Obituary for Kenneth B. Wilkins

Kenneth joined the Navy at the age of 17 during WWII. He went to basic training at Farragut, Idaho and served aboard the USS Telfair APA 210 an assault transport ship that supported the assault and occupation of Okinawa. He was very proud to have been a WWII Navy Veteran.

On December 14, 1945, he married Grace Moeller of Launa, IA. From this marriage came five children, Dwight, Dale, Dean, Dixie and Doyle.

In 1962 he started KW Electric, an electrical contracting business in Seneca, Wis., after years of working in the electrical business which lasted until his retirement in 1990.

Following the death of his wife, Grace, he later married Delores Mauer from Council Bluffs, Iowa, on September 19, 1987. A marriage that added six adult children to the family, Sonny (Connie), Debbie (Craig), Denise (Lynn), Diane, Karen (Jerry), and Tammy (Mark).

During retirement Ken and Delores spent 20+ years living in 5th wheel campers and touring throughout the US, Canada and Alaska. They wintered in Pahrump, Nevada and spent summers in Wisconsin and Iowa.

Ken enjoyed hunting, fishing, RV camping, leather work; he and Delores loved rock hounding, making jewelry and exploring the deserts out West. He also had a private pilots license and said flying was one of the most relaxing and enjoyable things he had ever done.

Ken is survived by his wife, Delores; his children, Dwight (Dawn) of Viroqua, Wis., Doyle (Angie) of New Amsterdam, Wis., Dixie McCullick of Seneca, Wis., and his daughter-in-law, Dianne Wilkins of Onalaska, Wis.; eight grandchildren, Scott Wilkins, Casey Wilkins, Christina Freeman, Clancy Wilkins, Andrea Wilkins-Bell, Travis McCullick, Craig Wilkins, and Christine Wilkins; ten great grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews.

Ken was preceded in death by his first wife, Grace; an infant son, Dean; son, Dale; son-in-law, Donald McCullick; granddaughter, Leslie Wilkins; and nine brothers and sisters.

He will be missed by many.

The family wishes to give their many thanks to the caregivers of Hospice and Brightstar for their professional and caring service and also the VA for their help.

Funeral services will be at 4:00 p.m., Tuesday, April 4, 2023, at Fredrickson Funeral Home, Woodruff Chapel, 4239 Mormon Coulee Rd., La Crosse. A visitation will be held from 2:00 p.m. until the time of service, Tuesday, at the funeral home. Burial with military honors will be at 11:00 a.m., Wednesday, April 5, 2023, in Council Hill Cemetery near Monona, Iowa.

In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred.