Kenneth Gayle Stockdell, Sr. died on July 9, 2020, having just celebrated his 91 ^st birthday on July 3. He is survived by his wife of 65 years Jo Ann (Higgs) Stockdell, sister Rosemary Eswine (Wayne), children Kenneth G. Stockdell, Jr. (Lisa), Rebecca Stockdell Hovan (Michael), and Nancy Stockdell Jessen. Also surviving are grandchildren Samuel Ross Hovan (Alaina), Christopher Michael Hovan (Christina), Sage Alexandra Kafsky, and Rachael Brice Jessen, great-grandchildren Felicity Lois Hovan, Kassidy Joan Hovan, and Zoe Josephine Hovan, and many cousins, nephews, and nieces. He was preceded in death by his parents, Ura Victor Stockdell (Mary), and three brothers, Eugene Vincent Stockdell, Victor Bruce Stockdell, and David Winston Stockdell.

Born in Sellersburg, Indiana, Kenneth was the center on the Silver Creek High School varsity basketball team just prior to the period of Indiana high school basketball made famous in the movie "Hoosiers." He loved sports throughout his life. In addition to high school basketball, he played semi-professional, fast-pitch softball as an adult, once throwing a no-hitter yet losing the game when a run scored on an error. He also enjoyed pitching horseshoes, participating in a clay pit league. Recreationally he loved to play golf as well.

He attended Purdue University and was a member of the Purdue Varsity Glee Club as a second tenor. During his glee club tenure he participated in the inauguration festivities for President Dwight D. Eisenhower. Kenneth pursued advanced degrees in his chosen field of audiology, earning a Masters degree and completing all but his dissertation for a PhD at Vanderbilt University. Between his two degrees, he was a member of the faculty of Minot State College in Minot, North Dakota, and was the founding director of the Speech and Hearing Department at North Dakota State University in Fargo, North Dakota. He later became a faculty member at Middle Tennessee State University in Murfreesboro, Tennessee before leaving the university to become a pioneer in industrial hearing conservation.

In 1968 he was a participant in early drafting of the legislation that ultimately became the Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA), contributing his expertise as an audiologist to the monitoring of noise-induced hearing loss in workers. After the passage of the act, he built what became Ken Stockdell & Associates to provide hearing testing and other related services to assist companies in their compliance with OSHA regulations, serving the southeast for 45 years. He also owned and operated the Murfreesboro Audiology Clinic for many years.

Kenneth was a deeply committed Christian, having preached at Sylvania Church of Christ in the Louisville, Kentucky area, and served as an elder at East Main Street Church of Christ in Gallatin, Tennessee. He regularly taught Sunday School classes and led singing for many years. He served on the Board of Directors of Southeastern Christian College in Winchester, Kentucky before its closure as well as on other ministry boards.

A loving and supportive husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, and friend to those who knew him, Kenneth will always be remembered for his sharp wit, wisdom, and devotion to his family and faith.

In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts should be directed either to the MTSU Foundation Speech-Language-Hearing Clinic Fund ( https://securelb.imodules.com/s/1092/development/index.aspx?sid=1092&gid=1&pgid=686 ) or to North Boulevard Church of Christ , Murfreesboro, TN ( https://nb.ccbchurch.com/goto/giving )