Kenneth Vernon Gilchrist
Kenneth Vernon Gilchrist passed away on August 14, 2024, at Addington Place Assisted Living in Fairfield, Iowa. Funeral services will begin at 10:00 a.m. on Wednesday, August 21, 2024 at the Christ United Methodist Church in Douds, IA with Pastor Mary Kathryn Hart officiating. Burial will be in the Mt. Moriah Cemetery immediately following the service. Visitation will be held at Christ United Methodist Church in Douds, IA on Tuesday, August 20, 2024 beginning at 3:00 p.m. with the family present to greet friends from 5:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. Memorials in Kenny’s honor may be directed to the church or to the Van Buren County 4-H Program. Friends may leave online condolences at www.cranstonfamilyfuneralhome.com.
He was born on May 27,1933 to Ralph and Ada (Wallace) Gilchrist in rural Knoxville, Iowa. His family later moved to a farm near Douds. He attended Hissem country school, Troy Independent School, various schools in Tennessee, finally Douds High School and then received his GED while serving in the military. Kenneth worked on the family farm and did custom baling for neighbors. He worked at the Douds Stone rock quarry until being inducted into the army in 1954. While serving in this capacity, he volunteered to take part in an experimental program at the Chemical Corps Medical Laboratories in Maryland. Here he was subjected to various gasses and chemicals to observe the effect they had on the human body. He actually was a guinea pig. Later, each volunteer received a letter of appreciation from President Eisenhower for this service. After being honorably discharged from the military, he married the love of his life, Janet Dooley on June 3,1956 in the Methodist Church in Douds, Iowa. Kenneth then began his life-long career of farming. Together Kenneth and Janet lovingly raised two children, Lora Lee and Kyle Kenneth. He also began selling Pioneer seed corn, continuing for over 20 years. When Pioneer developed a bull breeding program, he became involved in selling bulls and began raising and developing his own herd of registered Red Angus cattle.
Kenneth became actively involved in 4-H activities and started the Livewires club for boys in the Douds area and served on both the County Fair Board and Extension Board for several years. He served as President for both organizations and was inducted into the Iowa State 4-H Hall of Fame in 2015.
He was an active member of the Douds Community Club & Field Day organization for many years. He had a life-long love of horses and directed many activities involving horses for Douds Field Day. He and his friend David King were instrumental in helping to restore the Douds Field Day grounds and regenerating interest in improving Douds Field Day after the grounds had nearly deteriorated. He and his wife, Janet, were Grand Marshall of the 1991 Douds Field Day parade.
He was part of a group who provided rides at Christmas time in Bloomfield and surrounding communities. He and friends, Carlton Ebert and Royale Peacock also gave rides for weddings including the one for Kenneth and Janet’s daughter Lora to Chris Colter in 1991.
Upon retirement from farming full time, Kenneth began raising Boer goats. He and Janet were among those who started the Iowa Meat Goat Association. This group was instrumental in getting approval from the Iowa State Fair Board to show goats at the Iowa State Fair. The Board was skeptical, however and allowed it for that one year with contingency upon its success. The activity has earned much participation of 4-H and FFA members ever since.
To improve his herd, Kenneth purchased some Spanish and Savannah goats and expanded on those breeds. After a 2016 accident with his horses, his health began to deteriorate and in 2019 he had a complete dispersal but later bought more goats to start a new herd.
Surviving Kenneth are his loving wife Janet, son Kyle, son-in-law Chris Colter and wife Alane, 6 grandchildren, step granddaughter, Chez and husband Bob Hodgson of Parkville, MO; Cyrus Colter and fiancé Jessicka of Lake Ozark, MO; Calvin Colter and fiancé Micah of Kansas City, MO; Clayton, Kaya & Chade Gilchrist of Bloomfield & Douds, 3 great grandsons: Dawson, Hayden and Griffin Hodgson; sisters June Clark of Deer Lodge, TN, Betty McQuoid of Keosauqua, IA and several nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents: Ralph & Ada Gilchrist, daughter Lora Colter, brother Clayton, baby sister Patty Lou, brothers-in-law: Denton Clark, Marvin McQuoid and Dwain Dooley. Kenneth was a member of the United Methodist Church in Douds.