Pylant Geneology

The following tribute from Kenneth's sons (Kenny, Donny & Ronny) was given during the funeral services by Donny Pylant: "To Our Daddy" KENNETH EARL PYLANT May 5, 1920 to February 5, 1993 While it seems that the life of Kenneth Earl Pylant has come to an end, it's not really the end because his memory lives on in those of us whose lives he's touched; certainly evident by all of you who have come today to pay him tribute. There are so many wonderful memories which come to mind. Please allow me to share a few with you today. He married my mom, Tommie Rae Carnathan, and on April 9th they'd have celebrated their 50th Wedding Anniversary! Since their retirement, they have enjoyed many years of traveling with incredible experiences such as actually panning for gold in Alaska, living for a week on a houseboat in Arkansas, and cruising tropical islands to name but a few. Thinking back on these memories about Daddy's life, the words "full and complete" come to mind. He had a very full and complete life and saw to it that ours was too! How could his life have been anything but full helping raise three sons!? Although he never professed publicly, I know that Daddy believed in the Lord and accepted Jesus as Savior, and is in Heaven right now. No more pain and suffering, no more dialysis, no tubes, no more struggling to breathe. He is well and whole again. My heart is comforted by this. Daddy's strong family values were best demonstrated by the way he cared for his wife and sons. He kept his boys busy and out of trouble by taking us to the lake and teaching us how to water ski - I will never forget trying to get up on those skis and then falling down and him having to bring the boat back around again and again, hoping that the next time I would get up and stay up. He was persistent, patient and would not let me give up. I recall hunting and fishing trips and teaching us how to handle a gun, how to catch fish and how to work with tools and build things. He was always working with his hands and building things, like the hand-built go kart when Ronny and I were 3 and Kenny was 6, --- it was, of course, built from old car parts and angle iron. It looked like a real midget racer, painted red with yellow lightning bolts across the hood and chromed plumbing parts that looked like big exhaust headers coming out the side. We were the speed demons of the blacktop; that is the blacktop at Pugh Elementary. That's the school that Kenny hit broadside in the go kart, where Kenny ran over his Aunt Doris and Uncle Guy, the school where Ronny nailed a big oak tree. (It left a scar right between his eyes to prove it.) Many of you here may have ridden in that infamous go kart. He also enjoyed bowling, and until he injured his back, that was one of his favorite hobbies. He taught us how to bowl, even finding time to manage a bowling league for the kids in our neighborhood, and every Saturday we would all go to the Harrisburg Bowling Lanes. As we each got our driver's license, he began helping us with real cars. He even helped us purchase our first cars, mine when I was 15, although I couldn't drive it until I turned 16 and got my license, so meanwhile, I had time to prepare it for painting, work on the engine, brakes, suspension, etc., all with his help, and then he painted it for me just in time for my 16th birthday. I was so proud of that first car. He was a collector, as Mom can confirm. He liked collecting coins and made jewelry from those coins such as belt buckles. Some of you may have one of his handmade belt buckles. I'm wearing mine today. They're special because he used coins that had significant meaning --- birth dates, anniversary dates. etc. He enjoyed playing practical jokes and making people laugh. I remember when he put a fake egg that wouldn't break into his sister Doris' refrigerator and then asked her to cook him some eggs. Watching her try to crack that egg was hilarious. For years he led each of his three daughters-in-law to believe tht each one was his favorite until he got caught signing "To My Favorite Daughter-In-Law" when they all were present. And never bet against him when he was showing you one of his famous card tricks! Of course, if you did bet with him, he would win, but would always give you your money back. He was proud of his family heritage and was so pleased that his nephew, Ted, devoted so much of his life in search of PYLANT family history. This interest proved contagious, as we all became acutely aware of who we were and where we came from. Naturally, family reunions were a main event and though he was not feeling "up to par" he attended the one in July. If you met Daddy, you never forgot him. He made friends wherever he went. He even befriended the squirrels in his back yard. They'd follow him around and eat out of his hand. For Christmas one year, he made bird houses for each of us. These multi-story units were built with intricate precision and care. As we grew up and started leading our own separate lives, he helped with remodeling our homes, working on cars, going to the grandkids' soccer games, baseball games, ballet and dance recitals, scout functions, and always with his camera, taking plenty of pictures. Speaking of grandkids, he was able to capture on film Jamie's first attempt at shaving, his face all lathered up, looking so serious --- of course he was only 2 years old at the time! Beginning with Jamie, I believe he taught all of his grandchildren to drive his garden tractor. He was Anna & Mandy's favorite customer when they were younger and would play "waitress" and bring him pretend food --- some he'd like --- some he'd make a face and send back. A few years ago, he gave Aaron a metal detector and pre-arranged buried treasures for him to find in their yard. Mandy recently asked Gayle, "Won't you be glad when you became a grandparent?" And Gayle said, "Of course! Why do you ask?" Mandy said, "Because then you'll have plenty of time, like Mam-Maw & Pap-Paw. They always have time for Skip-bo & games and fun things." We appreciate the sacrifices he made and the example he set --- and nowadays, when real heros are so hard to find, we'll always remember our very own. You're our Hero, Daddy! We love you. Donny February 8, 1993