Kenneth Edwin Hegle, 61, Minot died on Saturday, March 12, 2011 in a Minot hospital following a brief illness.

Ken was born on June 8, 1949 in Britton, SD to Gerald and Opal (Nordin) Hegle. He grew up in Gwinner, ND and attended school there. He graduated in 1967 from North Sargent High School. He continued his education at the University of North Dakota, Grand Forks, prior to serving in the U.S. Army from 1969 until 1975 where he was stationed in South Korea. Following his honorable discharge he attended Valley City State University where he received degrees in biology and physical education. As a high school student he was employed at Melroe Bobcat in Gwinner and worked as a Park Ranger for the U.S. Forest Service while in college at Valley City State.

Ken married Donna Spooner on June 5, 1971 in Noonan. They made their home in the communities where Ken was employed including Valley City and Walhalla where he was a high school biology teacher, basketball and football coach. He was employed by Northwestern Bell as a telephone account executive in Sartell, MN and in Bismarck, ND. After the split-up of AT&T, he went to work for AT&T in Bismarck as a lobbyist. In 1987 the family moved to Minot where he accepted a job with Northern States Power in the Telephone division which became Minot Telephone and finally SRT. He retired in 2009.

Ken was an active member of the Bethany Lutheran Church, the Lincoln, Wallhalla and Sauk Rapids Jaycees, Rotary Club of Minot, the Minot Chapter of Ducks Unlimited. He served on the ND Easter Seals board for 6 years and as the President from 1988-1990. He served as the Communication Coordinator (Lena Control) for the Norsk Hostfest for many years. Ken initiated and spearheaded the "Feed My Starving Children" event for the Minot Christian Community in the Fall of 2010 that packed over 300,000 meals for starving children around the world. He coordinated the annual Lincoln Bike/Run event for the American Diabetes Association following his daughter's Diabetes diagnosis.

Ken's hobbies and special interests included annual fishing trips to Canada. He always had a special interest in dinosaurs, nature and national parks. He became an avid cook and greatly enjoyed cooking for others and sharing recipes. One of his greatest joys was trying some exotic ingredient using Donna as a guinea pig. He also enjoyed gardening. Other interests included: golf, bell choir, visiting, bowling and pheasant hunting. The lake cabin at Lake Metigoshe provided many hours of joy. Ken loved to be on the pontoon, cruising the lake. He especially enjoyed collecting old telephones and telephone insulators. He will be forever a UND Fighting Sioux fan, a Rusty Wallace fan and always had a home fix-it project. He was always on the lookout for someone who needed help and especially enjoyed attending his grandchildren's programs and events and doing whatever they wanted to do.

Ken was proud to have received the C. William Brownfield Memorial Award and John H. Armbruster Keyman awards during his membership in the Jaycees. He was appointed by Governor George Sinner to serve on the "Committee of 100" economic Task Force. He was a Paul Harris Fellow with Rotary International. Ken was active in Boy Scouts during his teenage years and always regretted not attaining Eagle Scout status (he was one badge short).

Ken's loving family includes his wife Donna of Minot; daughter: Zanthia (Jeff) Price and grandchildren Annika and Aaron, all of Bismarck; son: Ben Hegle of Sioux Falls, SD; parents: Gerald and Opal Hegle of Perham, MN; father-in-law and mother-in-law: Alan and Ethel Spooner of Minot; brothers: Mike (Carmen) Hegle of Grey Eagle, MN; Larry (Judy) Hegle of Eagan, MN; sister: Ann (Randy) Hanson of Wilmington, NC; brothers-in-law: Duane (Kristi) Spooner of Tappen; Mark (Lori) Spooner of Noonan; Albert Spooner of Minneapolis and Todd Spooner of Crosby as well as numerous aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, great-nieces, great-nephews, cousins and a multitude of friends.

Ken was preceded in death by his brother-in-law: Keith Spooner and his paternal and maternal grandparents.

Funeral Service: Friday, March 18, 2011 at 11:00 a.m. in Bethany Lutheran Church - Minot.
Interment will be in the North Dakota Veterans Cemetery-rural Mandan.
Visitation: Thursday from 2:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. in Thomas Family Funeral Home - Minot.
Memorials are preferred to Metigoshe Ministries or the donor's choice.