Earl Frank Kitchen

Earl Frank Kitchen, 90 of rural Houston, died Thursday, June 5, 2014 at Gundersen Lutheran Medical Center.Earl was born March 31, 1924 in Kansas City, KS to Earl and Blanche (Kitchen) McKinney. He graduated from West Port High School in Kansas City, MO. He entered the United States Army Air Corps where he was a pilot and reached the rank of 2nd Lieutenant. He married Marjorie Brooks and they recently celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary. Throughout their lives together, they lived in Kansas City, Cambridge, MN and most recently in rural Houston. He retired as a plumber/pipefitter. He loved raising dogs and entering them in Retriever Field Trials and was an AKC Retriever Field Trial Judge. He also enjoyed hunting, fishing and anything outdoors. Earl was active with his two sons enjoying all their sports activities and being a great father and husband. The family enjoyed the hobby of raising dairy goats the last forty years. He was a member of Cross of Christ Lutheran Church, Member of Plumbers and Pipefitters Local 11, Charter Member of the Kansas City Retriever Club, Director of MN Dairy Goat Association, Isanti County Fair Board Director, organized the Isanti County 4-H Shooting Sports Program and was a member of the American Dairy Goat Association and recipient of their Pioneer Award. He also received the 32nd Degree in Duluth Scottish Rite of Free Masonry. Earl is survived by his wife, Marjorie with whom he did everything with; two sons, Keith (Debbie) of Augusta, WI and Kelly (Molly) of South St. Paul; three grandchildren, Kevin, Katie and Caroline; and one half sister, Mary Jean (McKinney) Podrebarac of Prairie Village, KS.He was preceded in death by his parents and a half brother, James McKinney.Memorial Service will be 2 p.m., Friday, June 20, 2014 at Cross of Christ Lutheran Church with the Reverend Lane Zaffke officiating. Visitation will be 1 p.m. until the time of the service. Please share a memory of Earl, sign his online guestbook and view his video tribute when it becomes available at www.hofffuneral.com.
Tribute video can be found at: videos.lifetributes.com/499785