Kenneth Webber

Kenneth Eugene Webber, Jr. Lakeland - Kenneth Eugene Webber, Jr. of Lakeland, FL died peacefully at the age of 91 on July 10th, 2017. He was born at Fort Barrancas, FL on August 2nd, 1925 to Kenneth Eugene and Jeanne Norma Webber. His father was a 1923 graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point who retired as a Major General in the United States Air Force. Ken followed in his father’s footsteps and graduated from West Point in 1948. He served in the U.S. Army for 27 years and retired in 1975 as a Colonel. During his career he served in Germany, Japan, and Korea and commanded an infantry battalion in Vietnam where he was severely wounded. From 1970 to 1974, Ken was the Professor of Military Science at Florida Southern College in Lakeland where he was in charge of the Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) program there. After retiring from the Army, he was the Senior Army Instructor for the Junior ROTC program at Eden High School in Eden, NC for four years and then was a Professor of Computer Science & Director of Learning Labs at Polk Community College in Winter Haven, FL until he retired for good in 1996. Not only did COL Webber serve his country with distinction, he left a legacy of service that inspired both of his sons, Lieutenant Colonel Kenneth Eugene Webber III and Lieutenant Colonel Kurt Elliott Webber, to follow in his footsteps to West Point and to careers as U.S. Army officers. This followed on to the next generation as a granddaughter, 1LT Kandace Webber, and two grandsons, CPT Kristopher Webber and 1LT Kenneth Webber, also graduated from West Point and are currently serving as U.S. Army officers. Other grandchildren, CPT Katie Highland and SGT Robert Leynes, also served in the Army. Another grandson, BJ Stuchko, served in the U.S. Navy. All three generations served in combat from Vietnam to Panama to Iraq and Afghanistan. COL Webber is survived by his wife, Charlotte S. Webber, daughter, Karen Struchko, sons Kenneth and Kurt, stepdaughter Pam Steinberg, stepson Glen Rogers, fourteen grandchildren and ten great-grandchildren. He was predeceased by his second wife, Mary Jim Webber.