Kenneth Arthur Werner was born on April 5, 1934 in New Ulm, the oldest son of Arthur and Vera (Kuelbs) Werner. His German heritage includes being the maternal great-great grandson of Christian Ludwig Meyer, the official surveyor of the New Ulm town site.

Ken lived on a Milford Township farm that was established by German pioneers, 1861, and the site of the Henle Roadhouse on the old Timber Road. Essig was a thriving community at the time. He attended District #9 country school. Ken saw the horse replaced by the tractor in farm life.

Ken graduated from New Ulm Public High School in 1952. He lettered in football, basketball, and baseball. Ken was FFA Chapter President and won the State Farmer degree. He also played Essig team pasture baseball. Ken then graduated from the University of Minnesota (St. Paul campus) in 1956 with a bachelor’s degree in Agricultural Education. He financed his education by working at the local pea viner. After his military service, he graduated from Mankato State College in 1971 with an MBA degree in Business Management. This schooling was financed in part by VA benefits.

He volunteered for the U.S. Army and was stationed in Korea. Ken was assigned to the Korean Military Advisory Group in Seoul and Wonju during postwar recovery. When he was off duty, Ken traveled and studied Korean agriculture.

Ken was united in marriage to Mary Huhn in October 1956 while he was on Army leave. The first 15 months of their marriage was spent with Ken in Korea and Mary completing her nursing baccalaureate degree. Ken’s career included teaching agriculture and biology in Minnesota and then vegetable production management in Minnesota, Virginia, and Florida.

He traveled to 10 countries, 47 states, 6 Canadian provinces, along with 8 national parks. Highlights were major mountains, oceans, and rivers from the equator to the Arctic Circle. Ken’s retirement activities were travel, photography, and writing, with an emphasis on history and ecology. His personal efforts were directed at understanding black slavery in the South, Jewish Holocaust in Germany, and Indian genocide in the U.S. His book “A Trail of Blood” covers in detail the Indian War in New Ulm and Milford in 1862.

Ken and Mary’s family includes daughter, Lynn (Mark) Mullins of Green Bay and their children Kara (Tim) Pasche, Marissa Mullins, and Aaron (fiancee Maria) Mullins; daughter, Susan (Wes) Adams of St. Petersburg, FL and their children Gentry (Rob) Blackwood and Mallory Adams; and son, Steven (Tammi) Werner of Calhoun, GA and their children Madison Werner and Riley (Brooke) Werner. They also have five great-grandchildren: Sam, Ben, and Emma Pasche, Eliza Blackwood, and Emi Werner. A sixth great-grandchild, Lucy Blackwood, is expected in July.

Ken is survived by brothers Bob (Barb) Werner and Tom Werner. He was preceded in death by his parents, Art and Vera Werner as well as siblings Jerry Werner and Dave Werner.

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