Kenneth Robert Garrigues, age 78, transitioned from this life to be with his Savior on January 18, 2023, surrounded by his family in his home.
Kenny was born on May 27, 1944, in Pratt, Kansas, to Charles and Helen Garrigues. Graduating from Preston High School, Class of 1963 in Preston, Kansas. He was first on the draft list in 1964 and off to war in January of 1965 with the United States Air Force. He proudly served our country earning the rank of Sergeant, Level E4, stationed in Don Muang RTAFB, Thailand. Kenny’s auto body skills learned during his career in the Air Force helped him restore many boats and cars for friends. Kenny studied Moral Psychology and Fire Science, earning a degree from Hutchinson Community College in Criminal Justice and later became a firearms instructor that believed every child should learn gun respect and safety. Ken loved his job as the State of Kansas Area Manager for Cheney Reservoir, first with the Kansas Fish and Game and later as Kansas Wildlife and Parks. Kenny lost his first child, a son, but later welcomed two daughters Kenda Jo (Garrigues) Eloriaga and Kristin Jan (Garrigues) Fairbank. Kenny taught his young daughters to love nature by caring for wildlife as well as how to water ski, fish, hunt, firearm safety and to become an excellent marksman.
In 1987, Kenny found the love of his life and was united in marriage to Patricia Byrne (Burr). She completed his family with the addition of her children that he loved as his own, James D. Byrne, Mary Christine Byrne, and Deborah Suzanne Callaway. Kenny and Pat spent nearly 36 years together filled with many happy memories. Kenny completed a 35-year career as Area Game Manager for the Kansas Wildlife and Parks and moved to Grand Lake Oklahoma to be near the family he loved and fulfilling his lifelong dream to live on a blue water lake.
In his life and during his retirement, Kenny could be found taking care of others. Kenny was the first to step up to help when a child or animal needed anything. He was a “jack-of-all-trades” and spent much of his time enjoying his passion for cooking, yard work, gardening, research, politics, and most of all: spending time with his family. Kenny was known for his “truckers gardens” and Master Gardening skills he learned as a small child helping at his grandparents Greenhouse, Nursery and Garden center near Hutchinson Kansas.
Kenny was a loving great-grandfather, grandfather, father, uncle, husband and son. Kenny was preceded in death by his parents Charles Louis and Helen Marjorie Stanley-Garrigues, his brother Charles Garrigues, his sisters Lola and Jeanine, his infant son, and great granddaughter Hope Plank. He is survived by his wife Patricia Garrigues of the home, and his children by marriage that he loved as his own, Jim Byrne, Christine Byrne and Deborah Byrne Callaway of Grove, OK, Natural daughters Kenda Jo (Garrigues) Eloriaga (Husband Elbert Eloriaga) of Denver CO, and Kristin (Garrigues) Fairbank and children Rylie Jan and Bryson Dean Fairbank of Hays, KS. Adored grandchildren: Bryce (Cynthia) Byrne, Katie (Ryan) Duval, Karissa (Michael) Creech, Coty (Kali) Callaway, Tyler Plank, Andrew (Ashley) Callaway, Hannah Barnes, Rylie Fairbank, Bryson Fairbank; great grandchildren: Devin, Brendon, Kamdyn, Kenzlee, Tynlee, Zoey, Elizabeth, Easton, Tristan, Benson, Sloan, Natalie, Bodi.
A visitation will be held from 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM, Friday, January 27, 2023, with funeral services starting at 1:00 PM at Worley-Luginbuel Funeral Home, Grove, Oklahoma. Kenneth will be laid to rest in Olympus North Cemetery in Grove, Oklahoma.