Ken Libby

James Kenneth “Ken” Libby was born July 19, 1921 in Major County, OK to Thomas Reed Libby and Lorean Jett Libby. He died at his home in Brenham, TX on Friday, April 30, 2010 after fighting cancer for many years.

Ken’s early education began in 1927 in the Cleo Springs, OK Public School. When the “Crash” came in 1929, the family had already moved, and he attended a little one-room schoolhouse called Glade Public School and later another one-room school called Missionary and his teacher drove a horse and buggy to and from school. He rode his pony Midget to school. He graduated from Fairview, OK High School.

Before World War II, Ken worked for E.I. DuPont at Prior, OK at a smokeless powder and TNT plant in the Civil Engineering Department. Shortly before WWII began, he enrolled in the Aviation Cadet Corp of the U.S. Army, receiving Pilots Wings and Commission flying the B-26 Martin Marauder. Second Lieutenant Libby served the Army Air Corp from 1942-1945. Combat missions were flown from England, France, Belgium and Germany. He flew a B-26 on D-Day. Twice his plane was hit by enemy fire. He crashed his B-26 the first time in France; the next time he was shot on a night mission but was able to get his plane to his field in Belgium before crashing his A-26 Invader.

After the war, he first worked as a fireman for Santa Fe Railroad. Then he began college at Texas Southwestern in San Marcos, TX. He transferred to Austin College in Sherman, TX because of a well-respected math department that was his major. He went to work for IBM immediately after receiving a B.S. degree in math and remained with the company until his retirement. While with IBM he worked in Sherman, Dallas, Ft. Worth, Houston, TX; Buenos Aires, Campinas, Brazil; La Paz, Bolivia; Lima, Peru and back to Houston in 1976. At that time he was asked to join IBM’s Senior Vice-President and Chief Counsel, Mr. Nicholas Katzenbach, Chief Legal Counsel for IBM and formerly Attorney General of the U.S. during the Eisenhour and later Under-Secretary of State. This required a move to Los Angeles, San Francisco and Long Beach, CA.

Ken is survived by a loving family consisting of his wife Georgia and five children: LaDonna June Libby Byers, Shelter Cove, CA; LaTonda Anne Baratelli, Denver, CO; Norman Reed Baratelli, Seattle, WA; Kathryn Ann Becker and husband Rob Becker, Austin, TX; and Kenneth Larkin Roberts and wife Annette, Austin, TX.

He was proud of his five grandchildren and great-granddaughter: Oliver Cassidy Byers and wife Rachel and great-granddaughter Aria Rose Byers, Shelter Cove, CA; Dustin Michael Becker, Tyler, TX, David Alan Becker, Austin, TX; Gary Robert Becker, Austin, TX, Katlyn Marie Becker, Austin, TX.

Ken’s sister, Jean Bryant, lives in Jett, OK. Her children are Rodger Bryant and Cindy Bryant. Sister-in-law Joyce Libby lives in OKC; her children Tom, Max, Terry and Valerie live in OKC.

A special thanks to Hospice nurses Delta, Jeanelle, Kacy and Elizabeth.

Visitation will be Wednesday, May 5, 2010 beginning at 1 p.m. until service time.

Funeral services will be held at 2 pm, Wednesday, May 5, 2010 in Brenham Memorial Chapel.

Graveside service will be held at 2 pm, Thursday, May 6, 2010 at Austin Memorial Park Cemetery, Austin, TX.

The family request that in lieu of flowers to consider a contribution to Hospice Brazos Valley, 302 East Blue Bell Road, Brenham, TX 77833.

Services are in the care of Brenham Memorial Chapel
2300 Stringer St., Brenham, TX.
979.836.3611 www.brenham-memorial-chapel.com