Kenneth Allen Real

Kenneth Allen Real, 55, of Adair Village Oregon died on April 28th. Ken was born to James and Elanore Real in Butte, Montana on February 8, 1962. He was able to escape a difficult childhood by enlisting in the US Army in 1980. He served our country as a cavalry scout driving tanks and as an arms control inspector with the On Site Inspection Agency (OSIA). During his 20-year career he was awarded numerous meritorious awards and medals including the Bronze Star and the Order of Saint George. Ken served a majority of his career overseas in Germany. During the last 4 years of his service, he met and married Nicole Muller. They were married on May 29, 1999. Ken retired from the Army in 2000 with the rank Sergeant First Class. Upon his retirement they moved back to Nicole’s hometown Corvallis, Oregon. After his retirement, Ken worked as a police officer, first for the Siletz Tribe, then in Toledo and finally in Newport. During his 13 years in law enforcement, Ken received his bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from Colorado Technical University. He left law enforcement in 2013 in order to spend more time with his family. Most recently Ken worked part time for the City of Adair Village as a Code Enforcement Officer. He also taught survival training courses including knife skills, fire starting and tracking. Ken dedicated his life to Native Americans, specifically the Lakota. He spent endless hours teaching others about the struggles of the indigenous people and fighting for their rights. It was important for him to bring awareness to the challenges of Indian life. He will be missed as a mentor, education and friend of the Indian people. To know Ken, was to know a true force of nature. You knew when Ken walked into a room. His blunt, tell-it-like-it-is personality was off putting to some but was what drew others to him. His wife often joked that Ken “came with a warning”. He enjoyed making people laugh and was a great story teller. Ken loved a good argument and he had a great deal of passion. He was always the first person that would step up to help others. Ken loved to travel, spend time outdoors, and spend time with his daughter Meghan. Ken was most proud of his three older children from his first marriage: Kevin, Stephanie and Melanie. He was preceded in death by his mother and father. Ken is survived by his wife of 18 years Nicole, son Kevin, and daughters Stephanie, Melanie, Meghan and granddaughter Emilia. A celebration of his life will take place on Saturday, May 13th from 1-5 pm at the Avery Park Lion’s Shelter.

Tributes

Kenneth Allen Real

February 8, 1962 - April 28, 2017