Benjamin Leon Kingery (91) of Rock Falls, formerly of Cumberland County

Benjamin Leon Kingery, 91, of Rock Falls, formerly of Cumberland County, died Monday, July 31, 2017 at the Dixon Rehabilitation and Care Center in Dixon Illinois.

Visitation will be 1:30 PM - 2:30 PM Thursday August 10 at the McDonald Funeral Home in Rock Falls, IL. Burial will be at the Kingery Family Cemetery, Cumberland Co., IL. on Friday at 12:30 PM. A memorial has been established to the Kingery Family Cemetery Fund for the future maintenance of the cemetery and roadway to the cemetery. For your convenience, a tax-exempt number is furnished (#37-1333534). Thank you. After authoring the Kingery Family History book, Ben and other relatives restored the Kingery Family Cemetery.

Online condolences may be sent by clicking here.

He was born April 7, 1926 in Springpoint Twp. Cumberland County Illinois, the son of Ben Esau and Blanche (Scott) Kingery. On March 18, 1950, he married Dorothy Ann Landis in Gary Indiana. To this union was born one son, Gordon. On July 7, 1955, Ben married Eloise I. (Kaufman) Ernst, in Dubuque Iowa. To this union, no children were born. She preceded him in death on March 13, 2010. Ben attended grade and high schools in Montrose and Jewett, IL. He received his diploma as a machinist from the National Youth Association (N.Y.A.) Trade school at Paradise Lake, Mattoon, IL. With his diploma and a letter of recommendation in his hand, he went to work at Hetherington Berner Inc. of Indianapolis, IN. machining WWII military tank parts. After enlisting in the army, he took basic at Camp Lee, VA., Technical Training at the Aberdeen Proving Grounds, MD., and was shipped to Manila, Philippines and appointed manager of the Officer's Club. Upon returning home, he worked at Northwestern Steel Wire Co. for 37 years, 17 years as machinist and 20 years as Group Leader of the machine shop. He retired May 1, 1984. In 1980 he spent several weeks in Toronto, Canada being schooled in the Western art of self-defense (called DEFENDO) which was developed by the renowned Bill Underwood, who taught it to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.

Besides his wife, he was preceded in death by his parents and 3 brothers, Park, Everett and George.

He is survived by his son Gordon (Bonnie), 3 Grandchildren, Colleen, Eric, and Kristen, and 4 Great Grandchildren Cody, Tyler, Vivian and Leander and his sister Genevieve Morgan.