Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 1222. Interment will be in Fairview Memorial Park, Fairmont. Visitation will be one hour prior to the service Thursday at the funeral Home.

Ken passed away Thursday afternoon, March 10, 2022, at Lakeview Methodist Health Care Center in Fairmont. Lakeview Funeral Home in Fairmont is assisting the family with arrangements.

Kenneth William Dreke was born May 4, 1931, in Fairmont, Martin County, Minn. He attended public schools in Seattle, Wash. Ken took a year off of school to join the Merchant Marines. He later graduated from Seattle High School. On March 19, 1953, Ken was drafted into the U.S. Army. He achieved the rank of Corporal and was awarded the National Defense Service Medal, United Nations Service Medal, and Korean Service Medal before earning his honorable discharge on March 18, 1955. On Jan. 25, 1953, Ken was united in marriage to

Delores Johnson in Fairmont. This union was blessed with four sons, Ken, Vance, Jeff, and David. Ken and Delores moved around to several different places while Ken served in the Army including, Fort Lewis in Tacoma, Wash., Fort Baker in San Francisco, Calif., Camp

Gordon near Augusta, Ga., eventually moving back to Fairmont. Ken and Delores shared over 65 years together before Delores passed away on March 24, 2018. Ken worked at 3M in Fairmont as well as driving for Bettin Trucking for a short time. More recently, he

worked as a delivery driver for Peerless Cleaners for much of his career. Ken then worked at Fairmont Plastics for about a year and a half before his retirement. Ken was a member of St. John’s United Church of Christ in Fairmont. He was a great dad who enjoyed going fishing as well as deer and pheasant hunting with his sons. Ken and Delores traveled around the United States and loved to play cards. Ken earned his pilot license and loved taking the boys to fly-in breakfasts almost every Sunday until he sold the plane. Ken’s most loved hobby was getting his hands dirty by cutting up scrap metal, even after working his regular job all day. Many area farmers would call him to help get rid of piles of metal that they needed gone.

Left to cherish his memory include his sons, Ken (Jane) Dreke of Grand Rapids, Mich., Vance Dreke of Armstrong, Iowa, Jeff (Julie) Dreke of Eden Prairie, Minn., and David (Dawn Larson-LaRow) of Fairmont, Minn.; grandchildren, Kyle (Ann), Kasey, Stephanie (Charles), and Christopher; great-grandchildren, Olive, Natalie, Kie, Ellis, and Micheala; brother, Bob (Corrine) Dreke; nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends. Ken was preceded in death by his wife, Delores Dreke; his brothers; sisters; and in-laws.

www.lakeviewfuneralhome.net

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