Louis Kill

Louis Henry Kill, This is my “hello” and my “farewell”. Since I have elected not to have a traditional funeral service, I want this to be more than a usual obituary. It is my farewell to all my relatives and my friends and hope they will miss me as much as I have enjoyed having them along side of me on my learning experience on this earth. My passing occurred on May 7th, 2014, at the age of 82, at Durango, CO. Interment will be at Greenwood Cemetery, Durango, CO on Saturday, May 10th at 11:00 AM.
I’ve learned a lot and enjoyed many wonderful experiences, but now it is time for me to make the transition. I love all of you.
I inhaled my first breath on June 1, 1931 and became the sixth child and second son of my father, Louis Kill and my mother, Loretta Welch Kill.
What a journey this has been! Our family eventually became a clan of nine children and my parents. Preceding me in this transition were four of my siblings, my sisters Margaret and Barbara, and my brothers, Val and Larry. I’m leaving behind four sisters, Betty Groetsch of Huntington Beach, CA; Ann Leaf of Waconia, MN; Mary Nyberg of Minnetonka, MN; and Lori Hasbrouck of St. Cloud, MN.
I was born at Arlington, MN. Graduated from high school there, spent four years in the air force, including a tour of duty in Japan during the Korean War. I then attended the Graphic Arts Institute in Minneapolis.
I married Beverly Ann Benson on August 9, 1958 and this was the beginning of a union lasting 45 years. She departed from this earth Feb. 10, 2004 leaving behind her family and many dear friends. Our first home was at Arlington, MN where I was employed at the Kill family weekly newspaper, the Arlington Enterprise. Later I became a partner and editor and co-publisher with brother, Val. The Kill family then moved to Glencoe where they were engaged in the printing and office supply business. Seven years later they ventured back into the weekly newspaper business when they purchased the Kittson County Enterprise at Hallock, MN. Then it was a move to Durango, CO in 1978. Since 1981 the entire family, at one time or another has been engaged in the management or maintenance of the family owned business, Island Cove Park, a mobile home and RV community and apartments at Durango, CO.
Our first child was Barbara Ellen, born in 1961 at Arlington. She now lives at Olathe, CO with her husband, Luke Kaylor, and sons, Cody and Benjamin.
Our first son, Cormac Louis, was born at Glencoe, MN in 1965, He married Karen Myers and they live in La Mesa, CA with their daughter, Jaye Marie.
Our second son, Bradley John, was born at Glencoe, MN in 1966. He lives in Durango, CO and is involved in management of the Kill family business.
Throughout my life I have enjoyed many hobbies, bowling, hunting and fishing, but the one that stayed with me to this end was golf. That game is quickly diminishing, so this will be the last of many hundreds of obituaries these now gnarling fingers have had the privilege of composing.
It’s now time to close and say farewell again. I’m sure we’ll all meet again --- I just don’t know where or just don’t know when. My farewell is this plagiarized toast to you all. “May you live as long as you like, and have all you like as long as you live.”