Kenneth Holwell

Kenneth Dean Holwell died on Monday, July 15, 2024, after an eleven-year struggle with pulmonary fibrosis. His children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren were with him when he left.

Ken was born May 6, 1934, at home in Osage, WY to parents Myrle and Helen (Larsen) Holwell. He joined his older sister Jean, and in the following years, his brothers, Cliff, and Fred joined the family. The family moved to Igloo, South Dakota during the 2^nd World War. After the war, they moved back to Weston County, close to the large Larsen and Holwell clans. A few years later, the family moved to Sheridan, WY, where, other than his years in the Army, Ken lived until his death.

School was never Ken’s source of pleasure, other than shop class. He was too confined to a classroom and wanted to learn and create on his own terms. When he was a senior in high school, he decided to join the Army with some of his older friends. He was seventeen and needed his parents’ consent, so with a small alteration to his birth certificate, he was able to enlist on his own. He joined the paratroopers, although he had never been on a plane. He spent the next 3 ½ years at Ft. Bragg, NC, during which time he made lifelong friendships, including his Sargent, Don Watson and fellow paratrooper, Chuck Asberry.

He returned to Sheridan following his service and worked several jobs, which he would quit when the schedule interfered with his hunting. He spent several years working at Germain’s and Decker Coal. Following the 4-year strike at Decker Coal, he retired at 62 and lived life to the fullest, doing what he loved.

Ken met and married Jean Blakeman on February 16, 1968, and they celebrated their 56^th wedding anniversary this year. They had three children, Stephen, Aaron, and Debra. He spent many days in the mountains teaching his values and skills. He was a teacher by demonstrating rather than telling. Ken was a man born at least 100 years too late. He would have chosen to be a mountain man, living in the mountains and recreating that life the best he could by spending free time there. He enjoyed hunting, fishing, hiking, and camping with his friends Jim Young, Gary Laya, Bud Sweeney, Jerry Smiley, Jerry and Larry Bauman, his sons or sometimes alone with his dogs. His interests during his first 80 years of life included photography, auctions, flint knapping, archery, guns, leatherwork, metal detecting, looking for arrowheads, attending rendezvous throughout Wyoming and Montana.

His mornings were spent going to the YMCA to exercise, having coffee at the Ritz, or at Kim’s restaurant, where the guys would discuss and solve the problems of the world, he would then take his dog, Nik, for a long walk or ride his bike for several miles.

In the last 10 years, as his joints wore out and he could no longer do the physical activities as much, he began developing his skills in silversmithing, leather and beadwork. For a man who did not take to book-learning, he became an avid reader of western history and enjoyed visiting with everyone about what he learned. In the past two years, he spent more time in his recliner, watching TV and holding his dog Gemma Jane, who he had inherited after Stephen’s death in 2022.

Ken was extremely talented and creative. He was also a perfectionist and, in his eyes, the things that he created were never good enough, although others had trouble seeing the “defects” that he pointed out. He had the ability to see a problem and find a solution without instruction. He was able to pass these skills and qualities on to his children and grandchildren.

Ken was proceeded in death by his parents, Myrle and Helen, his son Stephen, his sister- and brother-in-law, Jean and Junior Barnes, his brother- and sister-in-law, Cliff and Shirley Holwell, his sister-in-law Lucille Holwell as well as his aunts and uncles. He is survived by his wife Jean. His brother Fred Holwell, his children, Aaton (Nikki) Holwell, Debra (Brandon) Ives, and daughter-in-law Stacy Holwell. His grandchildren, Sterling (Jonica) Stringer, Kavee Smith, Derek (Maddie) Holwell, Skyler (Jessica) Holwell, Tristen (Korrina) Holwell, Chloe Ives, Keira Ives, Rileigh Ives, and Kennedy Ives; his great granddaughters, Brynlee Holwell, Kaislee Holwell, Sutton Stringer and Chesney Holwell, each of whom lit up his eyes with happiness whenever he saw them during his last days. Ken was also survived by unofficially adopted children and grandchildren, Lisa Heagney, Ryan Shaw, Bella Miller, plus many others who passed through their home for varying lengths of time.

The family wants to thank Ken’s friends, who maintained contact with him through the years up to his death. Special thanks go to the Home-Based Care Team from the VA who visited Ken throughout the past year. Thanks to the Memorial Hospital Hospice team who helped him and Jean during the last weeks of his life.

In memory of Ken, he would want people to spend time with friends and family making memories to be shared, laughed, and cried over as his family did often, but especially during his last days with us.

Private family services are planned. Online condolences may be made to www.sheridanfuneral.com. Arrangements are under the care of Sheridan Funeral Home.