Ken Bender — Remembering a Cape Girardeau native's life of service

Kenneth E. "Kenny" Bender, a 1943 Cape Girardeau Central graduate who finished Southeast Missouri State University in 1948 on the GI Bill and was a highly-decorated World War II veteran, died Sunday, March 12, following a lifetime of service to his country, community and church. He was 97.

Bender co-owned Jackson Oil Co. for more than 50 years, and was married 71 years to the former Martha Stovall, who preceded him in death in July 2021. The two had exchanged vows on the same day Martha graduated from SEMO in May 1950.

Friends remembered him fondly.

"My relationship with Kenny was extremely close," said Jay Knudtson, executive vice president of First Missouri State Bank and former Cape Girardeau mayor. "Many of our talks ended up as bedside conversations, and I don't know if I've witnessed a better relationship than the one Kenny had with his beloved wife, Martha. I just learned so much from him. I'll never forget, one day he slowly grabbed my hand at a time when people were protesting the national anthem and kneeling. He said to me, 'Jay, why are they disrespecting our country?' It struck me because, while a lot of people were angry and bitter with such a deep divide in our nation, Kenny was simply bewildered. He just couldn't fathom that kind of a reaction."

Clint Karnes, Wood & Huston Bank president, knew Bender as a bank director.

"Kenny was one of the finest men I've ever met — a patriot in every sense of the word, and a great businessman," Karnes said. "I actually talked with (Kenny) a few days before he passed away. Kenny was a man's man. He was funny, respectful, honorable and very intelligent. He was the sort of fellow that you loved playing a round of golf with or to sit around the board room and talk and have a cocktail. Men of Kenny's generation did what they thought was their duty by traveling halfway around the world and fighting a war."

Ken Bender makes a presentation to Cape Girardeau Noon Lions Club on June 22, 2016. Bender, 97, died Sunday, March 12.Southeast Missourian file

Ken Bender makes a presentation to Cape Girardeau Noon Lions Club on June 22, 2016. Bender, 97, died Sunday, March 12.Southeast Missourian file

World War II

At age 19, Bender was assigned as an Army Air Force gunner on the B-29 Superfortress, a massive plane from which he controlled a dozen machine guns and a single 20 mm cannon on 22 missions from April to November 1945.

Bender's crew flew primarily photo reconnaissance missions, including one following the dropping of an atomic bomb over Nagasaki, Japan.

In his personal journal, Bender noted Nagasaki in August 1945 appeared "as a huge pile of ashes."

For his exploits, Bender was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross and Bronze Star, but was, in the opinion of friends and family, typically humble about his time in the war.

"I really don't think (my military service) had that much of an influence on my life. Millions of young men were doing the same thing at that time. But I am sure I learned to be independent," Bender said in 2013, adding his B-29 crew flew missions to deliver supplies to a former prisoner of war camp in Japan — specifically recalling dropping crates containing food and beer to liberated POWs outside Osaka.

In 2013, Bender received the Missouri Lieutenant Governor's Veteran Service Award.

Jon K. Rust, Southeast Missourian publisher and president of Rust Communications, right, and Southeast Missourian assistant publisher Lucas Presson, left, present 2013 Spirit of America Award recipient Ken Bender with a check May 8, 2014, at the newspaper's offices in Cape Girardeau. Bender, a World War II veteran and active community volunteer, died Sunday, March 12 at age 97.Southeast Missourian file

Jon K. Rust, Southeast Missourian publisher and president of Rust Communications, right, and Southeast Missourian assistant publisher Lucas Presson, left, present 2013 Spirit of America Award recipient Ken Bender with a check May 8, 2014, at the newspaper's offices in Cape Girardeau. Bender, a World War II veteran and active community volunteer, died Sunday, March 12 at age 97.Southeast Missourian file

Church/community service

A serving apron in memory of longtime Cape Noon Lions Club member Ken Bender hangs from the track during Pancake Day at A.C. Brase Arena Building, Wednesday, Mar. 15. Bender, a decorated World War II veteran, businessman and active community leader, died last weekend at age 97.Jeff Long ~ jlong@semissourian.com

A serving apron in memory of longtime Cape Noon Lions Club member Ken Bender hangs from the track during Pancake Day at A.C. Brase Arena Building, Wednesday, Mar. 15. Bender, a decorated World War II veteran, businessman and active community leader, died last weekend at age 97.Jeff Long ~ jlong@semissourian.com

• Charter member of Cape Girardeau's St. Andrew Lutheran Church, where he was a former chairman of the congregation's properties board.
• President of Cape Retirement Community Inc. from 1989 to 1994. Cape Retirement founded Chateau Girardeau continuing care retirement community in 1979.
• Past president Cape Girardeau Public Library Board of Trustees.
• Past president Cape Girardeau Noon Lions Club, of which he was a member for 51 years.
• Board member since 1981 of Wood & Huston Bank.
• Member, Legion Post 63 and VFW Post 3838.

In 2013, Bender received Spirit of America Award recognition from the Southeast Missourian.

Previous Southeast Missourian reporting was appropriated for the composition of some of this article.