Kenneth L. Cronk

Kenneth L. Cronk (84) of Pine River, Minnesota passed away quietly in his sleep, surrounded by family on Saturday, April 4th at the home of his daughter in Alabama.

Ken (Kenny) was born in Pine River on Dec 7, 1934. He was raised by his parents, Clark and Amanda Amy where he grew up working in the family newspaper business, The Pine River Journal. Upon graduation from high school in 1952, he entered the Air Force in 1953. He continued his Journalism ventures while in service, for the Stars and Stripes magazine and as a USO Photographer. He later changed his Air Force career status to Radar Maintenance.

Ken retired from the Air Force in 1973, and after serving for 20 years in Texas, Greenland, Biloxi, Miss, Hawaii, Dayton, Ohio, Kalumet, MI, Newfoundland, Wadena, MN, and Klamath Falls, OR, he returned to Minnesota. He went back into the newspaper business and became the Editor of both the Perham Enterprise Bulletin and the Two Harbors Chronicle.

Ken became a strong advocate for Veterans and served for many years with the American Legion as a District Commander, and then a Department of Minnesota Vice Commander.

He served on the MN Rehabilitation Committee, visiting posts and nursing homes all over the state, and made numerous trips to Washington DC, lobbying for Veterans and Legislative issues. He also served, with his Newspaper background, on the MN Publications Board, which is responsible for the Legionnaire Newspaper.

Ken was preceded in death by his parents, Clark and Amanda Amy, his brother, Steven Amy, sister, Wenonah (Cronk) Smith, and his Wife Rosita Gail (Korby) Cronk.

He is survived by his sister, Alison (Amy) Stephens, and his children, Mark, Diane, Rachel, Randall, Kathy, Lisa, Reid and Kenda, 21 grandchildren and numerous great-grandchildren.

He will be greatly missed by close friends and family, but the stories of his life and his humorous nature will live on in the memories of all who knew him. A memorial service is being planned for late summer.

Requiem By Robert Louis Stevenson

Under the wide and starry sky

Dig the grave and let me lie.

Glad did I live and gladly die,

And I laid me down with a will.

This be the verse you gave for me;

“Here he lies where he longed to be,

Home is the sailor, home from the sea,

And the hunter home from the hill.”

Kenneth L. Cronk

(December 7, 1934 – April 4, 2020)