Kenneth "Ken" Wilson

Kenneth “Ken” Lee Wilson, 77, of Marshalltown, formerly of Conrad, passed away Friday, April 8, 2022 at the Iowa Veterans Home in Marshalltown. A visitation celebrating the life of Ken will take place on Wednesday, April 13 from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at the Mitchell Family Funeral Home. Military honors will be provided at 6:30 p.m. by the combined VFW/American Legion Honor Guard of the surrounding area. Memorial contributions may be directed to the family for later designation. For online condolences, please visit www.mitchellfh.com. Mitchell Family Funeral Home has been entrusted with the care of Ken and his family. 641-844-1234. Born June 13, 1944 in Grinnell, Iowa, he was the son of Charles and Helen (Miller) Wilson. Ken grew up in Brooklyn, Iowa and graduated from high school in 1962. After obtaining his bachelor’s degree in Dairy Science, he honorably served his country for the United States Army from 1967-1969. Ken was united in marriage to Lois Fields on June 23, 1973 in Victor, Iowa and later divorced in 1996. They were blessed with two children. Ken worked hard as a farmer until the early 1980’s, when he went back to school to receive his nursing certificate from Marshalltown Community College. He then worked as a registered nurse at Marshalltown Medical and Surgical Center until his retirement in 2001. An outlet for his love of tinkering, Ken also owned and operated Conrad Bike Shop, where he sold and repaired bicycles. He loved to build things and take on new challenges, and even rode RAGBRAI on one of the bikes he built from scratch. He was also a member of the Ivester Church of the Brethren. Ken was extremely intelligent and loved to work with his hands, especially fond of woodworking and gardening. He enjoyed canning and was an excellent cook, often working hard to master his own recipes. Detail-oriented, he didn’t do anything half-way and often elaborated even on the simplest of projects. Ken was well-known for his collection of toy tractors and flashlights, as well as his over the top Christmas decorations. He was also a technology buff, always seeking the latest and greatest of gadgets. As a resident of the Iowa Veterans Home, he served as editor for The Stars and Stripes, the Veterans Home newspaper, and found pride in the articles he wrote. Ken also ran the Veterans Home gardening program, keeping up the greenhouses and helping other residents get their gardens started. More than anything else, Ken loved his family and was especially proud of his grandchildren. Left to cherish his memory are his children: Kurt (Michelle) Wilson of Lima, OH and Kara (Jason) Koester of Grinnell, IA; four grandchildren: Peyton, Keegan and Kenley Wilson and Jase Koester; his siblings: Barbara Wilson of Brooklyn, IA and Steve (Barb) Wilson of Harrisburg, PA and numerous extended family members. In eternal life, Ken is reunited with his parents, Charles and Helen and his baby sister, Beverly Wilson.