Kenneth Russell Symmes

Brigadier General (retried) Kenneth R Symmes

Kenneth(Ken) R Symmes was born on 11 April 1928 in Lowell, Massachusetts.  He passed away peacefully on 8 October 2025 in Sierra Vista, Arizona.  He was preceded in death by his parents Russell and Elizabeth and seven of his eight siblings (Priscilla, Deborah, Virginia. Stowell, Peter, Roger, and Russell Jr.); his loving wife Norma; and his youngest son Russell.  He is survived by his children Karen May, Susan Shwayder, and Steven Symmes; grandchildren Brandt, Ryan, Tyler, Samuel, Colleen, Jamie, and Evan; and great grandchildren Kaylie, Marek, Milo, Andrew, Callum, and Simon.

Ken enlisted in the Army in February 1946.  In September, 1946 he entered OCS at Fort Benning, Georgia.  He was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the Signal Corps in 1947.  He began his career as a Communications Officer in the Philippines. Over the course of his 33-year career he served in several capacities to include as a Detachment Officer, Radio Engineer, Signal Officer, Commander of the 459th Signal Battalion, Hawaii; Commander of the 37th Signal Battalion in Vietnam, Chief of the Defense Communications Agency; Deputy Chief of Staff, NORAD; and Deputy Commanding General of the United States Army Communications Command.  He retired from active duty 1 May 1979.

Ken was active in his community serving on several boards and commissions including the Planning and Zoning Commission and Sulphur Springs Electric Cooperative.  He was a lifetime member of the Huachucans and the Military Officer’s Association of America.  He was introduced into the Arizona Veterans Hall of Fame in October 2009.

Ken will be remembered as a loving husband, son, brother, father, uncle grandfather, and great grandfather, a loyal friend, avid golfer, gardener, joke teller, dog lover, and pillar of the community.  

Funeral arrangements were handled by the Hatfield Mortuary, Sierra Vista, Arizona.  He will be interred with Military Honors and the Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Sierra Vista, Arizona.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Kenneth Russell Symmes, please visit our floral store.