Kenneth Haynie Obituary

Kenneth Harlan Haynie
Kenneth Harlan Haynie

January 14, 1933 - May 24, 2025
Born in Omaha, Nebraska
Resided in Des Moines, Iowa
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Obituary

Kenneth Harlan Haynie, 92, the son of Roscoe G. Haynie and Delpha Poor Haynie, died on Saturday, May 24, 2025, in Des Moines, Iowa.

Born in Omaha, Nebraska on January 14, 1933, Ken moved with his family to Chicago and then attended college at DePauw University in Greencastle, Indiana. On the first day of classes, Ken met Emillie Grace Tereze and they were married on June 12, 1954. After graduation, Ken attended law school at the University of Michigan where he was awarded the Order of the Coif and was an editor of the Michigan Law Review. In 1957, Ken and Millie moved to Des Moines, Iowa where he joined the law firm now known as Ahlers & Cooney, P.C. and they raised their family of three sons.

Practicing initially as a trial lawyer, Ken moved into the practice of Municipal law and became bond counsel for many Iowa communities and governments. He authored the Iowa law permitting tax increment financing and pioneered its use for redevelopment of the City of Des Moines and numerous other Iowa communities. Ken was bond counsel for Des Moines for 30 years and the Iowa Board of Regents for 17 years. He authored or contributed to a long list of Iowa laws on State and Municipal finance. He was an honored Fellow of the American College of Bond Counsel and served on its Board of Directors. Ken was a 50-year member of the Iowa Bar Association.

Stepping outside of Municipal law, Ken drafted the articles of incorporation for Casey’s General Stores, Inc. in 1968 and brought the company public in 1983 as general counsel. He went on to serve as a director of the company from 1987 to 2015. During that time, Casey’s grew from a single store in Boone, Iowa to nearly 2,000 stores across the Midwest.

Ken served on the boards of Orchard Place and its foundation, the Children’s Home, the Young Men’s Christian Association Children’s Home, the Iowa Student Loan Services Corporation, and the Board of Deacons of Plymouth Church.

Ken had a voracious appetite for knowledge and was truly a lifelong learner. He had a unique ability to use that knowledge to connect with everyone who knew him. Ken was properly regarded as a person who could be relied upon to provide thoughtful and effective advice and guidance but also had a subtle sense of humor that made those who paid attention smile from ear to ear.

While he never hunted, fished, or played as much golf as he would have liked, Ken pursued all these activities with passion. He was never happier than when he was in the cornfields with his dogs and friends or on the course with his three sons completing his foursome.

Ken was preceded in death by Millie, whom he loved and admired for the 48 years they were together and afterward. He was also preceded in death by his parents, his little sister Linda L. Haynie, and his oldest son Steven G. Haynie.

Ken is survived by his sons Thomas S. Haynie (Roxanne Elings) of New York, NY and James P. Haynie (Gretchen) of Palm Beach Gardens, FL and Ipswich, MA and his grandchildren: John (Jack) E. Haynie of Washington, D.C., Altana Elings-Haynie of Philadelphia, PA, and Roscoe D. Elings-Haynie of Seattle, WA. He is also survived by Amanda Kanehl of Perry, IA and her son Jett, who both were a source of tremendous joy to him later in life, and Jean Linder of Johnston, IA with whom he shared many special moments.

A Celebration of Life honoring Ken will be held at the Des Moines Golf & Country Club on July 1st from 4:00 to 7:00p.m. A private family service will be held at the Glendale Cemetery earlier that same day.

In lieu of flowers, please consider making donations in Ken’s memory to Bridges of Iowa Inc. thebridgesofiowa.org/donate/.

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Celebration of Life Visitation
Des Moines Golf and Country Club
1600 Jordan Creek Parkway
West Des Moines, Iowa 50266
Tuesday, July 1, 2025
4:00 PM - 7:00 PM
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