After 34 years....

[LunaSea]

5. How did it die?

It may still be repairable. Dryers are pretty simple devices. a heater coil, motor and a clock/controller, and those parts are readily available as most Kenmore appliances are made by Whirlpool. Heaters tend to fail when they get too hot, like if you forget to clean the lint trap. Often they come with a type of fuse that simply melts at a too-high temp. Motors fail but will cost about a third that of a new unit.