Obituary of Kenneth Waun

Kenneth (Ken) William Waun passed away peacefully at his home in Peoria, AZ on November 13 at the age of 61. Ken was the son of Charles Waun and Joyce (Bailey) Waun. He was born July 12, 1960, at Ft. Devens in Ayer, Massachusetts. After growing up in New Mexico and California, Ken moved with his family to Glendale, AZ, where he attended Apollo High School. He played football and was a member of the marching band and jazz band. After graduation in 1978, he played the bass trombone in the Glendale Concert Band and Jack Wickerson’s Big Band, as well as other local jazz fusion bands. During high school, Ken was also into cars and dirt bikes. He liked fixing and racing them. He later attended an automotive tech school and from there went to work as an auto mechanic for his friend Roy Jhagroo. After working for Roy for many years, Ken was employed at Nissan and later Infiniti as a master mechanic. Ken married his high school sweetheart, Linda Ruth Morgan, on July 1, 1989, in Phoenix, and they spent the next 32 years together. They were big Arizona Cardinal football fans and would drive up to Flagstaff to watch the spring training camp every year and had season tickets for many years. Ken was a member of the Arizona Trail Riders motorcycle club, and he and Linda attended motorcycle rallies whenever they could. Ken was also an off-highway vehicle ambassador. Ken enjoyed playing video games on his computer, fantasy football and spending time with his two dogs, Emma and Buford. In 2011, Ken opened his own auto repair shop (KARS) in Peoria. Over the past eleven years, Ken put his life into making it the best auto shop he could. He was diagnosed with cancer in 20017 and continued running the shop until July 2021 when his illness prevented him from working any longer. He sold the shop to his dear friends and coworkers Cliff and Christina Kaderly, who carry on the shop’s legacy. Ken is survived by his wife Linda; mother Joyce Waun; brothers James and Robert Waun; uncle Roger Waun (Vicki); mother-in-law Sue Beck; brother-in-law Andy Morgan (Deborah Hansen); sister-in-law Jacque Pearson (Verne); and nephews R.J. Morgan, Jake Morgan, Tyler Morgan, Matt and Jeff Pearson. The family is grateful to the doctors and nurses at Deer Valley Medical, Sonoran Crossing Medical Center and Hospice of the Valley. A Celebration of Life will be held for Ken on Saturday, December 11, at 2 pm at KARS, 8615 W. Kelton Ln. Suite 303, Peoria, AZ.