E. Kenneth Hensley, 70, of Waterloo, died at MercyOne Waterloo Medical Center on Monday, January 13, 2020. He was born May 29, 1949, in Waterloo, son of Elmer Kenneth Hensley and Elinore Caroline (Morris) Hensley.

Ken graduated from East Waterloo High School in 1968; received Associate degrees from Rochester Community & Technical College in Rochester Hills, Michigan and from Brown Institute of Broadcasting in Minnesota.

He married Penny Lynn Van Gerpen on March 16, 2001, at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Evansdale.

Ken worked for more than 43 years as an advertising sales representative for radio broadcasting including KFMW, KOKZ, KXEL, KPTY and Coloff Media.

He was a member of Grace Evangelical Lutheran Church; a founding member of the Fourth Street Cruise; and was involved with the Iowa Chapter of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. Ken was a 5th degree black belt in Seishin Ryu Karate and operated his own school for a period of time.

Ken is survived by his wife, Penny Lynn (Van Gerpen) Hensley; a step-son, Mitchell Calvert; a brother, Craig Kern; a sister, Terrilee (Morris) Danner and husband Dennis; sister-in-law, Christine (brother Gordon’s wife) Kern; an uncle and aunt; and numerous nieces and nephews.

He is preceded in death by his grandparents; parents; brothers, Gary Kern, Gordon Kern, Richard Kern and sister-in-law, Arlene; and sister-in-law, Sharon Kern (brother Craig’s wife).