Kenneth A Dehnhoff Jr.

Kenneth (Ken) Allyn Dehnhoff Jr., 82, of Isabella, was reunited with his late wife (Mae), on October 22nd after a brief illness.

Ken was born in Wisconsin, to the late Kenneth Dehnhoff Sr. and Claire Lucille Rogstad Dehnhoff. After spending his childhood on the family farm in Wisconsin, Kenny moved with his family to Isabella, MN. He spent many years as a logger in the Superior National Forest, and later working for the forest service. Mae & Ken married in 1966 and raised four children. In the late 1970s, they built their log home in Isabella with the help of friends and family. Their home was host to many family gatherings, visits from their grandchildren and friends. Ken & Mae enjoyed many roadtrips together; they particularly enjoyed traveling to Black Hills, South Dakota and visiting family in Colfax, Wisconsin. After 51 years of marriage, Mae passed away (2018) following a long battle with cancer. Both during and after her illness, their long-standing community showed up in solidarity, gifting them a deeper sense of kinship.

In the years after Mae’s death, Ken leaned into their circle and found joy in spending time with his friends and family, with the occasional beer. He liked to say, it’s always noon somewhere.

Ken enjoyed what the family lovingly called “tinkering” in his garage, as he was a very creative thinker. Much of his time was spent wood working; he collected countless diamond willows on his four wheeler rides and whittled them all by hand. Most recently, he proudly made round tables from a fallen tree, often counting the rings as he showcased his finished work. Ken was always trying to make someone smile with his crafts, whether it was a pompom for a child’s hat, an improvised contraption or a homemade wind chime. He left behind a lifetime of jokes and memories.

He was preceded in death by his wife of 51 years, Mae Dehnhoff; his daughter, Ruth Dehnhoff Noethe; his parents, Kenneth Sr. and Claire Lucille Dehnhoff; parents-in-law Richard and Mabel Singleton, and brothers-in-law Dwight, Raymond and Richard Singleton Jr., Charles Tekautz, Alfred Melting, and William Gilbertson.

Kenneth is survived by daughter, Deborah Dehnhoff; sons, Kent (Anni) Dehnhoff and Alan (Jessica) Dehnhoff; son-in-law Todd Noethe; grandchildren Josephine, Leo (Grace), Paul, Olivia, Ellen, Zach, Lilian, and Lain; great-granddaughter Annikka; sisters Lonna Gilbertson and Pam (Jerry) Finley; sisters-in-law Nancy Tekautz, Lila (Adrian) VanDeVoort, and Gail Melting; as well as many nieces, nephews and special cousins.

A celebration of life will be announced in the near future.