Kenneth Dwaine Amstutz was an art teacher
Kenneth Dwaine Amstutz, 73, died unexpectedly on December 23, 2022, in Cypress, Texas. Ken was the second of seven children born to Dwaine and Ruth (Jones) Amstutz. He is survived by his loving spouse Doris; his daughter Mary (Robert) Reiter, and his six siblings.
Ken grew up in Bluffton, Ohio, near both his mother’s and father’s extended family. Since his father was an identical twin, he had a special connection with his cousins. He attended the Chicago Art Institute before serving in the U.S. Navy. After the Navy, he completed his bachelor’s degree at Ohio State University and extended studies at Bowling Green University. During his time at OSU, Ken met and married the loves of his life, Doris, and her young daughter Mary. Ken and Doris chose to raise their daughter in Ohio where Ken combined his love of art and teaching as an art teacher in the Findlay school system. In 1991 they relocated to Mission Viejo, California. Ken with his brother Greg founded Genesis International Orphanage Foundation, a non-profit organization helping orphans in Baja California, Mexico. Ken and Doris retired in 2014 and moved to Cypress, TX to be near their daughter and her husband. In Texas, Ken worked with children as a Para-Professional in the Special Education department of the Cypress Fairbanks school system.
Ken’s open-minded approach made him a wonderful listener, and no one was a stranger for long. He had an artist’s appreciation for life, finding inspiration in nature and people. His experiences growing up with six siblings, flight testing jets for the Navy, and transporting sugar from California to Mexico for the orphanages made for the best stories. He left this world a better place with his love and dedication to Family, Art, Education, and Children.
Honoring his wishes, his family will spread his ashes in Laguna Beach, California during the Sawdust Festival.
Stories Posted This Week
Saturday, May 3, 2025
- Pirate baseball win vs. Tigers
- Bluffton softball edged in battle of Pirates
- Committee meetings scheduled for Bluffton Council
- #1 recommended attraction in NW Ohio is in Ada
- Mental Health Awareness event with Seth Gehle
- Ohio highway patrol promoting motorcycle safety
- Recap of Bluffton Board of Education meeting for April 2025
- Weekend Doctor: Antidepressants in the long term
Friday, May 2, 2025
- BHS seniors exhibit art at Gallery 323 through May 7
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- Pirate softball blanked by Lancers
- Pirate baseball blanked by Lincolnview
- Laman Promoted to VP Retail Credit Manager by CNB
- Local land conservancy hires first Executive Director
- Steiner to present Swiss Family Migration program on May 21
- 850 Days of Caring volunteers will pitch in for Hancock County
Thursday, May 1, 2025
- Angel M. Langhals owned LFE/API Meters
- Allen Co. task force targets target sex and human traffickers
- Blessing of the Bikes, May 4
- Metzger honored at 2025 Black Swamp Council meeting
- Volunteer invitation for Bluffton Pathway Count in May
- Pirate tennis edges Ottawa-Glandorf
- Bluffton EMS station staffing goes 24/7 on May 1
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Wednesday, April 30, 2025
- Observation deck added to Motter Park cascading pools project
- Bluffton Women in Business meet May 15
- Four sportsmen stock 200 trout at Buckeye Lake
- Pirate girls, boys 2nd at Minster track quad
- Pirate baseball win vs. Riverdale
- Pirate softball loss vs. Riverdale
- Field reports from NW Ohio wildlife officers