Kenneth Leo Flor

Kenneth Leo Flor, Sr. A Life Well Lived, a Man Well Loved

Kenneth Leo Flor Sr., 91, born on May 20, 1923 in San Diego, California passed away January 15, 2015. His Funeral-Memorial service was held at Forest Lawn in Hollywood Hills, Los Angeles, California, on January 22, 2015 with the Military honor of Taps, and presentation of the Flag to his wife of 67 years, Betty.
KL "Kenny" Flor grew up on 67th street with an older brother Loy, but after grade school, spent a great deal of time in Lakeside as well. His folks had purchased several acres of land and built a small ranch house there. The "Ranch" is still owned by the Flor family.

Kenneth attended John Muir Grammar School, Grossmont High School and briefly attended San Diego State College in 1942 and 1943, before entering the Army Air Force of the United States, where he studied cryptology (coding and decoding).
He completed his Pre-Flight Training, and Basic Flight Training, and was assigned as a Cryptographic Technician to Air Transport Command, where he served in Egypt. He coded and decoded secret communications and maintained files on the messages handled. After serving his country during World War II in the 744th Army Air Forces Base Unit, Kenneth received The European African Middle Eastern Campaign Medal, Good Conduct Medal, The American Campaign Medal, and The World War II Victory Medal. In March, 1946, Kenneth L. Flor, was Honorably Discharged.

On June 1, 1947, Kenneth married Betty A. Taylor of San Diego. They made their home on 67th Street, not far from San Diego State College, and there raised their son Ken and two daughters, Cheryl and Debra.
After the Army, Kenny worked for Pacific Bell in San Diego – first as a pole climber, and later as an Engineer in Trunk and Toll Distribution Services. He retired after 34 ½ years of service in 1982 and spent his time enjoying his many interests, including working on the home he had built for his family and developing his enviable skill in wood working .

Kenneth Flor Sr. loved being outdoors: hiking, camping, back packing in the High Sierras and off-road motorcycling in the California deserts and Baja. Kenny raised his family to love nature and the outdoors as much as he had loved and respected Mother Nature. Kenny had been a member of the San Diego Elks Club and a member of the San Diego Explorers. Being an avid outdoorsman, he became involved with the Boy Scouts and Eagle Scouts with his son Ken Jr. After his son aged out of the Scouts, Kenny continued hiking, well into his eighties, with a group of his good friends called the DOMES.

In 1971 the John Muir Trail High Sierra Trek Committee recognized Kenneth L. Flor Sr. for his completion of the John Muir Trails and 112 miles of access trails by participation in The Yosemite Trek, Red Meadow Trek, Rock Creek Trek, North Lake Trek, South Lake Trek, and Onion Valley Trek. He was again recognized in 1978 for completing another 300 miles in 12 more Treks of the High Sierra Trials.

Kenny & his wife Betty moved to Beverly Hills to live with his eldest daughter Cheryl and her husband Haim, in 1999. Even though being content and happy living in Beverly Hills, Kenny was not idle, he kept well informed with world affairs, and he never ceased his enjoyment of traveling, camping with his buddies, reading, working in his wood-shop, gardening, and being with his family, which now included six grandchildren, and four great-grandchildren. In his workshop, he sculpted, carved and built beautiful items from wood he had found on his hikes or at swap meets.

At the time of his death Kenneth Leo Flor Sr. was at home - surrounded by his loving family: his wife Betty, and his children, Ken Jr., Cheryl, and Debra. Also present were Cheryl's husband Haim and their children: Tifanie, Heidi, Ness, and Tanya. Debra's daughter Ashley Love, Debra's husband Doug Joseph and their daughter Kelsey Joseph. Tifanie Saban Chaney's husband Chris Chaney, and their children Marley and Griffin, and Heidi Saban Still's children Jaccoa and Sarenne.

When Kenny retired, he had commented that he could occasionally be contacted at Grand Gulch or Mexican Hat, Utah. In his last few years, he had been thinking a lot about the San Jacinto Mountains (a location of his many "shake down" hikes). Perhaps, as we remember him, we can find him there.