Kenneth J. Gates

Kenneth James Gates, 46, of Interlochen, passed away on June 1, 2026, at Munson Medical Center, with his loving family by his side.

Ken was born on July 28, 1979, in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, to Louis James and Celia Jane (Burton) Gates. He was a proud Native American and a member of the Chippewa Tribe, always honoring and embracing his heritage.

At the young age of 13, Ken met the love of his life, Rhonda Kevwitch. The two dated throughout TC West High School, and Ken graduated from Traverse City Kitchi Minogining Tribal School. He and Rhonda were united in marriage on August 27, 2005, in Traverse City. Together, they built a life full of love and raised their two sons, Trace and Ashton.

Ken was known for his strong work ethic. He worked for Alpers Insulation, where he was a valued and dependable member of the team. He also worked for Northern Lighting Wash as a dedicated power washer. Ken was always willing to lend a helping hand—whether it was putting in docks, tackling odd jobs, or simply being there when someone needed him. If you needed help, Ken was your guy.

In his free time, Ken enjoyed fishing and taking family trips. He loved going to the casino and playing games, and he had a special fondness for video games like Resident Evil, Pac-Man, Mario, and Zelda—the latter even serving as his phone’s ringtone. Ken cherished time spent with his family camping, enjoying nature, going for walks, playing euchre and other card games, and watching movies. He especially loved Halloween, always embracing the fun with costumes and celebration.

Ken was a feisty, kind-hearted man who was taken far too soon. He will be deeply missed every day by all who knew and loved him.

He is survived by his loving wife, Rhonda; his sons, Trace and Ashton; his mother, Celia; his grandma Violet Clement, his siblings, Kristin Baker, Kelly Turner, and Kevin Gates; his previous sister-in-law, Juliana Gates; his close friends, special cousins, Rick and Lisa Burton and Ron Maps and a ton of cousins from the Gates and Burtons side that are too many to name, close friends from Alpers and all of his other jobs; as well as his beloved dogs, Tilly, Daisy, and Bolt.

Visitation will be held from 3-6pm on Friday, June 5, at the Reynolds-Jonkhoff Funeral Home. Funeral Services will be held on Saturday, June 6, 2026 at 11am with a visitation starting at 10am also at the Funeral Home. A luncheon will be held under the tent in the beautiful Gardens of Reynolds-Jonkhoff Funeral Home. Following services, cremation will take place, and Ken will be laid to rest at Grand Traverse Memorial Gardens. Memorial contributions may be directed to the family.

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