Kenneth Wayne Calkins

Kenneth Wayne Calkins (born September 6th, 1926, passed peacefully in his sleep on April 2nd, 2024 at 97 years of age. Ken was born on a farm in Evans, Colorado in 1926. During the Great Depression the family lost the farm, leading them to move to Loveland. Ken grew up and went through the schools in Loveland. He was a proud member of the 1942 Loveland High State Football State Champions. Upon graduating from high school, he immediately enlisted in the Army Air Corps and was on the troop train heading to basic training on June 6, 1944. He had aspirations of becoming a pilot or navigator and started pilot training. With an overabundance of pilots at this point in the war though, he was transferred to mechanic’s school. As a mechanic. he worked on the B-25s at a pilot training base in California to the war’s end. He would tell you that he had an undisguisable military career as he never deployed, yet he was part of the Greatest Generation and indeed did do his part. After his service, he enrolled in the University of Colorado, where he obtained a BS in Chemical Engineering.  He married Barbara Uhrich,  in 1950 and almost reached 74 years of marriage.  After working for several years in the petroleum industry in the Oklahoma and Texas panhandles, he returned home to Colorado to work at Rocky Flats to have a 35-year career there.  

Ken had a tremendous passion for genealogy.  He founded the Calkins Family Association, published a book about the Calkins Family in America, and helped numerous friends and relatives trace their lineages.  One of Ken's greatest loves was the Colorado mountains, particularly Longs Peak. He could recite the elevations of many of Colorado's peaks and loved to quiz people about rivers, mountain ranges, and all of the beautiful geography in the state. Ken remained unusually vibrant and strong until his last breath.  He was a favorite patient of many doctors and his community because of his unusual vitality, hard work and good nature. Ken leaves behind wife Barbara, daughter Dana (Philip Burns), and granddaughters Alicia Marie Burns and Zuri Danielle Burns.  He is preceded in death by his parents Wesley Calkins and Mina Olive Drake and 5 siblings.  

Services will be at the First United Methodist Church in Loveland.  533 Grant Avenue, Friday April 26th, at 3:00.  Reception with hors d'oeurvres to follow at the church.

Donations can be made to the Calkins Family Association Donate, 

or to the Healing Warriors Program in Fort Collins https://www.healingwarriorsprogram.org/donate/

If sending flowers, Rowes florist in Loveland has access to the Methodist church.