Kenneth David Slaten

Kenneth David Slaten, age 36, of Rio Rancho and Las Cruces, went to be with the Lord Thursday, November 11, 2021.  He was born in Albuquerque, NM to David and Donna Slaten.

He was such a joyful, entertaining child who could bring a smile to anyone’s face. His gymnastics experiences had him backflipping all over the place. He performed as a flying monkey in the Wizard of Oz, a clown with several acts in a school talent show and performed with the PR Leyva Show Choir. Kenny always enjoyed strumming the guitar and singing with his dad. He graduated high school in Rio Rancho in 2004.  Kenny served in the NM Army National Guard.  He was a manager at Twisters in Rio Rancho for many years.  He became a Christian at a very young age and was quite the little evangelist.  We fondly remember his grandfather, Ken, Aunt Judy and Aunt Betty Jo giving Kenny quarters to sing his rendition of “Joy to the World”. His enthusiasm was always very contagious.

Family was very important to him.  He loved family gatherings. Kenny dearly loved and admired his brother, Bryan and his sister, Beth.   In the last year of his life, he fell in love with Kimberly Tyler, who became his fiancé.  We are all so grateful that his last year was filled with so much love.  Kenny was always a good friend to many.  His friends described him as sweet, funny, faithful, and wonderful with children.  He particularly adored his nieces and nephews. Like his grandpa Ken, he was a faithful Dallas Cowboys fan (despite the rest of his family’s disdain for the Cowboys). His interests also included glassblowing and panning for gold.

Kenny is survived by his parents, Dave and Donna Slaten; brother Bryan Slaten and his wife Angela; his sister, Bethany Curvey and her husband Matt; his grandmother, Ellen Brown Plouffe; his nephews, Andrew Slaten and Wyatt Curvey; his nieces, Brooke Slaten, Bailey Slaten, and Charlotte Curvey; aunts and uncles, Nancy and Mark Holtzclaw, Danny and Julie Brown, Debbie and Chris Ward and cousins, Aaron and Maddie Ward.  He was preceded in death by his grandparents, Don Brown; Ken and Rosemary Slaten, and Norm Plouffe.

A Funeral Service will take place on Wednesday, November 17, at 2:00 p.m., at FRENCH-Westside.

For Kenny’s 35th birthday, he requested donations be made to St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital. http://www.stjude.org/donate Because of his love of children and their love of Kenny, we request that in lieu of flowers, Memorial Donations be made to this incredible foundation.

The family would like you to view the service which will be live streamed and available for viewing by clicking on the link below.