been trying, Kenny still sports an upbeat attitude, and was happy to play pool this season. He has loved the game since he was ten years old, and appreciates having the chance to get out of the house and spend time with a great bunch of guys one night each week. His health experiences have also prompted Kenny to remind everyone he knows that they are human just like he is, and should not wait another day to schedule those important regular tests including colonoscopies and mammograms.