Kenneth Frederick Silvey

Kenneth Frederick Silvey, age 96, of Austin, Minnesota, passed away on March 13, 2026, at Prairie Manor Care Center in Blooming Prairie. Born on November 8, 1929, in Manson, Iowa, to George and Elma (Meier) Silvey, Ken graduated from Havelock High School in 1947. He continued his education at Morningside College in Sioux City, Iowa, Northwestern Electronics Institute in Minneapolis, and the University of Minnesota. On February 4, 1951, he married Margaret Laidley in Laurens, Iowa, and together they raised two children, Michael George and Cheryl Lynn.

Ken served in the Army, where he played tenor sax in the marching band at Camp Drum, New York, and Fort Devens, Massachusetts. The family lived in Blooming Prairie, Kentucky, New York, and Massachusetts during his service. In 1956, he began a long career at Honeywell in the Engineering Evaluation Lab, working at several locations in the Minneapolis area until his retirement in 1988. He contributed to major government projects, including the Space Shuttle and the SR-71 Blackbird airplane. While living in New Brighton, Ken and Margaret were active members of Messiah Lutheran Church in Mounds View, where he sang in the choir and served on the board of Elders.

In 1992, Ken and Margaret moved to Sugar Lake near Glen, Minnesota, where they spent 13 years and enjoyed winters in Tampa, Florida. They settled in Austin in 2004 at Oak Park Village and became members of St. Olaf Lutheran Church. Ken was a devoted husband, father, and grandfather whose quiet dedication and love for music and family left a lasting impression on those who knew him.

He is survived by his wife of more than 75 years, Margaret; his children, Michael Silvey of Wesley Chapel, Florida, and Cheryl Healy of Anoka; five grandchildren; eight great-grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents, George and Elma, and his brother, Don Silvey.