Kenneth Duane Ableiter

Kenneth Duane Ableiter, age 91 of Frederick, Maryland passed away peacefully on June 11th, 2026 surrounded by family.

He was a loving and devoted husband of JoAnn Florence Richey Ableiter for 71 years. Dewey, as he preferred to be called, was born on August 22, 1934 in Dickinson, ND to the late James Kenneth and Nellie Neil Reed Ableiter. He was raised with a good moral compass, integrity, humor and an inquiring mind.

Supporting his family was his pride and joy. He and JoAnn raised four girls and a boy which often times required taking on multiple jobs concurrently, a testament to his work ethic. He had a successful career working for WSSC, had his own hardscape side business, and in his “spare” time enjoyed taking cars and trucks apart and rebuilding them to their former glory. The truck he learned to drive in at age 14, a 1928 REO Speed Wagon that he bought from his uncle and lovingly restored, now sits in the R.E. Olds Museum in Lansing, Michigan.

Dewey was preceded in death by his parents Nell and Ken Ableiter, nephew Arthur Ploeger, and niece Allison Ploeger. He is survived by his wife JoAnn, twin daughters Victoria Howard and Valerie McGuire, daughter Leslie (Kim) Iannucci, daughter Karen (Dennis) Rutten, and son Douglas (fiancé Patricia Beaver) Ableiter. He is also survived by his two sisters Erlys (Gerald) Ploeger and Allene (Kurt) VonHurst, four grandchildren Christopher McGuire, Nicholas (Karla) Rutten, Timothy (Hattie) Rutten, and Emily (Matthew) Hinkle and his two great-grandchildren Natalie and Micah Rutten.

The family will receive friends from 9:00 am to 11:00 am on Thursday, June 18, 2026 at Stauffer Funeral Homes,1621 Opossumtown Pike in Frederick, MD.
A celebration of Kenneth's life journey will take place at 11:00 am on Thursday, June 18, 2026, at the funeral home.

Burial will be private for the family.