Wachendorfer, Ken 1958-2025 Kansas City, Mo.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Ken Wachendorfer, “Wacker” to all that knew and loved him, Kansas City, Missouri, a dedicated film professional film camera operator and set lighting designer, passionate photographer of hand-lit winged creatures in the woods, found object metal artist, fabricator of practically anything, smoked meats and hot, spicy foods aficionado, lover of cool old cars, especially “rat rods,” left his earthly body on August 9, 2025 at the accumulated age of 67 years, 6 months and 27 days.
Born on January 13, 1958 in Redwood City, California, Ken was a proud graduate of Central High School and the University of Kansas, where he earned a degree in Liberal Arts and Mass Communications from the Film and Media school. Ken was also a member of Sigma Phi Epsilon. His time at KU shaped a lifelong love for capturing a good story with a dedicated team of professionals around him. Ken was an accomplished cliff diver, auto mechanic, daredevil motorcycle rider, etc.
Ken’s career working as a film/lighting guru for such varied companies as NFL Films, MLB, Union Station KC – Documentary on the renovation, Tony Adams’ Outdoor Show, The Mint 100 open road race, Sprint, and countless others that reflected his wide-ranging talents, his love for a well-lit environment and a deep appreciation of a job well-done. He brought integrity and a thoughtful voice of the right way to do something to every endeavor.
As an artist, Ken had a flair for creating beauty and detail out of thin air, with his projected light images, invisible to the naked eye, capturing life’s fleeting moments.
Known for his sharp wit, generous spirit and lover of people with BIG brains, Ken inspired those around him with a vast encyclopedic knowledge of a little bit of everything. Turns out he was most often absolutely correct.
Ken is survived by his mother, Ann Wachendorfer-Hannah (Fred), of St. Joseph; Lustenberger cousins, Christine, Liz and Kate; close St. Joseph friends, Chuck, Cheryl, Shelby, Paul, Liz and many more; close Kansas City friends, Jim, Ben, Alan, Laurel, Joey, Lesko, Chrissy, Max, Bobbie, Steve, Jack, Raf, Sheila, Bonnie, Jeff’s, Mark, Keith, Don, Tanya, Billy Don and dozens of other attendees of his annual Easter Beer Hunt.
Ken’s family and friends would like to thank St. Croix Hospice for his loving care. They helped make his transition as comfortable as possible.
A KU Endowment, dedicated to the film and media studies department, is being created to help students that share the same passion about the craft that Ken so enjoyed over the past 43 plus years in the industry.
In Memory of Ken, donations to Operation Breakthrough, North Kansas City Schools Automotive Technology Program at OTEC, Greaserama, and the KC Auto Museum are welcome. All places he admired, that make a difference in our local community. As well as, national groups seeking a cure, like the Parkinson’s Foundation, American Cancer Society, or the charity of your choosing.
As Pink Floyd says in “Shine On You Crazy Diamond,” We’ll all continue our quest for the “Golden Can” and honor his memory, reflecting a life well-lived.
An October KC celebration of life is being planned.
As published in the St. Joseph News-Press.
