John L. Wilken Jr., 65, Denison, died Wednesday, March 2, 2011, at St. Francis Medical Center in Topeka.
He was born on Aug. 7, 1945, at Springfield, MO, the son of John Lewis and Mildred Case Wilken Sr. He attended high school at Springfield.
John was a sheet metal fabricator for Qual Serve in Kansas City, MO and he also raised purebred cattle at their home place, Butterfly Acres.
He married Carol Beth Stephens McConnaughey on March 8, 2002, at Eureka Springs, AR. She survives. He was preceded in death by his parents; two brothers, Carl Wilken and Stanley Wilken and a sister, Patsy Wilken.
Survivors also include two daughters, Karen Haguewood, Springfield, MO, Debbie (Paul) Williams, Atchison; two step children, Stephanie (Mike) Steinlicht, Travis (Margie) McConnaughey, all of Valley Falls, two step sisters, Linda (George) Snow, Republic, MO, Glenda (Mike) Robertson, Springfield, MO, a step brother, Gary (Pam) Morgan, TX; his step mother Dorothy Wilken, Springfield, MO; his former wife, Betty Wilken, Wichita; eleven grandchildren and ten great-grandchildren.
The funeral service will be at 10:30 a.m., Saturday, March 5, 2011, at Mercer Funeral Home in Valley Falls. Burial will follow at the Coal Creek Cemetery. Visitation will be from 6:30-8:30 p.m. Friday, March 4. Memorials may be made to Jefferson County Home Health or to the Jefferson County 4-H Youth Program and sent in care of the funeral home, PO Box 6, Valley Falls, KS 66088.