Funeral Services will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Friday, May 17, 2019 at the First United Methodist Church in Shenandoah. Burial with military honors will follow in the Rose Hill Cemetery. The family will greet friends at the church prior to services from 10:00 a.m. until service time. Memorials may be directed to the Shenandoah American Legion Post 88.

Kenneth Earl Mathis, son of Jess and Angela (Whitmore) Mathis, was born on September 16, 1923 in Clarks, Nebraska. He passed away on Saturday, May 11, 2019 at the Windsor Manor Assisted Living Community in Shenandoah at the age of 95.

He grew up in the Farragut area and graduated from Farragut High School in 1941. He entered the U.S. Army on March 16, 1943 in Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. He was honorably discharged on February 8, 1946. After his service in the Armed Forces during World War II he started working at Cooper Furniture when he met his future wife, Lucille Swanson. They were married on May 18, 1947 at the Emmanuel Lutheran Church in Shenandoah, Iowa. The couple was blessed with 63 years of marriage and four sons Greg, Kirk, Tim and Jeff.

Kenneth was actively involved in farming and farm organizations, Farm Bureau, Masonic Lodge, American Legion, Color Guard and served on the School Board. He had a love of the land and has instilled this in his sons and now grandchildren and great-grandchildren. He was also a member of the First United Methodist Church of Shenandoah.

Kenneth was preceded in death by his wife Lucille, parents and four brothers Ernie, Harold "Sandy", Howard and Don Mathis.

Those left to honor his memory include his sons Greg Mathis and wife Francoise of Council Bluffs, IA, Kirk Mathis and wife Karen of West Burlington, IA, Tim Mathis of Shenandoah, IA and Jeff Mathis and wife Margie of Marshalltown, IA; six grandchildren Ben Mathis and wife Dawn of Papillion, NE, T.J. Mathis and wife Jill of Danville, IA, Jeremy Mathis and wife Leonela of Guayaquil, Ecuador, Joel Mathis and wife Becky of Libertyville, IL, Jessica Reicks and husband Jon of Poulsbo, WA and Elli Roberts and husband Caleb of Olathe, KS; six great-grandchildren Wesley and Ashton Reicks, Sebastian Mathis, Lucy Mathis, Logan Mathis and Gracelyn Roberts; many nieces, nephews, other relatives and many friends.