Kenny was a treasure to know, and an honor to call a friend.
In an age where cynicism, and negativity, and the sewer of social media drive much of the debate, Kenny was man who always had a smile, always had a joke handy, and whether he was winning or losing he was the happy warrior in the battle.
I met him when he was the JeffCo County Executive, knew him better when he was County Clerk, and greatly enjoyed spending time with him while he was the State Representative the last few years.
Personally, I attribute a great deal of that happiness to his love of Trina, and his kids who he talked about all the time. Im not sure I ever visited with him when he wasn’t telling me what they were up to.
Ken was a fair man, and a plain spoken man.
He believed that folks who work hard for a living, like his folks in Jefferson County trades unions, deserved a fair shake on payday.
While today that is the majority Missouri republican position, that wasn’t always the case. Ken Waller helped make it that way.
It’s been an interesting turn of events in the Missouri Republican Party. There was a time when party leaders recruited common sense, pro labor, pro-working folks republicans to run in what were swing areas like JeffCo used to be. It worked, as former Speaker Hanaway can tell you.
Then last decade they went through a fever craze of trying to purge common sense from the party. After the voters of the state overwhelmingly defeated them a new wave of common sense broke through to the status quo we have today, a very Ken Waller like status quo.
He was a pioneer of the republican party. He was one of the first republicans to win county wide in what was a very democratic dominated JeffCo.
Ken Waller, was a good man, who knew how to persuade people. There was a time when republicans didn’t have to change the rules to win, people like Ken actually persuaded people to vote republican because his ideas were better.
He didn’t have to scream at people or rig the rules to win, he just convinced people who were voting democratic to choose to vote republican…a novel concept that unfortunately has largely been abandoned by the party.
I think he was so good at converting folks in JeffCo to become republicans because just being a republican was never what he was about. He was about helping folks in JeffCo.
It’s hard to remember a conversation I ever had with Kenny that we didn’t in some way end up discussing the Jefferson County Port. He was a dog on an bone about finding money for that port and then adding lanes on 55 to the port.
The success of that port, and now the truly incredible amount of work being done on 55 to increase access to the port are living monuments to Kenny’s dedication and the lifetime he spent serving his friends and neighbors in Jefferson County.
Ive always observed that some of the best legislators came from local government. 10 years (maybe one year) after someone is term limited no one will remember 99.9% of the votes anyone takes, but their community will forever remember the money they brought home, and the good it did.
Kenny was so excited about his upcoming senate race. He was cut out to be a senator, and he relished what he knew would be a tough race.
If you want to see a window into Ken Waller in the days leading up to his announcing his run on This Week in Missouri Politics he was like the old school politician calculating the risk of giving up his house seat he would easily win against the good he could do in the senate.
However, during those days leading up to taping the show he was maybe most concerned with telling his would be opponent Jim Avery he was running. He didn’t want to hurt his feelings. That was Kenny.
He had his team led by Steve Earp all fired up and ready to roll. I was looking forward to covering that race. It would have been a great one to watch.
Ill never forget the day in Herky that Kenny gave me my American flag jacket.
I felt like an honorary south Jefferson Countian when I put it on. Its a prize possession of mine and Ill be wearing it Friday, and it will have a place of honor in our studio thereafter. I was especially pleased to be in an elite club with Rep. Jim Murphy who also received one.
When my dear friend Derrick Good texted me early Saturday morning with the news, my honorary south Jefferson County heart sank, as did thousands of actual Jefferson Countians.
Ken Waller was a happy warrior, and leaves an incredible legacy behind from the battles he won, and the lives he touched.
For those so inclined there will be a visitation Friday from 3:00- 8:00 pm and the funeral service will be held Saturday at 10:30, both at Gracelife Chapel in Pevely.
If your in Jefferson City during veto session Rep. Cecelie Williams and Steve are putting together an event at 7:30 pm on Tuesday September 9th, at 225 Madison Street to come and celebrate Kenny.
Scott Faughn is the publisher of The Missouri Times, owner of the Clayton Times in Clayton; SEMO Times in Poplar Bluff; and host of the only statewide political television show, This Week in Missouri Politics.
