MADISON - Kenneth Ream Turk of Madison passed away Monday, Feb. 15, 2021, at Nazareth House in Stoughton, Wis., where he had been living since July. He was 97 years old.

Ken was born at home on April 19, 1923, to Ream and Mabel Turk. He loved his memories of attending eight grades in the one room schoolhouse, Halfway Prairie. He graduated from Mazomanie High school and went on to UW Madison where he took a short course in agriculture. On May 27, 1943, he married the love of his life, Wilma Ketelboeter and they set up household in their first home on the Turk family farm, a 19 X 8-foot trailer for which Ken proudly paid $300 cash. In 1948, they left the farm and moved into Mazomanie where Ken started his own trucking company.

In 1951, Ken began his 36-year career driving semi-truck for L.C.L. Transit, earning multiple safe driving awards and clocking in over three million miles. Driving truck involved a transfer of base terminal in 1955 to Mauston where the family lived for 11 years before transferring back to Madison in 1966. In 1972, Ken and Wilma purchased the house of their dreams on Lake Monona after searching for it for six years. Ken retired from L.C.L. in 1987 and he and Wilma spent many hours volunteering for many neighborhood projects, especially those involving Esther Beach. Ken also did snow plowing after retirement. Uncle Bud and Willie, as they were known to the family and friends, loved sharing their enjoyment of their home and special lake view on many occasions.

Ken enjoyed a multitude of pastimes: hunting, fishing, and boating especially during the Mauston years. For several years there was a once-a-summer week-long family car trip to different parts of the country. Just what a truck driver needed, more driving!

Ken became unable to navigate at home so in August of 2018 he moved to assisted living and in July of 2020 moved to skilled nursing. Special thanks to Prairie Gardens in Sun Prairie, Nazareth Health in Stoughton, and Agrace Hospice for your help and caring.

Ken is survived by his wife of almost 78 years, Wilma; son, Jack Turk; daughter, Eileen Koch; grandchildren, Lori Winders and Robbie Benson; step-grandchildren, Dan (Jody) Koch, DeLynn (Troy) Sjodin and Dawn (Zack) Larsen; 14 great-grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews.

Ken was preceded in death by his parents, Ream and Mabel Turk; father and mother-in-law, Henry and Erma Ketelboeter; brother, Donald (Ellen) Turk; sisters, Esther (Marvin) Niendorf and Deloris (Curt) Witte; son, Larry Turk; son-in-law, Frank Koch; and great-grandson, Ethan Larsen.

A combined service for Wilma and Kenneth will be at GUNDERSON EAST FUNERAL AND CREMATION CARE, 5203 Monona Drive, Madison, at 12 noon on Saturday, Feb. 18, 2023. Friends and family who wish to view the service via LIVE STREAM may do so by visiting Kenneth's obituary page at www.gundersonfh.com and clicking on the Watch Webcast link at the time of the service. Visitation will be held at the funeral home from 10:30 a.m. until the time of the service on Saturday. Online condolences may be made at www.gundersonfh.com.

Gunderson East

Funeral & Cremation Care

5203 Monona Drive

(608) 221-5420

Kenneth R. Turk

April 19, 1923 - February 15, 2021

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