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Ferdinand
H. Wilken, 90
Fisher
&endash; Ferdinand H. Wilken, 90, a long-time
rural Fisher farmer, died Friday afternoon, July
12, 2002, at the Riverview Nursing Home in
Crookston.
The
funeral service for Ferdinand H. Wilken will be
held at the Trinity Lutheran Church in Fisher, on
Wednesday, July 17, 2002, at 10:30 a.m. with the
Rev. Richard Pape, and Rev. Michael Eminger,
officiating. Interment will be in the Greenwood
Cemetery at Fisher with military honors provided by
the Theodore Stalemo American Legion Post 242 of
Fisher.
Ferdinand
Wilken was born at Thief River Falls on February
16, 1912, the son of Gustav and Ida (Randorf)
Wilken. He grew up on the family farm in Rocksbury
Township of Pennington County, was baptized and
confirmed at St. Johns Lutheran Church in Thief
River Falls, and attended country school. He worked
on the farm and was later employed by the Farmers'
Union Oil Company. On May 18, 1942 he entered the
U.S. Army and served in the Asiatic-Pacific Theater
of Operations during World War II. On February 16,
1944 he was united in marriage to Victoria Ross at
the Trinity Lutheran Church in Fisher. His last
tour of duty was with the Alaskan Transport Command
at Ladd Field, Fairbanks, Alaska. After a transfer
to Malmstrom Air Force Base near Great Falls,
Mont., Ferdinand received his discharge on October
26, 1945. For his service to his country he
received the Asiatic-Pacific Theater
Ribbon.
Ferdinand
began farming in the Fisher area in 1948 and he and
Victoria made their home in Fisher Township. Their
son, Loren, later joined him in the farming
operation. Ferdinand retired in 1994. He was an
active member of the Trinity Lutheran Church at
Fisher and was a former trustee and secretary for
the congregation. He also belonged to Trinity's
Men's Club, and the Lutheran Laymen's League, for
which he served as membership supervisor to the
Crookston zone. He taught Junior and Senior Bible
Study classes for many years, and was a former
member of the church choir. For 10 years, Ferdinand
was the clerk of the Fisher Township board, and he
also served on the board of the Fisher Locker. He
moved to the Riverview Nursing Home on February 28,
2001.
He
is survived by his wife Victoria; two daughters and
sons-in-law, Sylvia and the Rev. Richard Pape of
Milford, Miss., and Ruth and Jeffery Bartlette of
Naples, Flor.; two sons and a daughter-in-law,
Mylan and Gretchen Wilken of Las Vegans, Nev., and
Loren Wilken of Fisher; two grandchildren, David
Pape and his wife Rebecca, and Sarah Pape, all of
North Tonawanda, N.Y., a step-grandson; twin
great-grandchildren; a brother, Milton Wilken of
Crookston; a sister and brother-in-law, Louise and
Leslie Finnegan of Bend, Ore.; and a sister-in-law,
Margaret Wilken of Bloomington; and several nieces,
nephews, and other relatives. Ferdinand was
preceded in death by his parents; a
ste--granddaughter, Gretchen Jofre; and a brother,
Martin Wilken.
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