Regretfully, I announce that my grandfather, Kenneth Louis Kacel, of Warren, MI, passed away Saturday, August 22nd, 2015 at St. John Hospital after developing pneumonia. He was born and raised in Detroit, MI. He and his brothers chose to enlist, and the Governor of Michigan gave my grandfather and his twin, Lawrence (Larry), special permission to enlist together. I remember a time he was sharing stories about the good times. I asked him what was one of the worst times in his life, thinking it may have been during the war. And his answer, very simply, was, "There isn't one." Grandpa was proud to share stories of his time during the war. We are proud to have been able to share so many years with such an incredible, generous, creative, and talented man. He will be laid to rest Saturday, August 29th, 2015 with a service in Warren, MI and interment in Rochester Hills. http://temrowski.tributes.com/show/102776194
My condolences on the loss of your grandfather. Just looking at his photo, it seems like he was a very happy and kind man. Be at peace, Mr. Kacel. Your service to our country will never be forgotten. :S!
Condolences. I read the obituary and saw his picture. He seemed like a man to know. Extend our sincere best wishes from the forum.
Thank you, all. He has certainly been, and will continue to be, one of the greatest influences in my life. We said our final farewells to him today, August 29,and he is finally laid to rest. While our hearts weigh heavily for the loss of an exceptional man, it was most painful to see my grandmother so heartbroken. He was draped with the flag, and his service honored by two volunteers at the end of the church service. Never having been to a funeral with military honors before, I was uncertain what to expect, and I was touched by the subtly and care by the two who were there for my grandfather. So simple, but so moving. It does not amaze me to bear witness to those who came to pay their respects, because he is a kind and generous soul. I am only grateful to have had him in my life, and my children's lives, for such a wonderful length of time. I hope we all continue to make him proud and bring at least a quarter of the goodness he brought to the world.
Quite a man! You said he spoke freely of his experiences. Did your family record any of these stories and would you be interested in sharing them here?
I am Kenneth's daughter. I have several video's I took of him to record his stories. I have to find them. He had several stories he told repeatedly. One story about how he fell asleep during night watch. Someone caught him but he didn't get into trouble because the person who caught him happened to be his twin brother who served in the same division. He also spoke of how he almost got into trouble by carrying a camera where ever he went. He had a little spy type camera that he hid in his uniform. I have many, many photos that he took during the war. I could spend hour upon hour sharing his accounts of the war. Unfortunately, I don't have the time at this moment. I can from time to time post more stories as time allows. Karen