Kenneth “Ken” Ervin Natzke passed away on August 13, after 9 decades of service to his community, his church, and his family.

Ken was born on Nov. 22, 1931, the son of Ervin and Irma Natzke. His early life was spent on the family farm near Bonduel, before moving to a dairy farm in Black Creek.  He was active in Bonduel Boy Scouts, but his enjoyment in exhibiting animals at county fairs raised his interest in 4-H, and with the leadership of his mother, Irma Natzke, started the Bonduel 4-H Club. Pursuing his agricultural interest in high school, he exhibited cattle at county and regional livestock shows, winning many awards.  He met his future wife, Joyce Kruger, during a square dance at the Northeastern Wisconsin Livestock Show in De Pere, Wisconsin.

He served in the US army in the early 50’s upon graduating from Seymour High School.  He married Joyce in 1955 and started farming together on Porter Road in Bonduel.  Together they raised 7 children.  Ken’s ambition led him to design, build and run Ken’s Drive-In in 1963, a business he and Joyce ran for nearly 20 years.  “Ken’s” was the first job for many teenagers in the area and was a regular after-school hang-out and a destination for tourists heading “up North”.

Ken’s involvement in 4-H and FFA led to a lifetime of activity and leadership in 4-H, FFA and Alumni organizations at local, state, and national levels. He served as president of the National FFA Alumni and was inducted into the Wisconsin FFA Hall of Fame in 2019.  He helped sponsor about 100 youth through the Dale Carnegie course, helping support and encourage leadership training. The Natzke home often served as host for student exchange programs, including 4-H, IFYE and Rotary.

“Seeing and doing” were an important part of all educational opportunities, and more often than not family “mini vacations” included tours of tractor and tire manufacturers and artificial insemination companies. Later, Ken led farm tours to Michigan dairies and World Ag Expo, in California, to help others expand their experiences and ideas.  He also helped organize a family “pilgrimage” to northern Germany, with more than 60 Natzkes visiting the farmstead where John George Natzke served as a farmhand before immigrating to the U.S. in 1839.

Ken was always curious about new and innovative ways to do things and was an early adopter of technology that boosted efficiency and labor.  He believed in working with nature in both farming and health, studying the soil and plants to learn the best farming techniques.  After a visit to UW Madison in 1955 to learn about best practices in dairy, Ken built one of the first milking parlors in Northeast Wisconsin.

Ken enjoyed participating in barbershop quartets and card games with life-long friends.   He was a tireless fundraiser for the Bonduel High School scholarship program.  In later years, he became an active friend of the Amish community in Bonduel, providing transportation while becoming a regular invitee to social events. He organized Amish tours to help others gain a glimpse into their way of life.

Along with Joyce, Ken was a lifelong member of the Wisconsin Synod Lutheran Church, at Frieden’s in Bonduel, and Divine Savior in Shawano.  Ken was preceded in death by his parents, Ervin and Irma, a sister, Jeanette Raaths, and a grandson, Paul Natzke.  He is survived by seven children – Dave (Vicki) Natzke of Amherst, Ted (Lori) Natzke of Zachow, Mark (Katie Short) Natzke of Witwen, Susan (Tim) Probst of Delavan, Leslie Natzke of Chicago, Jim (Kathie) Natzke of Fitchburg, and Anne Wentzel of Grand Rapids. He is further survived by 16 grandchildren, 15 great grandchildren, and niece, Lisa Raaths. One of his final pleasures was seeing many of his great grandchildren enjoy the family property in July 2023.

A memorial service will be held at Friedens Lutheran church in Bonduel on Thursday August 24 at 11:00am, with a visitation at the Swedberg Funeral home in Bonduel on Wednesday August 23 from 4:00pm until 7:00pm and again at the church on Thursday from 10:00am until the time of the service.  Military Honors will be conducted by the Bonduel American Legion at the church following the service.

The family wishes to thank the staff of Meadowview in Bonduel, Meadowood in Seymour, and the Unity Hospice staff for their kindness and dedicated work for Dad.