Kenneth B. Moore was born in Berkeley, California on January 11, 1941, to Lonzo B and Betty Lou Moore. His 9-year-old brother Don welcomed him home. Ken died on May 26, 2022, at the age of 81years. He is preceded in death by his father, mother, brother, and first wife Nettie.
Ken’s father, Lonzo, died when he was 6 years old but was a guiding influence through his life. Lonzo was a teacher for a college in Berkeley when Pearl Harbor was attacked. Most of Lonzo's students were arrested because they were Japanese. This was the first experience that contributed to Ken’s later call to a ministry with disenfranchised members of society. His family returned to Oklahoma City where Lonzo resumed his former position as an attorney writing laws for the Oklahoma Legislature. Lonzo also co-authored newspaper articles advocating women’s rights, another experience which contributed to Ken’s call to ministry and exposed him to the plight of those in less powerful positions.
After his father’s death, Ken and his family moved to Memphis, Tennessee. He graduated from college in 1963 and felt called to minister to people in need. However, Ken was drafted into the Army in 1963 and spent 2 years as an aide in the Physical Therapy Clinic at Ft. Bragg, NC. Following his years of service, Ken married Nettie Bergman. They had twin sons-- Jonathan Mark and David Matthew. Ken then completed his first master's degree in Old Testament. Following completion of seminary, Ken was called into the ministry of law enforcement. As a law enforcement officer, Ken served 20 years as patrol officer, investigator, undersheriff, sheriff, and chief of police. Additionally, Ken served 17 years as a Special Agent in the Army Reserve Criminal Investigation Command (CID). As appointed Sheriff of Dickinson County, Ken hired the first female patrol deputy for that department. Ken also worked closely with the local domestic violence/sexual assault center and with drug/alcohol counselors to establish an emergency hotline for Dickinson County.
Ken later moved to Hutchinson and taught criminal justice for 15 years. Many of his former students work in the criminal justice system, especially law enforcement. Ken married Dr. Carol Schrock Miller at First Mennonite Church in Hutchinson, KS, and became a stepfather to her three children, Kristine, James, and Katharine.
Following retirement from teaching, Ken worked part-time doing in-home family therapy with families involved in juvenile court through-out southcentral Kansas. He then became Director of Reno County Community Corrections where he helped develop a drug court that continues to serve the community today. Ken continued his work with families as a mediator in Restorative Justice’s family group conferencing with juvenile offenders and their victims in Wichita and Reno County. He also served as a member of the Kansas Advisory Group to the Kansas Juvenile Justice Authority and represented the State of Kansas on the federal Juvenile Justice Committee for the U.S. Justice Department's Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention. Ken returned to law enforcement in 2013 as Cawker City's law enforcement and code enforcement officer. He retired from his service in 2018.
Ken is survived by his wife Dr. Carol Moore, his children Jonathan (wife Shelly of Abilene, KS and their daughters – Rachael, (husband Cody, Salina, KS), Alyssa (husband Richie and daughter Nora, Salina, KS), and Katie (Abilene, KS)), and David (wife Staci, Little Rock, AK), and stepchildren Kristine (husband Dr. Scott Sullivan, Augusta, KS and children Zoe and David), James (wife Regina Miller, Wichita, KS and their children Cameron and Camille), and Dr. Katharine Miller (Las Vegas, NV).
From Ken: I have had the most amazing life. I owe everything wonderful in my story to my God. I have seen God throughout my life. Thank you, my God, for your almost daily showing yourself alive in situations I had limited control over. I felt like Joseph in the Bible, “The Lord was with him and the Lord blessed everything he did.” Genesis 39:3. Shalom, Salaam, and Peace to all.
Memorial service will be 10 a.m. Tuesday, May 31, 2022, at First Mennonite Church, 52 Rambler Road, Hutchinson, with Pastors Tonya Wenger and Jim Unruh officiating. Burial will follow in the church columbarium. Military honors will be conducted by the Fort Riley Honor Guard. Friends may sign the book from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday at Elliott Mortuary.
In lieu of flowers, memorials are suggested to The Zone (a youth ministry for unchurched with disadvantaged youth in Reno County, Hospice and HomeCare of Reno County, or Mennonite Central Committee (for the benefit of the Restorative Justice program), in care of Elliott Mortuary and Crematory, 1219 N. Main, Hutchinson, KS 67501.