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Kenneth Wayne Ladner
© Grace Memorial Chapel
01-2012
Submitted by: Jo Aguirre


Kenny Ladner went to be with his Lord on Saturday, January 7, 2012, at Ponca City Medical Center. He was 62 years old.

Born Kenneth Wayne Ladner on November 28, 1949, in Ponca City, Oklahoma, he was the youngest child of Jim and Phyllis Wells Ladner. Kenny had two older siblings, David and Linda. Growing up, Kenny and his family loved to go fishing, hunting and doing things as a family they had a strong family bond. Kenny was very active in all YMCA youth sports during his elementary years with mentoring from his father who helped by coaching and serving as a referee. Kennys love was football, and he was proud to play for the Ponca City Wildcats. He also enjoyed singing and was in the PoHi Chorale. Kenny graduated from Ponca City Senior High School with the Class of 1968. He was employed at Smittys Mens Wear while in high school and also while attending Northern Oklahoma College in Tonkawa. While at NOC, Kenny was involved in several theatrical productions and was a member of the Roustabouts, a singing performance group. Ken then moved to Oklahoma City where he managed McFaddens for Men Clothing Store for two years. He then moved back to Ponca City in 1972 as Assistant Manager for the new TGY store in Ponca Plaza. Kenny was a salesman deluxe and with his outgoing personality and love for life attitude he excelled in retail business.

In 1974, Kenny took a job as a paper salesman for Capital Paper Company in Oklahoma City. In August of that year, he married Susan Skinner of Ponca City. They made their home in Oklahoma City and Midwest City. While in Midwest City, a son, Zachary Lee, was born. Wanting to raise their children in a good home town and being homebodies and missing their families, they moved back to Ponca City where Kenny started the Pipe Parlor at the Compound Mall the old Montgomery Ward building. Many people will remember Ken with a full beard sitting in his antique dental chair smoking a pipe or cigar quite a site Soon after moving back to Ponca City, the family was complete when a daughter, Holly Lynn, was born to this union.

Kenny loved his children with all his heart. He participated in all areas of their lives, helping coach their sports teams, serving as Cubmaster for Pack 53, and making sure they got to their dance lessons and Camp Fire and Cub Scout activities as needed. He supported and encouraged his children in every phase of their lives. Ken purchased a 1965 Ford Mustang Convertible and a 1929 Pontiac which he drove in parades. Kenny was also fortunate to have worked with Truman Smith, a very special friend, now deceased, on his movie Red, White and Black. Kenny also met and worked with Weird Al Yankovich on a movie UHF.

Kenny also had a love for photography and never left home without his camera. For a while, Ken set up an Antique Photography studio and took many pictures for individuals in the Ponca City area. He collected antique cameras and at one time had over 300 antique cameras in his collection.

Ken had an opportunity to go to work for Conoco in the Research and Development Division as a lab technician. Ken was active in the Conoco Employees Association CEA and for several years was in charge of their monthly Bingo games, Easter egg hunts and Christmas parties. Kenny loved people and never met a stranger. He always had a smile on his face and definitely had the gift of gab.

After Kens divorce in 1988, Ken had several other employment opportunities that he pursued. After he left Conoco, Ken worked for Quality Water, Leach Paper Co., Bridgeway and as a Security Guard for the Conoco Complex. He also continued to pursue his love of photography and was known for taking sport and team pictures. During this time, Ken met and fell in love with Betty Katherine Kathy Hicks. On New Years Eve, December 31, 1993, Ken married Kathy. On their first date, Ken showed his cooking skills and fixed a meal including a ribeye steak, julienne potatoes and corn. It must have worked, as every year on their anniversary they shared that same meal. Ken and Kathy had 18 wonderful years as husband and wife. When they married, Kenny gained another daughter, Amber Dawn HicksLadner. Kenny claimed Amber as his own daughter. Ken and Kathy attended church at Longwood Baptist where Ken would often lead the singing.

Ken and Kathy loved being together and enjoyed traveling, making several trips to Las Vegas and other places. They were extremely competitive at SkipBo, checkers and fishing. According to Kathy, she won most of the time, but occasionally had to let Kenny win Ken and Kathy loved making arts and crafts and had a special love for holidays. They used to kid each other and say they were Ma and Pa Kettle as they would load their car up with snacks and drinks and head to the lake to watch the fireworks at Fourth of July celebrations.

In 2003, Ken and Kathy experienced the birth of their first grandchild, Braden DeRoy Ladner. This was a role they both enjoyed. It was then that Brady who had several grandpas gave Kenny his favorite name, PaPa No Hair. A second grandchild was born in 2006, Riley Cole Ladner. Kennys role as PaPa No Hair was extremely satisfying and he continued supporting Brady and Riley with their school activities and sporting events. They enjoyed many afternoons of making cookies, playing games and sitting on PaPas lap. Ken and Kathy loved to make birthday cakes for the family and included the grandkids in designing some very cute cakes.

One of Kennys dreams was to have a little car with a big oogah horn to drive in parades. He had wanted to dress as Santa Claus and have Kathy dress as Mrs. Claus and participate in holiday parades. He had worked very hard for several years to bring this dream alive. This past year, he finished the car and actually drove it in the Arkalalah Parade in Ark City, Kansas. Kennys health was not good the past several years. He suffered several heart attacks and a stroke in November and was unable to ride in the Ponca City Christmas Parade.

Kenny was a good husband to Kathy wonderful father to Zac, Holly and Amber and a super PaPa No Hair for Brady and Riley. He was also very involved with caring for his mother, especially after she experienced some health problems. He would call her every morning and every night like clockwork and always make sure she had what she needed. Kenny was a loving son, excellent husband, and a lover of animals. Kenny has always had pets in his life. He loved his Labradors, Chewie and Taffy Lynn, now deceased, as well as Delilah, Gretchen and Punkin. He will be missed by all.

Surviving Ken are his wife Kathy of the home his mother, Phyllis Ladner of Ponca City son, Zachary Lee and wife Kendra of Ponca City and daughters, Holly Lynn of Kingfisher and Amber Dawn of Blackwell grandchildren Braden DeRoy and Riley Cole Ladner of Ponca City also siblings David Ladner and his wife, Julie, of Arlington, Texas, and sister Linda Petrie, of Ponca City motherinlaw, Betty Hicks of Blackwell brotherin law, Richard Hicks and wife Katrina of Cheney, KS, and sisterin law Kelly Fierce and husband Keith of Blackwell. Kenny is survived by numerous cousins, nieces, nephews and a host of friends.

Ken was preceded in death by his grandparents, his dad, Jim Ladner, brotherinlaw, Richard Petrie, aunt and uncle, Marilyn and Freddie Nelson, Aunt Charlotte Goad and his best friend, Larry Reynolds.

Funeral Services will be held at 2 p.m. Tuesday, January 10, 2012 at Longwood Baptist Church with Rev. Matt Smith of Immanuel Baptist Church of Blackwell officiating. Burial will follow at Longwood Cemetery.

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