Kenneth James Gee was born on a farm in Fremont County, Iowa on November 26, 1913 to Art and Lulu Gee. Ken attended Shenandoah schools and graduated with the Class of 1931. He received his medical degree from the University of Iowa in 1939. Ken served stateside and in the Pacific theater in the U.S. Army Medical Corps from 1940-1945. After WWII he joined the Army Reserve retiring at age 60 with the rank of Colonel.

Kenneth married Jean Woodworth McCullagh of Sierra Madre, California in Lombard, Illinois on September 6, 1942. They celebrated their 70th anniversary last September. Ken is the father of four daughters and one son.

Kenneth practiced medicine in Shenandoah for 40 years. He estimated he had delivered 2,000 babies. Many people stopped him on the street to say, "Hi Doc. Remember me? You delivered me and my three kids." He was held in great respect and affection by his many patients. He retired in 1986 and the Shenandoah Chamber of Commerce named Gee Park in his honor. Jeri Naven commented in the Evening Sentinel at the time, "So after all those years and after all those babies delivered, it is the last of an era of sorts. Many doctors have come and gone from this community. He represents the consistency, the security of the hometown doctor... who remembers when house calls were the norm..."

Kenneth loved Shenandoah and contributed to the community in many ways. He was a man of wide interests and talents. He was a member and officer of the Shenandoah Hospital, Library, Chamber of Commerce, School Board, Historical Society, Southwest Iowa Pioneer Association, Kiwanis, and other civic groups.

Kenneth was very involved in the creative and artistic life of Shenandoah. His family referred to him as a "true Renaissance man." He was a founder of the Southwest Iowa Theatre Group and built the sets for many of the SWITG plays. He also was a founder of Shen II Creative Artists and the Shenandoah Music Association. In high school he formed his own band, Kac's Kavaliers, which played throughout Southwest Iowa. Ken continued to play and improvise on his baby grand piano. He also enjoyed painting, photography, sculpture, and woodworking.

Travel was an important family activity. In his 2002 autobiography, Dear Ones Away, Ken stated "I would not exchange any of our family trips for things others might consider more important or valuable. Travel is an education that opens the mind to other places, other people, other lifestyles, other ways to make a living." Ken and his family traveled to Great Britain, Republic of Ireland, Northern Ireland, Switzerland, China, Southeast Asia, the Pacific, Australia, New Zealand, Africa, the Middle East, Canada, Mexico, and all 50 states.

Kenneth had a lifetime interest in farming and conservation. His daughter Kelly and her family live on the family Century Farm near Farragut, Iowa. Ken also spent summers at his home at Lake Okoboji where he liked sailing and motor boating. He was also an avid snow skier on the slopes in Colorado until age 84.

Kenneth was preceded in death by his parents Arthur Ingo Gee and Lulu Higinbotham Gee, and his second daughter, Leslie Gee Jenning. He is survived by his wife Jean McCullagh Gee and four children, Natalie Gee Hall and Michael Hall of Arlington, Virginia; Margot Gee and Jeff Subko of Shenandoah; Kelly Gee Carey and Michael Carey of Farragut; Christopher Kenneth Gee and Claire Townend Gee of Pacific Palisades, California; and Dane Jenning, Wichita, Kansas. Ken's grandchildren are Sarah Hall, Washington, D.C.; Kate Hall McKenney and Major Michael McKenney, USMC, Yuma, Arizona; Matthew Hall, Washington, D.C.; Helen Carey, New York City; Maeve Carey Gonzalez and Diego Gonzalez, Chicago, Illinois; Andrew Carey and Tatiana Carey, Farragut, Iowa; Fionnuala Carey, Seattle, Washington; Kenneth Ellis Gee and Eleanor Gee, Pacific Palisades, California. Ken's twin great-granddaughters are Teagan and Sophie McKenney, Yuma, Arizona.

Kenneth died in his 100th year, a remarkable achievement. As Kenneth said in Dear Ones Away, "We are often away in distance, but not in love and memories."