KDSN RADIO News
Embodying a lifetime of service and wisdom
Kenneth L Davis has seen it all.
He moved to Denison from Cherokee in 1957 after a job transfer and has been here since.
“...Only about 4500 people there at that time… The packinghouses weren’t here, and most of the town that I tried to find a house to live in was on mud streets. When I started looking for a place to live, that was something else.”
Davis says things aren’t the same in Denison as they were in the 1950s.
“Everything changed, they've paved a lot of the blocks in town and things got a lot better and it is right now today, pretty decent...I enjoy being here in Denison."
He retired from his job with the Iowa Department Of Transportation as a construction survey member after 44 years. Before that, he enlisted in the Navy in 1946 and eventually served as Seaman First Class on the destroyer Douglas H. Fox.
“I was in the South Pacific, through the Caribbean, all through the Eastern part of the country, and Europe."
Davis continued to serve in many ways over the years – even at 94 years old. Through the years, he volunteered in the community and his church in many ways. He was a coach and umpire for little league baseball and softball. He says everyone should take time to make their communities a better place by volunteering.
"My personal opinion is if you're in a town you should participate in everything… Just like everything else, if you don't volunteer for something or other it doesn't get done.”
Davis says he wanted to make a difference in his community and the lives of the people he lived with.
“The pay is great…sometimes I get a thank you!"
Davis is still out and about going to the swimming pool and spending time with friends a couple of nights a week.
