Kenny Minow

On the evening of January 2, 2024, Kenny died of a heart attack while working at his shop in Miles City, MT. He was 66 years old.

Kenny was born on May 16, 1957, in Miles City. He was his mother's biggest newborn, but her easiest birth. She'd just gotten to the hospital before Kenny was out into the world, the nurses exclaiming over the beautiful baby boy. He was the middle child, and the only son, of June and Pete Minow. He remained close with his sisters and his parents his entire life.

The Minows owned a beautiful place in Powder River County from 1951 to 2013. They lived over an hour and a half from town on roads that regularly turned impassable due to weather, so the Minows depended on each other.

Red hills and pine forests surrounded the family's wheat fields. Their Red Angus grazed throughout gently rolling land. Kenny said his first memory was of springtime in Beaver Creek. His childhood was filled with helping out in the fields and granary, playing on haystacks with his sisters, and riding bicycles and motorbikes down red dirt roads.

June brought lunches to the fields, and the family picnicked together. The kids loved going on walks with their mom, where they'd pick wildflowers and climb hills to look out over the land. They attended church on Sundays, and Kenny never failed to get grass stains on his dress pants.

From a very early age, Kenny was drawn to two passions that stayed with him his entire life: automobiles and music.

When Kenny was a tot, he could already identify the make and models of cars. He got excited when he saw road graders, exclaiming about the "road deedo." Kenny always loved talking about vehicles with his dad. Later, the pair would restore a 1947 International KB-6 truck, a 1945 Ford 9N tractor, a 1946 Ford 8N tractor, a 1941 Ford 2N tractor, and a 1945 Ford 8N tractor.

Kenny sang before he could talk, and he could play songs after listening to them once or twice. At piano recitals, his teacher would have him play a selected piece, and then let him play a song by ear, which the crowd loved.

At Christmases, Kenny played the piano while his family sang. His dad requested Red River Valley and Crystal Chandelier. Kenny did a mean rendition of Ray Charles' Blue Christmas, and he'd end the song by playing the piano with both hands and the heel of his foot. His family is very glad to have recently spent Christmas with Kenny, complete with his Ray Charles impression and foot on the piano. It will always be a blue Christmas without him.

For grade school, Kenny attended a one-room schoolhouse with his sisters Terry Lynn and Karen. They occasionally rode horses to school. He got to drive the Model A to school despite Terry Lynn being older.

The Minow kids got into the ice cream whenever their parents went to town. One time when Pete and June got home, Kenny and Karen were laying on the floor with their legs and arms sticking up, pretending to be bloated cows. His sister Terry Lynn thinks Kenny's sense of humor got them forgiven for eating all the ice cream.

Kenny graduated from high school in Miles City, before working in the oil fields for a couple of years. He went back to Miles City Community College to study mechanics, and worked for several local shops. In 1987, he opened his own shop, KM Repair, where good friends frequently dropped by for good conversation.

Kenny had no patience for bullies or jerks. He was a lifelong Democrat, a rarity in Eastern Montana, and didn't shy away from political debates.

He was also a voracious reader. His close friend Linda Walker said "Kenny liked just about everything but Danielle Steel." Some of his favorite authors included C.J. Box, J.A. Jance, and John Grisham.

Kenny had the good fortune to have had several great cats throughout the years, including a pair named Bonnie and Clyde. Although Kenny loved all of his cats with his whole heart, Clyde was his favorite of all. Clyde used to lay on the basement landing to watch Kenny do his laundry. Kenny is undoubtedly surrounded by all of his past cats up in heaven, with Clyde sitting front and center.

For years, Kenny played in a band, Rapid Fire. He traveled the state playing shows and picking up stories he would tell for the rest of his life. Kenny's adventurous spirit also led to a love of motorcycles, and he traveled to Sturgis with friends at least a dozen times on his Harley Davidson, and to the Milwaukee Motorcycle Rally.

As a mechanic, Kenny took good care of his customers. He kept many an old beater going long past its expiration date. When his niece's car broke down in South Dakota, he hopped in his tow truck with his father and made a beeline for Rapid City. His kindness and work ethic have been noted by many who sought help at KM Repair.

In 2003, Kenny's life changed when he received gastric bypass surgery. He was so grateful to his parents for paying for the surgery, and for the 20 years of health that it brought him. He worked hard to keep the weight off.

At Christmas, Kenny remarked that it had been his healthiest year in a very long time. He just felt good. It had also been a very happy year, with a trip down to Arizona to see his sister Karen and the Barrett-Jackson car auction. He spent lots of time with his dear friend Jackie Hunnes. They loved watching NHRA drag racing, and he'd been planning to watch TV with her after work.

Kenny is survived by his parents, Pete and June, and his sisters, Terry Lynn (Brud Smith) and Karen Minow-Tavary. Kenny taught his nieces and nephew how to play poker-Brady Minow Smith, Darby Minow Smith, Kina Tavary (Freddy Figueroa), and Kruz Tavary will go on anteing up, bluffing, and remembering their beloved Uncle Kenny. Kenny had three young great-nephews, Koa, Kyler, and Kaden Figueroa, who clapped along and looked up with wonder at his piano playing at Christmas. He was also survived by his beloved calico cat, Manxi, his Aunt Harriet Minow, and many cousins from the Minow, Abbott, Kiosse, and Russiff families. Friends were like family to Kenny; Kenny was lucky to count many dear ones among his kin. He was especially close with Wade Coulter, whom he talked to every day.

Kenny was preceded in death by his grandparents, Thomas and Dora Minow and Arthur and Nellie Abbott, as well as uncles and aunts John and Wilma Minow, Bill and Lorraine Minow, Jim Minow, Clifford and Merle Abbott, and Charles and Millie Abbott.

Funeral services will be January 27 at 1 PM at Stevenson's in Miles City. Visitation is January 26, 1 to 6, with family receiving friends from 4 to 6.

Should friends desire, memorials may be made to Miles City public library or donor's choice.