Kenneth "Ken" Altemeyer

Kenneth “Ken” Altemeyer, age 80 of New Haven was called to eternal life on Monday, January 12, 2026, at his home following a 6-year battle with cancer. During his battle he was assisted by many doctors, nurses and friends with loving care and acts of kindness for which the family is grateful.

Ken was born on November 4, 1945, in Washington, MO, and a son to the late William F. and Amelia (Pehle) Altemeyer.

He attended school in Washington until grade 6 when his family moved to Belle, MO. In the summer before he graduated Belle High School, he worked in New Haven, assisting a route driver delivering Pepsi Cola for Hebbeler Bottling Co. After graduation in 1963, he moved to New Haven and found employment, first at Hebbeler Bottling Co. and later doing office work at Hawthorne Mfg. which later became Kellwood Corp.

Prior to his graduation he met the love of his life, Betty, while horse back riding on a back road trail at night.

They dated until the fall of 1965, and were married at Ebenezer Lutheran Church in Leslie, MO, by Rev. F.J. Zirbel, who confirmed Ken in Christian faith in March 1964.

Six weeks after their marriage, Ken left for Fort Gordon, GA, to enter the training for Military Police with the Missouri National Guard. In the spring of 1966, he returned to New Haven and resumed his job at Hawthorne and continued to train with the National Guard on weekends and at summer camp every year. He was honorably discharged in the summer of 1971 at the rank of Staff Sergeant. By this time the marriage had been blessed with two children, Kent and James.

In the fall of 1971, he left Hawthorne and took a job with Barklage Development, an area real estate company and builder of residential homes. He completed several accounting courses by correspondence and in person at East Central College as well. He obtained a real estate brokers license by 1979 when he left Barklage to start his own business. Altemeyer Management and Realty started out in his home on Kiel Lyon Road. In 1981, he moved the business to the former Club 100 building east of New Haven on Highway 100, after renovating the building. His wife Betty joined the business, and they worked side by side until Ken’s health forced him to give up the construction of homes and the real estate sales. He continued to do appraisal work and manage rental property for other people. His passion was providing affordable homes for young couples and restoring old homes and buildings. Many of his clients are retired and still living in the homes he constructed for them. His motto was “never build a home that you wouldn’t be proud to live in yourself” and “do unto others as you would have then do unto you:”

During his working career he found time to assist others by volunteering on various community boards. He served as president of the Franklin County Board of Realtors, as well as volunteering with the Franklin County Division of Aging to assist seniors with the filing of the Circuit Breaker’s program. For a time, he managed the Senior Housing Complex off of Arizona St. in New Haven where he installed a flagpole. Flying the flag was very important to him. He was a patriot.

Heart issues forced him to retire at age 62, and he took up cooking for the first time and became proficient at many great desserts as well as main dishes. Ken also enjoyed making and refinishing furniture, reading, gardening, local history and collecting art and antiques. Ken loved old houses and remodeled both his wife’s grandfather’s house as well as her great grandfather’s house, both of which they lived in for several years. He was always ready for good conversation, good food and a glass of wine. He especially enjoyed the role of grandpa to his grandson, teaching him about farm life, mowing grass, gardening, making wooden toys for him and just watching him grow.

In September of 2025, he quietly observed 60 years of marriage with his wife Betty at their home while undergoing cancer treatment. Good friends and good neighbors helped make the day special for them.

Ken was preceded in death by his parents, William and Amelia, his in-laws, William and Mathilde Ohse, his brother Bill Altemeyer and his sisters-in-law, Doris Altemeyer and Janet Altemeyer, sister Barbara and brother-in-law Don Guese, grandson, Eli Philip Altemeyer and his son, James K. Altemeyer.

He leaves behind to mourn his passing, his wife Betty, his son Kent, grandson Luke Altemeyer of rural New Haven, a brother Kevin Altemeyer and his wife Amy of Germany, brother-in-law Kenneth Ohse and wife Rose, sister-in-law Barbara Gilbert and husband Jerald, sister-in-law Janet Redhage and husband Bernard, as well as nieces, nephews, cousins and many friends.

Visitation will be from held from 9:00 a.m. until 11:00 a.m. on Friday January 30, 2026 at Trinity Lutheran Church, 9521 Hwy 100, New Haven, MO, Funeral Services will follow at 11:00 a.m with Pastor Andrew Preus officiating.

Expression of sympathy may be given to Christ the King Lutheran High School in Franklin County or to the Ken Altemeyer Memorial Scholarship c/o East Central College, P.O. Box 387, Union, MO 63084, (please make checks payable to ECC Foundation) or by visiting https://www.eastcentral.edu/foundation/donation-form and add “for the Ken Altemeyer Memorial Scholarship”