Kenneth R. Jones age 87, of Mitchell, SD died May 10, 2008 at the State Veterans Home in Hot Springs, SD. Funeral services will be 10 AM Friday at Will Funeral Chapel with burial at the Kimball Cemetery. Visitation will be from 6 to 8 PM Thursday at the Will Funeral Chapel. Kenny was born March 23, 1921 in Mitchell, SD to Fredrick and Sallie (VanGundy) Jones. Of this union was also born another son Fredrick. Kenny attended and graduated from Mitchell High School in 1940. Kennys parents ran a grocery store and raised him in the Methodist Church. While in High School Kenny joined the National Guard, where he served for one year, nine months, then at his request he was activated into the Army. Inducted into the Army on November 25th 1940 in Mitchell, South Dakota, her traveled to Fort Ord, California for basic training, and then to Camp Van Dorn in Mississippi where he trained with the 99th Division, the division which traveled to Fort Meade in Maryland. They were shipped from Maryland to Africa; Kenny managed a 155 Howitzer, while chasing Rommel around Africa for several months. Kenny traveled to Italy with the 933rd Field Artillery Division and then on to Southern France. Ken shared I was in the Rhone Valley; I hung a right turn and ended up in Austen, Austria. He was part of the invasion team that opened up the Concentration Camp at Buckenwald. On October 25th 1945 he was discharged from the Army. He was awarded for his service; The American Service Defense Ribbon European-African-Middle Eastern Theatre Ribbon with 4 Bronze Battle Stars, 2 Service Stripes, 3 Overseas Service Battle Bars and a Good Conduct Medal. Kenny continued his military career with the SD National Guard until the late 1950s. Upon his return to civilian life, Kenny attended SDSU on his GI Bill, his major course of study was printing. Upon completion of his education, he found employment with The Salem Newspaper for two years, then moving home to Mitchell, working for the Daily Republic for 25 years. Finding employment with the Department of Agriculture, Kenny worked until his retirement, in 1984, as an Eggs and Milk Inspector. While Kenny was preparing for his career he stopped at the Mitchell Used Car Lot, went into the garage and met Cora (Will), the bookkeeper, Cora became Mrs. Cora Jones on April 14th 1946. After her passing after almost half a century of marriage, Kenny made his home at the South Dakota Veterans Home, where he lived until his death. He was a member of First United Methodist Church and the American Legion. Kenny was also a member of the Mitchell Auxiliary Police Department and was active in FFA. Grateful for sharing his life are his daughter; Judy (Rick) Davids, Edgemont, SD; his three grandchildren Genny Roberts, Forsyth, MT; and John (Megan) Davids, Mitchell, SD and Lori (Jay) Slight, Sioux City, IA; seven great grand grandson. He was preceded in death by his wife Cora, his parents, and his brother Fredrick.