Kenneth Earl Wilson

Ken Wilson, 79, passed away at home on August 1 ^st , 2022. Kenneth Earl Wilson was born on May 20 ^th , 1943, in Omaha, NE to Leonard and Lillian (Leggatt) Wilson, the youngest of 6 boys. When his oldest brother, who was in the Navy, received a telegram informing him that it was a boy, and that mother and son were doing fine, he replied, “Who had a baby?” Ken’s family left Omaha several years later, and moved to Giltner where Ken started school, and then moved to Hastings where Ken attended the last ten years of his education, graduating in 1960. He was an excellent golfer and was a leader on the class A Championship teams in 1959 and 1960. Following one year at Hastings College, Ken enlisted in the US Navy and spent the next 4 ½ years at Balboa Hospital in San Diego as a hospital corpsman. He loved his work in the hospital and was the senior corpsman on the Cardiac Intensive Care Unit for the last 18 months.

Following the Navy, Ken enrolled at Wayne State College in 1966. There, he met Judy Bonge, and they married on September 1 ^st , 1968. Ken was active in the Young Democrats and was co-founder of an underground newspaper, “The Shaft”. The young couple moved to California in 1969, following Judy’s graduation from Wayne. Ken worked in sales for AC Nielsen TV ratings and National Cash Register. In 1973, they moved to the Dallas area, where Ken worked for Reach Electronics, out of Lexington, NE. In 1977 they moved briefly to Lexington, but made the decision to return to Plainview to raise their family, daughter Andrea, and son Rob. They purchased the house Judy’s Great-grandparents built in 1893 and have lived there ever since. Ken became a very active member of the community. In 1983, following several years working for Gerhold Concrete in Norfolk, he purchased Headquarters Bar and Grill, becoming known as the town encyclopedia, trivia pro, atlas guru, and crossword extraordinaire, delighting in proving the “locals” in error!! After a fire in 1992 destroyed Headquarters, Ken worked for Hartland Concrete in Norfolk, retiring in 2004. He was a volunteer EMT, member of the United Church of Christ, active in anything he could do golf-wise, including the weekly, “Tee Talk” in the Plainview News, and writing many a “Letter to the Editor” expressing his point of view. He was active in promoting the building of the new library, co-chair for the Plainview Centennial, and on the board for the Plainview Q125. Budweiser remained Wilsons signature cocktail along with making and delivering soups for the “young” ladies of the town.  The children in the area of 202 N Elm can relax as they pass by the Wilson house now, as the curmudgeon will no longer be trying to collect a quarter for using his sidewalk.

Ken will be very much missed by his family and friends, and we hope everyone knows that the more he gave you grief, the more he loved you.

Ken was preceded in death by his parents, Leonard and Lillian, step-father, Owen Perry, parents-in-law, Lloyd and Margaret Bonge, brothers: Leonard Lorraine (Glenda), Jim (Bessie), Floyd, and Harold (Marlyn), and brothers-in-law Jim and Bob Bonge. He is survived by his wife, Judy, daughter, Andrea Hoffart (Tom) and grandsons Lincoln and Lucas; son, Rob (Amy) and granddaughters Veda, Lottie, and Finn; Brother Everett (Donna) and sisters-in law, Yoshiko Wilson and Linda Wilson, Leola Bonge and Pat Bonge, plus many other relatives and friends.

Services will be at the United Church of Christ on Friday, August 5 ^th , at 11 AM with a lunch following.

The Wilson front porch will be open for visiting and sharing of stories!