LTC (Retired) Kenneth R. Neher May 18, 1931 – May 25, 2019 Share this obituary Sign Guestbook| Send Sympathy Card Graveside service with full military honors for LTC (Retired) Kenneth R. Neher will be 11:00 a.m. Friday, May 31, 2019 in Fort Sill National Cemetery, Elgin, under direction of Becker-Rabon Funeral Home. The family will greet friends from 6-7 pm Thursday at the funeral home. LTC (Retired) Kenneth R. Neher died May 25, 2019.
He was born on May 18, 1931, to Russell and Ora Neher in Abilene, Kansas. He attended grades 1-12 in Abilene and graduated with the class of 1949. After high school, he worked retail sales and service in Salina, Kansas.
He married Glorianne Schur of Minneapolis, Kansas, on December 16, 1956, at First United Methodist Church of Minneapolis, Kansas. They lived in DeRidder, Louisiana; Columbus, Georgia; El Paso, Texas; Waikiki, Wahiawa, and Schofield Barracks, Hawaii; Milwaukee, Wisconsin; Wheat Ridge, Colorado; and Lawton, Oklahoma, during their career Army life together with their daughter, Lee Anne, and son, Steve. Oklahoma has been their home since 1970.
He entered the Army from the Kansas National Guard in late 1953 as a PVT-2 and retired I May 1975 in the grade of Lt. Col. He was a Staff Sgt.
In the Field Artillery in the Spring of 1957 when selected to attend Artillery Officers Candidate School at Fort Sill, Oklahoma. He graduated in May 1958 as a Second Lieutenant. Major assignments included a command of two artillery batterys, and staff work as a BN S-3 and XO.
He served 27 months in Vietnam as an advisor to Sub-Sector Chief and BN XO in a Field Artillery BN. Among his cherished awards are the Legion of Merit, Bronze Star (3 awards), Combat Infantry Badge, and Vietnam Cross of Gallantry. His last assignment was in Field Artillery School supervising and teaching students and subordinates the Army Maintenance Management System and Preventive Maintenance procedures.
He held this same assignment as a civilian from 1977 to 1995. For his many contributions to the Field Artillery of nearly 40 years, he was awarded the Ancient Order of Saint Barbara and the North Wing of Summerall Hall was named in his honor. Since retirement, he enjoyed hiking in the Wichita Mountains, spending time with his children and grandchildren, and doing volunteer work.
He was preceded in death by his parents, and his wife of 54 years, Glorianne, and his sister, Joanne Knox, of Clay Center, Kansas . He is survived by his daughter, Lee Anne Zeigler of Tulsa, Oklahoma; son, Steve Neher of Lawton, Oklahoma; one sister, Betty Hampton of Abilene, Kansas, and four grandchildren,four great-grandchildren; and numerous nephews and nieces. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Lawton Salvation Army, 1306 SW E Avenue, Lawton, Oklahoma 73501.
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