SMYRNA - Kenneth C. Liehr, of Smyrna, passed away on Thursday Nov. 17, 2011. He was 81. Ken graduated from Southampton High School, Southampton, New York in 1949 and spent several years working as a carpenter before joining the US Fish & Wildlife Service, US Department of Interior in 1957 at Morton National Wildlife Refuge in Southampton, New York. In 1962 he was transferred to Kilkohook National Wildlife Refuge in Pennsville, New Jersey and the following year to Bombay Hook National Wildlife Refuge in Smyrna, where he worked until retirement in December 1985. During his tenure with USFWS Ken attended the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center in Glynco, Georgia, and completed a year of undergraduate education at Delaware State College. Ken's passions were fishing and birding. He was an extremely knowledgeable self - taught ornithologist. He enjoyed travelling to Ireland, Scandinavia, Germany, France, Canada, and to the Caribbean. He was an avid reader and also enjoyed gardening and woodworking. Ken was a member of the Delaware Ornithological Society, American Birding Association, and Friends of Bombay Hook. Ken served in the U S Army during the Korean War as a tank commander along the East / West German borders. Ken was preceded in death by his parents, Joseph and Florence Liehr; his brother, Paul J. Liehr; and nephew, Paul K. Liehr. He is survived by his wife of 57 years, Nancy T. Liehr; and by sons, Paul D. of Los Angeles, Calif. and James T. Liehr and wife Deborah, and granddaughter Daphne Liehr of Ephrata, Pa. Services will be held 11 a.m., Wednesday Nov. 23, 2011 at Matthews-Bryson Funeral Home, 123 W. Commerce St., Smyrna, where friends may call Tuesday evening from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. Burial will be in Odd Fellows Cemetery, Smyrna. In lieu of flowers family suggests donations to Friends of Bombay Hook Wildlife Refuge, 2591 Whitehall Neck Rd., Smyrna, DE 19977; or to Asbury United Methodist Church, PO Box 330, Smyrna, DE 19977. To send a condolence letter, visit www.matthewsbryson.com. Arrangements are by Matthews-Bryson Funeral Home and Cremation Services, Smyrna.