Kenneth E. "Ken" Smith

Kenneth E. "Ken" Smith, age 65, of Worden, Illinois, formerly of Marion, Illinois, passed away on Tuesday, July 24, 2024, at his residence.

Ken was born in Decatur, Illinois, the son of Elaine McKinney & the late Kenneth Smith. Ken married Lisa (Choate) Smith in October 1983. Besides his wife, Ken is survived by his two children, Kelly Ruehl (Rob), of Worden, Illinois, and Kyle Smith, of Mt. Carmel, Illinois; four grandchildren, Maddox, Derek, Brenna, & Presley; siblings, Christine (David), Karen (Bill), Scott (Virginia), and Laurie and their families; Aunt Jan Smith; many nieces, nephews and cousins, including special relationships with Shelly, Gregg, and their families; and Scot (Connie), Grace, Claire, and Benjamin. Ken was preceded in death by his father, grandparents and Uncle Clarence.

Ken loved Cardinal baseball, collecting and identifying seashells, traveling with family, and playing games. He was a trivia expert and loved competitions. He was the first one to start a game of hide and seek at Castle Park with the kids.

Ken was the Williamson County 911 coordinator for 24 years, addressing the county and putting the original 911 system online. During that time, he was the region 7 vice president for the Illinois Chapter of the National Emergency Number Association. At the time of his retirement, he was the longest serving member of the executive board. He was the past Chairman of the Counties of Southern Illinois 911 Association, implementing the first regional Next Generation 911 system of its kind in the nation.

A memorial visitation will be held on August 1, 2024 from 5:00 - 8:00 pm at Mitchell-Hughes Funeral Home in Marion. A memorial service will be held on August 2, 2024 at 11:00 am at Mitchell-Hughes with Rev. Rich Kirschner presiding. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to St. Jude's Children Hospital. Envelopes will be available and accepted at Mitchell-Hughes Funeral Home, 800 North Market Street, Marion, IL 62959.