Kenneth Virgil Gluch

Funeral service for Kenneth Virgil Gluch, 81, Meridian, Idaho will be at 1:00 PM Sunday, March 11, 2018 at the Cloverdale Funeral Home Chapel. Burial will be at Cloverdale Memorial Park with a reception to follow at Cloverdale Reception Center. Visitation will be at the Funeral Home on Saturday, March 10, 2018 between 5-7 PM.

Kenneth Gluch went to his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, on March 6, 2018. Ken was born in Pleasant Valley Idaho to Harold and Irma Gluch on May 26, 1936. Ken grew up on the family dairy farm in Caldwell just outside Greenleaf where he attended a one room school house and later attended Caldwell High School. He played basketball and football in high school and upon graduating from Caldwell High in 1954 he played football for Boise Junior College in the fall of that same year.

Ken chose to live, work and raise his family in Boise. He owned and operated a successful business until he sold it in 1992 and retired, eventually moving back to his boyhood home in 1996 after his parents’ passing. He loved to hunt and fish as a boy, and that love of the outdoors led him to run Idaho rivers in Mackenzie boats and pilot aircraft in the Idaho back country as an adult. He loved everything about nature. He was an avid gardener. If you could grow it in Idaho, he probably did at some point. He even managed to work sagebrush into the landscaping of his home because he liked its smell after it rained. Always wanting to give back to the place he loved. He raised several species of wild birds to release back in to the places he liked to hunt for others to enjoy.

During his retirement years he enjoyed vacationing with the friends of his youth. They loved to golf, camp or fish together. He especially enjoyed their golf trips to Scotland, Ireland and Hawaii.

Dad’s life was really defined by his service to others. He was a quiet, humble man with a dry sense of humor who was always there to help family, friends, church members and even strangers in need. He was generous with his time and money. If help was needed, he was there. Wanting to serve others but wanting to avoid the spotlight, one of his greatest joys was being able to help someone anonymously. Many families received everything for a Thanksgiving dinner or Christmas presents left on their doorstep without knowing the person responsible.

He was a beloved husband, father, grandfather and great grandfather who will be greatly missed. He is survived by his beloved wife LaRae and a blended family of 11 children, 21 grandchildren and 16 great grandchildren.