Kenneth "Kenny" George Sandvig

     Kenneth, known as Kenny, was born September 21, 1936, in Rolfe, Iowa, the eighth child of George and Rose (Johnson) Sandvig.  Kenny was raised in Laurens, Iowa, where he received his education. He entered the United States Navy at a very young age, and served four years, including three years on the USS Essex.

     While in the service, Kenny discovered a talent for cutting hair, and following his discharge from the Navy, became a cosmetologist. He married his one and only school sweetheart, Ellen Ford, at St. Ambrose Cathedral in Des Moines, Iowa, on September 27, 1958. They had three children, Jeanne, Janet, and Kenneth, Jr. (Okie).

      In their younger years, Kenny and Ellen lived in Bloomfield, Laurens, and Audubon before settling in Spencer in 1972. Both hairstylists, the couple owned and operated beauty salons in the communities where they lived. Kenny very much enjoyed people, his customers, acquaintances, and the strong friendships made along the way, and he continued to care about them all his life.

     Ellen was always by his side, and they raised their three kids traveling, either piled into a station wagon, or taking camping trips in old school buses they converted into campers. Many summer vacations were spent at Leech Lake, Minnesota, fishing and relaxing and where they met life-long friends. Kenny was talented at carpentry, enjoyed pheasant hunting, dogs, fishing, and all kinds of boats. A highlight in later years was four-wheeling in South Dakota, with his son, Okie, and grandson, Jake. When he became less active, he liked staying social and informed through his computer, watching television, and was an avid Twins Baseball fan. He was a member of Sacred Heart Catholic Church.

     Mostly, he loved spending time with his family, relatives, and friends, and his door was always open for visitors. He adored his grandkids and great grandkids, and he was proud of his family. He was charismatic, kind, funny and forever young at heart. He loved to laugh. He loved life and he was deeply loved in life.    

     Kenneth G. Sandvig, age 83, died Thursday, February 27, 2020, at St. Luke Lutheran Home in Spencer (during a brief stay for therapy).

     Kenny was preceded in death by his parents and his siblings: Evelyn Sandvig; Charlene (Bruce) Sanden; Rosemary (Don) Dershem; Raymond Sandvig; Robert (Winnie) Sandvig; Dorothy Pellant and his favorite companion, his dog, Holly-Bell.

     Left to cherish his memory are his loving wife, Ellen; his three children: Jeanne (Dan) McEntee; Janet (Jay) Muller; Kenneth, Jr, known as Okie (Julie) Sandvig; his seven grandchildren: John (Janelle) McEntee; Jill (Luke) Sears; Christy (Boone) Bjorklund; Kathryn (Nick) Fairbanks; Amanda Sandvig, Nichole (Alex) Fleming; and Jacob Sandvig; his ten great grandchildren: Avery and Alayna McEntee; Halle, Maggie, and Gage Sears; Ellie and Ross Bjorklund; and Adelyn, Bentyn, and Ellyn Fairbanks; his brother and sister-in-law, Gene (Bev) Sandvig, his sister-in-law Dorothy (Raymond) Sandvig, many dear nieces, nephews, friends, long-time dedicated salon employee, Donna Meyer, and coffee buddies, Tom and Bob.

Blessed be the memory of Kenneth (Kenny) G. Sandvig.

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