Kenneth William Tanksley

Kenneth W. Tanksley, age 75, of the Monterey community of Owen County, passed away on Saturday, February 28, 2026, the birthdate of his beloved son. Kenny fought a courageous battle and was surrounded by loved ones until the end.

Kenny was born to the late William Haydon and Shirley Frances Hager Tanksley on May 6, 1950, in Lexington, KY. One of Kenny’s favorite memories of his father was going to downtown Lexington with Bill to pick up work crews that they oversaw for the planting and harvesting of their tobacco crop. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his beloved son, William Austin Tanksley, at 11 years of age, and his sisters, Ann Burks and Linda Humphrey.

Kenny was a member of the First Christian Church of Owenton, where he served as deacon and sound man for many years. He loved serving communion to shut-ins as he held a special place in his heart for the elderly. Devastated by the loss of his and Berna’s beloved son, Austin, he received great joy from giving quarters to the little children on Sunday mornings, many of whom still have fond memories of this tradition.

Kenny had a talent for seeing the big picture. He had wonderful visions of large projects, many of which he brought to fruition, such as the lake he carved out of the land with the bulldozer he and his dad picked out together. He was the mastermind behind his dream of a hunting shack where all of his buddies could hang out, enjoy nature and camaraderie, and do a little deer hunting. With the help of those friends and relatives, he was able to make this dream come true. The shack has been a haven for those guys for many years. He embarked on several ambitious adventures, including forming a paving company, a trucking company, and raising cattle for the majority of his years on his farm.

He was loved by many; family and friends meant everything to him, and he was willing and ready to help a friend in need at the drop of a hat. Most of his friends can attest to and share stories of his empathy and quickness of action when they were in need. This quickness of action could also cause emotions to surface rapidly, and many learned to stay out of his way when there was a goal to fulfill.

He will be deeply missed by his wife of 50 years, Berna Kolb Tanksley; his sister, Mary (Gerald) Walton of Arlington, TX; nieces and nephews, Toni Salyer, Mike Tanksley, Terri Bader, Mindy Humphrey, Ginger Humphrey, Tim Walton, Tracie Phillips, Cheryl Sauter, Tammy Singleton, Kathy Highlander, Susan Mills, Russel Miller and many great nieces and nephews.

A memorial service to honor Kenny’s life will be held at 5 pm on Thursday, March 5, 2026, with visitation beginning at 3 pm at Owenton First Christian Church. Flowers are welcome, or memorial contributions may be made to First Christian Church Food Pantry or Elk Lick Baptist - Woodyard Memorial Fund.