Obituary of Kenneth Bernhardt Schuster

Kenneth Bernhardt Schuster, 79, of Los Alamos, New Mexico, passed away on February 22, 2024, surrounded by his children. Kenneth was born on July 24th, 1944 in Haxtun, Colorado. He graduated from Haxtun High School. He attended college at the University of Idaho where he received his Bachelor’s degree. He attended graduate school at Idaho State University where he received his Master’s and Doctorate degrees. He married the love of his life, Karen Diane Kohtz, in July 1968. They were happily married for 52 years and had 3 children and 8 grandchildren. Kenneth was a Captain, and Army Ranger, in the US Army, and served in Vietnam. Upon his honorable discharge from the Army in 1970, he farmed in western Idaho with his uncle, and then with his and brother. He decided to leave farming, and moved his family to Idaho Falls, Idaho in 1986 where he went to work for the Farm Home Administration. He later worked for the Idaho National Laboratory, before moving to Yakima, WA where he worked for the Washington State Department of Ecology as the state-wide metering coordinator until his eventual retirement in 2010. Kenneth loved spending time with his children and grandchildren, volunteering with his church as a licensed lay minster, and at the Concordia Lutheran Preschool, where he was known as “Papa Ken” to the many children to which he read books, and taught wood-working skills. He enjoyed fishing, hiking, reading, and cooking his signature tater-tot casserole dish. Kenneth moved to Los Alamos, New Mexico in September 2021 to be close to his eldest daughter and her family. He enjoyed the beautiful scenery of the Southwest. Most of all, Kenneth enjoyed spending time with his family. He was an amazing father and grandfather, and he was a good man. Kenneth is survived by his children LeAnn Purtzer-Cecil (Tony), Becky Oswald (Eric), Zachary Schuster (Sally), his grandchildren Hannah, Isaac, Liam, Iris, Eli, Josiah, Annabelle, and Matthias, and his brother Donald (Lorene), sister LaDonna, and sister-in-law Roberta. He is preceded in death by his loving wife Karen, his son-in-law Aaron Krantz, his parents, Bernhardt “Ben” and Emma “Rosetta” Schuster, his brothers Darold and David.

Kenneth’s memorial service will be held at Pullman Presbyterian Church on March 11th, 2024 at 6:00 PM. Donations can be made to World Vision, an organization Kenneth deeply believed in.