Dolores Amelia Kenyon, 94, of Sparta passed away Thursday, Oct. 9, 2014, at the Gundersen Health System in La Crosse.
Dolores was born February 12, 1920, to Arthur William Carl and Eleanor (Kroener) Siekert, in the township of Wells, Monroe County, WI.
Dolores attended Bush Prairie, St John’s schools and graduated from Sparta High School. After graduation, Dolores went on to attend Viroqua Normal Teacher’s School and later went on to receive her master’s degree in special education from La Crosse. Her first teaching assignments were in Purdy Valley Elementary, where she met Glen, and then Coles Valley Elementary. She was an extraordinary and caring teacher with the special education department in the Norwalk School District for many years.
She married Glen Kenyon on Feb. 13, 1943, in Sparta by the Rev. Arthur Berg. She and Glen farmed on Dorset Ridge and then in Bush Prairie, both in Monroe County, until they retired in 1982.
After retirement, Dolores remained an activist for people with disabilities. She was instrumental in educating the community on all of the opportunities in the area for people with physical and intellectual disabilities. She played a key role in keeping Arc of Monroe County strong. She, along with other volunteers, supported and encouraged people to become active in our community. Dolores was also a faithful, lifetime member of St. John’s Evangelical Lutheran Church in Sparta. She spent countless hours volunteering her time and talents for the church.
Dolores is survived by her three children, Patricia Kenyon of Kissimmee, Fla., Rodney Kenyon of Madison and Gary Kenyon of Sparta; and three grandchildren, Scott (Jessie) Grasse and their three children, Paul, Thomas and David Grasse, all of Hortonville, Wis., Eric Grasse of Huntsville, Ala., and Amanda (Matt) Beckler of Madison. She is further survived by her sisters, Ruth Poss of Tomah and Nerine (Fred) Kaase of Los Gatos, Calif.; several nieces, nephews and other relatives; and many dear friends.
Dolores was preceded in death by her husband, Glen, in 2007; her parents; and her sister and brother, Gladys Nauman and Harold Siekert.
Funeral services will be at 11 a.m. Wednesday, Oct. 15, at St. John Evangelical Lutheran Church in Sparta. Pastor Mark Wessell will officiate. Burial will follow in the church cemetery. Family and friends are invited for visitation from 5-7 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 14, at the Torkelson Page-Smith Funeral Home in Sparta. Visitation also will be held from 10 a.m. until the time of service at the church on Wednesday. In memory of Dolores, the family wishes for memorials to be donated lovingly in her name. Online condolences may be offered at www.torkelsonfuneralhome.com.