Representative Luvern William Kehe View All Years

LUVERN W. KEHE

Mr. Speaker: Your committee appointed to prepare a suitable resolution commemorating the life, character, and public service of the late Honorable Luvern W. “L. W.” Kehe, begs leave to submit the following Memorial:

Luvern W. Kehe was born on December 2, 1909 in Waterloo, Iowa. He graduated from Waverly High School in 1926, and then attended the University of Iowa in Iowa City where he graduated with a B.S. degree in Civil Engineering. He worked as an engineer and land surveyor in Iowa and later as a civilian engineer with the Corps of Engineers with the U.S. Army. He was united in marriage to Dorothy Stoneburner on November 3, 1937, and they had two sons.

L. W. Kehe served on active duty with the U.S. Army during World War II attaining the rank of Colonel. He participated in the armed forces build-up in Washington, D.C., and was then assigned to the Alaskan Highway and Canol Projects in Canada, involved in road construction and oil pipeline. He finished his military career at the Manhattan Project in Oak Ridge, Tennessee where the atomic bomb was developed. He and his family then returned to Waverly, Iowa where he established his own construction and engineering firm, Kehe Construction Company and Cedar Valley Engineering Company which are still in existence today. His wife, Dorothy, died on March 23, 1978. He continued to live in Waverly, and was later united in marriage to Anna M. Bauman.

Mr. Kehe was a member of the Republican party, and represented Bremer County in the Iowa State Legislature in 1968 and was re-elected in 1970 serving the Sixty-third and Sixty-fourth General Assemblies. He served as Chairman of the Environmental Preservation Committee, as well as serving on the Cities and Town Committee, the Judiciary Committee and the Transportation Committee. He was a long time member of the Elks Club in Waterloo, the Rotary Club in Waverly, served as Chairman of the Republican Party for Bremer County, a life member of AMVETS in Waverly and past member of the V.F.W., and American Legion. He also served a president of the Associated General Contractors of Iowa in 1957 and was an Honorary Life member of the Iowa Professional Engineers Society.

He died on July 28, 1995 at the age of 85. He is survived by his wife, Anna, of Waverly, Iowa; two sons, L. William “Butch” and his wife, and David and his wife, of Waverly He has four step children; a brother, Henry J.; three grandchildren and two step grandchildren.

Now Therefore, Be It Resolved by the House of Representatives of the Seventy-seventh General Assembly of Iowa, That in the passing of the Honorable Luvern W. Kehe, the State has lost an honored citizen and a faithful and useful public servant, and the House by this Resolution would express its appreciation of his service.

Be It Further Resolved, that a copy of this Resolution be spread upon the Journal of the House, and that the Chief Clerk be directed to forward an enrolled copy to the family of the deceased.

BOB BRUNKHORST

BILL DIX

KEITH WEIGEL

Committee