Kenneth R. Williams

Kenneth R. Williams, age 74, of Yankton, South Dakota, died Sunday, December 8, 2019, at Avera Majestic Bluffs Hospice House in Yankton. Funeral services will be 10:30 AM on Thursday, December 12, 2019, at Discovery Church in Yankton with Pastor Cory Kitch officiating. Burial will be in the Garden of Memories Cemetery in Yankton. Visitation is from 5:00 to 8:00 PM on Wednesday, December 11, 2019, at the Wintz & Ray Funeral Home in Yankton with a prayer service and time of sharing at 7:00 PM. The visitation will continue one hour prior to the funeral on Thursday at Discovery Church. Pallbearers are: Bill Fatland, Jerry Rempfer, John Yaggie, Dallas Thomas, Don Cain, Rodney Roth, Randy DeBoer, Dean Holman, Dan Carlson, and Larry Freng. Kenneth R. Williams was born July 20, 1945, in Yankton, South Dakota, to Elmer and Leila (Stewart) Williams. He grew up in Yankton and when he was 16 won the South Dakota Plowing Contest and was the youngest contestant ever to win. He graduated from Yankton High School in 1963 and then attended Southern State College in Springfield, South Dakota. He then accepted a job with Northern State Power Company in Sioux Falls which later became Xcel Energy. Ken married Mary Coulson on September 17, 1965 in Yankton, SD. He started working of NSP in Sioux Falls, SD, as a machinist and later became a machinist welder for 13 yrs.. Ken then began working at Monticello Nuclear Plant in Monticello, Minnesota, where he worked welding in the nuclear reactor when it needed repairing. They later moved back to Sioux Falls and Ken worked in the garage for NSP. While in Sioux Falls, he started his own Four-Wheel Drive Shop and loved working on cars. He was very mechanical and his friends would often bring their 4x4’s and racecars to his shop on his farm when they needed repairs. Ken suffered from chronic pain and had many surgeries over the years to try and fix his problem. His pain forced him to retire in 1980 and they moved to Yankton, South Dakota to help care for his father. Ken was always willing to help others and would drop everything to lend a hand to anyone. He was a perfectionist and liked to do things his way which often meant little projects would become BKO’s or Big Kenny Operations. He enjoyed hunting, camping and traveling as well as off road racing, drag racing and showing off his toys. He was a member of the Four-Wheel Drive Club and Old Iron Association. Survivors include his wife, Mary Williams of Yankton, South Dakota; two sons: Brad Williams (Michelle Wysuph) of Piedmont, South Dakota and Brian (Stephanie) Williams of Black Hawk, South Dakota; grandson, Axel; brother Clifton (Lindy) Williams of Irene, South Dakota; and sister-in-law, Dee Williams of Mission Hill, South Dakota. He was preceded in death by his parents and brother, Keith Williams.