Werner, Theodore B. -- 1892 - 1989

WILKENS, KRUEGER, NORDHEIM, LIEN, JENSEN, BERTALOTTO, BELTZ, STRAIT, DORIS, WILCOX, MASER, SCHNEIDEWIND

Posted By: Connie Ellis (email)
Date: 1/5/2011 at 15:56:25

SOURCE: Ossian, Iowa, OSSIAN BEE, February 9, 1989
Contributor: Connie Ellis (Not related)

William H. Wilkens, a retired Decorah area farmer, died Thursday at the Wineshiek County Memorial Hospital at Decorah, Iowa. He was 82 years old. Funeral services for him were conducted Saturday afternoon in the Decorah Lutheran Church. The Rev. James M. Glesne and the Rev. John V. Halvorson conducted the services. Interment was in the Lutheran Cemetery. Casket bearers were Gary Lien, Gary Rausch, Kristen Lien, Michael Raymond, Scott Lien, Jon Wilkens, and Michael Wilkens.

William H. Wilkens was born February 17,, 1906, a son of John and Mary (Krueger) Wilkens at Blue Hill, Nebraska. He was a graduate of Bazine High School at Bazine, Kansas. He attended Iowa State University in 1928. On August 21, 1934 he was married to Esther Nordheim in the United Methodist Church Parsonage in Decorah, Iowa.

Mr. Wilkens worked for the U.S. Dairy Herd Improvement Association until his marriage in 1934 and after the marriage he farmed in Pleasant Township for 42 years, retiring to Decorah in 1975. Mr. Wilkens won the Winneshiek count corn yield contest five times, and was awarded second place in 1950 in the Iowa State Soil Conservation competition. He also was a member of the Decorah Lutheran Church where he was a former Sunday School teacher, usher, church council member, a member of the building and finance committees. He also took the Bethel course.

Mr. Wilkens was a member of the Rotary Club, a Farm Bureau member for 58 years, was president of the Winneshiek County Farm Service for 17 years, was active in the Meals on Wheels for 10 years. He was on the Care Review Committee for the Aase Haugen Home for three terms. He also was Pioneer Dairyman for Winneshiek County in 1979. He received the Master Corn Growers Award for the state of Iowa in 1963. His hobbies included woodcrafts and grapevine wreath and basket making.

He was preceded in death by his parents, three brothers, Edward, Henry and Charles and six sisters, Anna Wilcox, Dora Wilkens, Mathilda Wilkens, Alvina Maser, Ella Schneidewind, and Zena Beltz; one grandchild, Lonny Eugene Wilkens.

His survivors include his wife, Esther; two daughters and two sons, Mrs. Robert (Marlys) Lien of Decorah,Iowa,and Mrs. Jon (Mary) Jensen of Idaho Falls, Idaho, Wilbur Wilkens of St.Joseph, Minnesota, and William David Wilkens of Libertyville, Illinois. Also surviving are eight grandchildren and four sisters, Minnie Bertalotto of LaMar, Colorado, Sophia Beltz and Evelyn Strait of Ness City, Kansas, and Louise Doris of Dighton, Kansas.