Obituary of Kenneth Charles Minch

Kenneth Charles Minch Kenneth Charles Minch was born 16 May 1933, in Hammond, Indiana. He was the firstborn son of Cyril Wayne Minch and Margaret Lucille McCay. He attended Burnham Grade School, then Thornton Fractional High School in Calumet City, Illinois, graduating in 1951.

After graduating from high school, he worked at American Steel Foundries from June 1951 until March 1953. Knowing that his being drafted into the Korean War was imminent, he enlisted in the Air Force, starting his service in March 1953.

He received basic training in New York at Sampson Air Force Base. After completing his basic training, he went to Cheyenne, Wyoming, to become a teletype operator but was reassigned to automotive repair, which he studied for eight months. Upon completion of his schooling in Wyoming, he studied diesel technology for eight weeks at Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He then served in Greenland for a year as a staff sergeant as a ground power equipment repairman.

Completing his service in Greenland in the summer of 1955, he was assigned to Hill Air Force Base near Ogden, Utah. While there, he met Bonnie Lou Terry. He and Bonnie married in October 1955 in Ogden, Utah. He and Bonnie had four children, David, Ken, Jeff, and Lori who were all born on Air Force bases in different states (Arkansas, Utah, New Mexico, and Illinois).

He also served at Cam Ranh Bay, Vietnam, Idaho, RAF Mildenhall, England, and Davis Monthan AFB, Tucson, AZ. In the Air Force he also worked as an Aerospace Ground Equipment (“AGE”) Instructor, Controller, and Supervisor and as a Senior Aircraft Controller.

In 1975, he separated from his wife. After his divorce was complete, he married Phyllis Sue Armstrong Webster in the Arizona Mesa Temple in November 1976. They purchased a home on Eastham Lane in northwest Tucson, AZ and he retired from the Air Force in 1979.

As a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, he had many church callings in Tucson, AZ. His favorite calling was being the executive secretary to Bishop Carl Jensen. In later years, he served a Church-service mission in the Bishop’s Storehouse. He and Phyllis often attended the Mesa Temple.

Phyllis experienced failing health for many years, and Kenneth became her caregiver. In September 2016, she moved to a care center. Kenneth visited her during the day. When he became unable to drive due to dementia, members of his ward provided transportation for him to and from the care center.

In December, 2018, Phyllis passed away. At that time, Kenneth started living with his children, David one year, and Kenneth the other year. He loved watching golf, Music and the SpokenWord, and the birthday parties for President Thomas S. Monson and President Russell M. Nelson on YouTube. He loved watching John Wayne movies on his VCR player. He played ping pong up until his 90th birthday.

Kenneth died on 15 June 2023 in Tucson, Arizona, after a short illness. He was interred in the Binghampton Cemetery in Tucson, Arizona, on 8 July 2023.