WILKENING, Henry (Hank) 1891-1983

WILKENING, OLDENBERG, NEWELL, LONG, WILLIAMS, VANDAMENT, GREEN, LEIGHTON, HOLLINGSWORTH, VITTETOE

Posted By: Mary F (email)
Date: 5/12/2015 at 13:01:40

Henry (Hank) Wilkening, 91, died Feb. 1, 1983 at the Keokuk county hospital.

He was born July 18, 1891 south of Sigourney to Fredrick Conrad and Doretta Oldenberg Wilkening. He attended Basey country school and on Feb. 29, 1916, he was married to Bessie Chase. In 1922, he bought the lumberyard at Hayesville and operated Wilkening Lumber and Grain for 17 years. He then worked as a Standard Oil agent for 10 years. Bessie died on Oct. 17, 1961.

He was married to Laura Robson Newell at Folkston, Georgia on May 23, 1968. They made their home at Hayesville.

He was confirmed, as a child, at the former Evangelical and Reformed church and was a member of the Seventh Day Adventist church. He was a 42-year member and past Noble Grand of I.O.O.F. Lodge 98 in Sigourney. He raised and drove harness horses until 1976 when he drove his last race on his 85th birthday. He was a 60-year member of the United States Trotting Association.

He was preceded in death by his parents, his first wife, Bessie; four brothers, Fredrick W., George Edward, William Henry and an infant Charles; three sisters, Minnie Long, Lucy Williams and Lottie Vandament and sons-in-law, Joe Green and Robert Leighton.

He is survived by his wife, Laura; two sons and their wives, John and Wilma Wilkening and Leslie and Bernice Wilkening; four daughters, Mrs. Robert (Frances) Leighton, Bessie and Johnnie Hollingsworth, Belva and Melvin Hollingsworth and Henrietta and James Vittetoe; one step son and his wife, Stanley Arthur and Helen Newell; 28 grandchildren, eight step grandchildren and 25 great grandchildren and several nieces and nephews.

Services were Feb. 3 at the Holm Funeral Home with the Rev. David Wilkening of Sacred Heart Catholic church at Clinton officiating.

Burial was in the Pennington cemetery

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