Kenneth Laurel Updike graduated to heaven on Tuesday, December 14, 2021 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. He was born on November 19, 1965 in Madison, Wisconsin to Ralph Laurel and Linda Jane Massengill Updike. After his parent’s death, Kenneth and his brother, Jonothon Earl were raised by their aunt and uncle in Oklahoma City. Kenneth graduated from U.S. Grant H.S. and then from Oklahoma State University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Agriculture. During his time at Oklahoma State University, he also earned an officer's commission in the United States Army. Kenneth went on to serve his country through deployments to Dessert Storm and then New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina.
In 1996, Kenneth married Dawn Balis Updike, and their union was blessed with their only child, a daughter Lauren Jayne Updike Bradley. Lauren was her father’s pride and joy, and he often voiced that she was "his greatest blessing".
After retiring from the army in 2004, Kenneth enjoyed working at various positions in the private sector. On August 13, 2013 he started a career, with the Oklahoma Department of Corrections as a teacher, which he verbalized often that brought him great “joy and satisfaction”. While he started his career as a correctional institutional teacher at William S. Keys Correctional Center, he was employed at Dick Conner Correctional Center at the time of his death. He spoke highly of his co-workers and enjoyed his time working there.
In 2018 Kenneth married Pamela Carol Deeds Updike, and made their home in Stillwater, Oklahoma. They loved spending time off with his daughter and her husband, Justin Bradley, spoiling their grandson, Ryker Bradley. His greatest joys were “his family, teaching, hunting, helping people, the OSU Cowboys and his many friends".
Kenneth possessed a deep faith in his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, and was preceded in death by his grandparents, parents, uncle Jack Nichols, aunt Donna Massengill Reed, and cousin Tonya Reed. He is survived by his wife of Stillwater, Oklahoma, brother of Binger, Oklahoma and his daughters Savannah and Annabeth Updike of Norman, Oklahoma, daughter and son-in-law of Lexington, Oklahoma, grandson Ryler Bradley of Lexington, Oklahoma, aunts Ruth Massengill Nichols of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, Joy Shoemaker and her husband Buster of Orfordville, Wisconsin, uncles Jimmie Leighty of Caldwell, KS., Lyle Updike and his wife Wendy Kaplan of Sun Prairie, Wisconsin, Elmer Updike of Janesville, Wisconsin , Clyde Updike of Orfordville, Wisconsin., and many cousins and their families. He loved all of his family and friends and they loved him in return. Kenneth was deeply loved and will be greatly missed..
Following cremation, memorial services will be held at 2:00 p.m. Monday, December 20, 2021 at the Schaeffer Mortuary Chapel in Caldwell, Kansas.
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