ROCHESTER HILLS, Mich. — Kenneth Ernest Dunfield, of the town of Rochester Hills, entered eternal life Thursday, Oct. 1, 2015, at the age of 68 years, 11 months and 24 days.
Ken was born Oct. 7, 1946, in the town of Hurley, Mo., son of Charles Ernest and Jesse Lee (Cloud) Dunfield. He married Mary Jean (Menard) Rickus on Nov. 25, 1966, in Sault St. Marie, Mich.; they had two sons and divorced in 1992. He married Diane Carol (Riesch) Lighthall on Oct. 10, 2013, in Rockville, Md. Ken and Diane were a couple for 18 years before they married in 2013.
He enjoyed bird hunting as a young man, playing cribbage and rummy, golfing, woodworking and working on his cars. He was an avid pool player and played in many pool tournaments during his lifetime. He enjoyed hockey and was a Montreal Canadiens and Red Wings fan. He loved to travel in his GMC motor home to visit family and friends around the U.S. Ken served in the U.S. Air Force and in the Air National Guard of Michigan from May 1964 to April 1973. His last rank was a staff sergeant, E-5, protective equipment specialist/supervisor. He was a Vietnam veteran and taught pilots to survive if their planes crashed. In 2010 Ken was granted 100 percent veteran’s disability due to coronary artery disease, cardiomyopathy and diabetes mellitus type 2 associated with herbicide exposure in Vietnam. He will be deeply missed.
Ken is survived by his wife, Diane Carol (Riesch) Lighthall-Dunfield; his children, Carl Edward Dunfield of Washington, Mich., and Jeffrey Scott Dunfield of Tucson, Ariz.; a stepdaughter, Terry Nordquist; two step grandchildren, Courtney Breuhan (Ryan) and Brandy Harmon (Dennis); two great-grandchildren, CJ and Jack; an adoptive daughter, Esmeralda Pineda (Jose); three adoptive grandchildren, Kevin, Kamila and Michael. He is also survived by one brother, Robert Dunfield (Hazel) of Springfield, Mo.; five nieces, six nephews along with great-nieces and -nephews.
Ken was preceded in death by his parents; three sisters, Georgia (Faye) Barnett, San Diego, Calif., Glenna Maxine Bogusis (Joseph), New Hampshire, and Dixie Lee Johnson, Mesa, Ariz.; two brothers-in-law, Lex Johnson, Mesa, and Rollin Riesch, Oconomowoc, Wis.; one sister-in-law, Linda Marie Riesch, Oconomowoc; and one nephew, Mark Dunfield, Springfield.
Friends may attend a memorial service on Thursday at 11 a.m. at Potere-Modetz Funeral Home, 339 Walnut Blvd., Rochester. Visitation will be held from 10 a.m. until the time of the service at the funeral home. He will be interred at a future date.
Memorials in Kenneth’s name may be made to the Fallen and Wounded Soldiers Fund of Michigan, P.O. Box 33099, Bloomfield Hills, MI 48303-0003. The online guestbook can be found at www.modetzfuneralhomes.com.
Recent Comments