Kenneth J. Engler, age 81, of Annandale, died Sunday, August 20, 2017 at the St. Cloud Hospital.

Memorial Services will be held 11:00 a.m. Saturday, August 26, 2017 at the Annandale United Methodist Church with Rev. Mary Keen officiating. Burial will be held at Mt. Hope Cemetery in Sparta, Wisconsin.  Visitation will begin at 10:00 a.m. Saturday morning at the church.

Kenneth James Engler was born December 14, 1935 to George and Eleanor (Rose) Engler on the family farm near Gilmanton, Wisconsin. He attended Gilmanton schools, graduating with the Gilmanton High School Class of 1953. On August 24, 1963 Ken was united in marriage to Dianne Jones at the Evangelical United Brethren Church in Sparta, WI. Ken honorably served in the United States Marine Corps from 1956-1958. He was proud to have played his trumpet in the Marine Corp. Band. Ken worked in Sparta at the Hiawatha Valley Dairies and for Plastronic Packaging as the plant superintendent. In 1975 Ken & Dianne moved their family to Annandale, when he began working for T & O Plastics. After 15 years at T & O Plastics, he worked for Innocast Corp. until his retirement in 2002. Ken was an active member of the Annandale United Methodist Church, and served as chairman of the building committee when the fellowship space was added. He also belonged to the Masonic Lodge in Eau Claire, LaCrosse, and Sparta, the NRA, and the MN Sheriff’s Association. In his spare time, Ken enjoyed fishing and hunting. He will always be remembered for his jovial nature; he always had a joke for everyone.

Ken will be dearly missed by his wife of nearly 54 years, Dianne of Annandale; children and their spouses, Eric & Becky of New York Mills and Sheri & Trent Greener of Albertville; sister, Joyce Engler of Mondovi, WI; sister-in-law, Harriett Engler of Buffalo City, WI; special friend, Byron Holz, who Ken thought of as a son; 3 grand dogs; and several nieces, nephews, other family members and friends. He was preceded in death by his parents and brother, Dean.

Al Mattila, Mike Janski, Stan Jones, Norm Williams, Dave Kemp, and Byron Holz will serve as urnbearers. The eulogists will be Kenneth Schulte and Byron Holz. Arrangements are entrusted to Dingmann Funeral Care Burial & Cremation Services of Annandale.

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