Kenneth Andersen

Kenneth A. Andersen, 91, Hinckley, formerly of Danbury, WI, passed away Monday, December 23, 2013. He was born on May 5, 1922 in Danbury, to the late Martin and Alma (Soens) Andersen. He attended grade school in Danbury until 1932 when his father bought back the Andersen farm following the Depression. He then attended school at the Bangs Brook School in Ogema Township and graduated from Webster High School. On November 16, 1943, Ken married Robin Sadler. They moved to Dundas, MN, where they worked for the Albers and Sellers families. They returned to the family farm in 1945 where they continued farming. Besides farming most of his life, Ken and Robin were involved in many outside activities including snowmobiling and dune buggy trips with friends. With the hard work of being dairy farmers, they always found time to visit relatives and friends. After retiring, Ken and Robin spent part of the winters in Texas which he continued doing until a few years ago. He loved playing pool and won many trophies in pool tournaments. His wife, Robin, died in 1993, and he continued living on the farm until moving into the care facility in Hinckley earlier this year. In the mid-1960s, Ken went to work for various construction companies, continuing to farm on weekends, and retired from construction in 1985. With running a dairy and crop farm, Ken was a master mechanic and could fix most everything, spending hours in the garage fixing equipment. He was also a great carpenter, building most of the farm buildings. He worked side by side with the contractor who was building their new home in 1958. He also took on many logging projects, including a project with his son, Bruce, of 22,000 board feet of logs on the Crooked Creek property. He loved riding his Honda Gold Wing and found time to take many road trips. In later years, he had it converted to a “tricycle” and could still be seen in the past year or so riding into Danbury and around the area. He was an avid deer hunter and enjoyed playing golf. Ken was a lifelong member of Trinity Lutheran Church in Danbury, WI, until it closed in 2012, and then he became a member of Our Redeemer Lutheran Church in Webster. He so wanted to have his final service at the church in Danbury, but that was not meant to be. Surviving are a daughter, Sharol (Dennis) Huggett and a son, Bruce (Debra) Andersen, both of Hinckley; five grandchildren: Craig Moline, Alana Moline, Sarah Andersen, Ryan Andersen, and Laura (Mike) Johnson; four great-grandchildren: Tammy Moline, Derek Johnson, Chase Wittkop, and Haven Wittkop; a sister-in-law, Alice Panser; and many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his wife, Robin; two brothers: Leonard Andersen and Harry Andersen; five sisters: Emma Hoyman, Margaret Bjorlin, Irene Gerber, Fern Sadler, and Inez Kearns. The funeral service for Kenneth Andersen will be conducted at 12:00 p.m., Monday, December 30, 2013, at Our Redeemer Lutheran Church, Webster, with Rev. Jody Walter officiating. Visitation will be held at the church on Monday from 10:30 a.m. until time of service. Interment will be in Danbury Cemetery. Arrangements entrusted to Swedberg-Taylor Funeral Home, Webster. Online condolences may be expressed at www.swedberg-taylor.com. The family of Kenneth Andersen would like to express their thanks to the staff of Elderwood Living Center and to the St. Croix Hospice staff for their professional and loving care.