Kenneth Kaiser,

Today we lost an extraordinary man. A loving husband, father, grandfather, brother, uncle, and friend. Kenneth Le Roy Kaiser, son of Michael and Lucile Kaiser, was born on the tenth month, second day of '38 in Crook, Colorado. He left us on July 5th 2017 to go fishing with Jesus. He married the love of his life Karin Emma Lester on October 27, 1956. They shared 60 years together and raised a family of 4 daughters and one son. Family was extremely important to him. The driveway was always full as everyone would come to gather at their house whether it be a family birthday, a holiday dinner, a cup of coffee out on the patio or at the kitchen table. He loved to sit and listen to all of our voices and when his hearing was beginning to fail he would just smile and laugh along. His love for his wife was evident each day always making sure she was cared for. In times that he was away from her he could be heard saying “how do you think mom is doing” and “let's give mom a call”. His hobbies were many and his talents were great. He loved to hunt, fish, boat, garden cook, can, and bake. He will always be remembered for his famous salsa, apple pies, pineapple upside down cake, and cinnamon rolls with pineapple, raisins and maple frosting. But most of all he will be remembered for his garlic sausage made out of the deer or antelope that he and his son Kenny JR would shoot and bring home every fall. He was very proud of his yard and his 100 year old apple tree with which he made his famous apple pies. He was also proud of the wild yellow roses that he planted for Karin that line the driveway. Not only did he keep his home and yard perfectly groomed he would run back and forth to his home away from home at Deadmans Basin to tend to the yard and his three gardens there. He had a knack for making a useful tool out of whatever might be lying around. He handmade our first family camper. He also made carts to haul his elk out of the mountains by using the tires off an old motorcycle and an old metal army bed frame. He was thrifty and nothing went to waste. As a self taught mechanic he could keep any vehicle running, whether you wanted it to or not, even if it caught fire in the hospital parking lot! Well, that honestly did happen and that 1964 Ford Fairlane was up and running again within the week . He was always just a phone call away if anyone needed help and he would drop what he was doing to come to the rescue. In his lifetime he courageously fought many health battles. He never ceased to shower praises on his entourage of doctors at the Billings Clinic, claiming over and over that you just couldn't get better care anywhere. He fooled them many times by surviving the improbable and even impossible odds. They provided great comfort care to his very last breath. Many thanks to the Billings Clinic caregivers! Despite his many surgeries he never let it get him down. He was always cheerful and his drive was to get stronger and work harder. He could out work, out man and out last the rest of us no matter his age not stopping to eat until the work was done even if the sun set first! He worked for Coca-Cola in his younger days then at Thompson Dairy and finally at Jersey Creamery until they closed their doors. Although working at Jersey Creamery was a lot of heavy lifting and very hard work having a milk man in the family meant lots of ice cream, butter, whole milk and unfortunately heart disease! He then moved onto retirement which just meant he worked even harder than when he had a paying job! He put himself last and his wife and family first. We treasure our memories of a life spent with this wonderful man. Kenny was preceeded in death by his parents Michael and Lucile Kaiser; siblings, Leona, Catherine, Virgil, Howard and Michael Kaiser, Mary Ann Spalinger, and Carol Edwards. Kenny is survived his loving wife, Karin; children, Kathy (Kaiser) Swenson, Janet (Kaiser) Dolar (Mark) , Kenny Kaiser Jr (Melinda), Kim Kaiser and Karin (Kaiser) Rutherford (Rick); brother, Bill Kaiser (Carole); sisters, Margaret Keating (Dave) and Patti Erickson; sister-in-law, Jessie Kramer; brother-in-law, Raymond Lester; grandchildren, Dan Paul Schafer, Christopher Schafer, Justin Kaiser, Jeremy Bolstad, Ryan Kaiser, Shawn Jo Boylan, Angela Jones, Scott Dolar, Patrick Boylan, Seth Dolar, Brennen Kaiser, Jenna Kaiser, Kristin Kaiser and Park Stumm; and 24 great-grandchildren.