Kenny LaFurge was born Dec. 29, 1930, in Holabird, to Roy and Elvera (Erickson) LaFurge.
He was raised on a farm south of Holabird and attended country school. During his free time on the family farm, he taught himself to play guitar. His love of music and talent lead him to a spot on the stage as a member of the Country Ramblers band, which he enjoyed immensely for a number of years.
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Then in January of 1962 while playing at a dance with the Country Ramblers, Kenny met the love of his life, Jan. She had brought a pair of shoes up to the bandstand that someone had left on the dance floor after Kenny had finished singing “My Shoes Keep Walking Back to You.” That became their song from that moment on. They married two year later on Oct. 24, 1964, in Highmore.
After the Country Ramblers disbanded, he and his wife started their own combo, The Kajens, and continued to entertain local communities for another 12 years. When Kenny wasn’t making music, he held a full-time job and took care of his family. Some of these occupations include driving truck, working at the Hyde County Elevator, sharing the operation of the local movie theater with his wife in Highmore, and owning and operating Ken’s Septic Tank Cleaning in Highmore.
In 1975, Kenny moved his family from Highmore to Pierre, where they owned and operated Prairie Hills Sanitation for a number of years. Afterward, Kenny worked at Jess Farms and the last 25 years for Sandal Seeds, where he was still employed part-time at the time of his death.
He could always be found tinkering around with vehicles and various machinery, often times getting things to run again that no one ever thought would.
On a few occasions, he was involved with the community productions of The Bad River Review playing music with Jan or helping with bingo at the Moose Lodge where he was a lifetime member. In his spare time, he enjoyed mixed league bowling, hunting, fishing, making homemade deer salami and pitching an occasional horseshoe.
Left to mourn his passing are four daughters: Sandi (Chuck) Schiaffo, Lori (Don) Huber, Mary Beth Neuroth, and Barbara LaFurge; nine grandchildren; 13 great-grandchildren; numerous nieces and nephews; and many friends and acquaintances.
Kenny was preceded in death by his wife of 43 years, Jan; parents, Roy and Elvera LaFurge; and both sisters, Nona Martin and Janet Peterson.
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