Kenneth Edwin Stika was born in Salt Lake City to Valaria Van Ausdal and Otto Albert Stika on October 19, 1932. Ken grew up in the Bingham Canyon, UT area and then later resided in Spanish Fork, UT where he attended Spanish Fork High School and then joined the US Navy.
Ken enlisted in 1950 and was assigned to the USS Carl Weeden, a Buckley class destroyer, while on active duty during the Korean War. He was very proud of his service in the Navy. From his home port in California, he had wonderful memories of visiting British Columbia, the Hawaiian Islands and Peru.
Ken married the love of his life, Maureen Dedrickson, on November 8, 1952 in South San Gabriel, California. They moved to Spanish Fork after Ken’s honorable discharge in 1953. Soon, their first child was born, and they were on their way to building a family. In the following years Ken and Maureen had five children.
Professionally, Ken spent many years in the automotive supply business while owning his own tire store and a transmission shop in Price. He was well known regionally for his work providing commercial tires to the mining industry. After “retirement”, Ken spent 12 more years working for the Utah Department of Natural Resources at Otter Creek State Park Campground with Maureen. Ken was a fixture cruising around the lake region in his Kawasaki Mule.
Ken had too many hobbies to count! He was an avid outdoorsman, hunting a wide variety of game birds and big game. Ken and Maureen were both members of the Bookcliff Muzzleloaders and attended the regular rendezvous sleeping in a teepee they hand built and wearing their buckskin clothes made by Maureen. Ken was an expert marksman with a muzzleloader rifle and won many awards at these events. Ken also made custom knives and reloaded all kinds of ammunition. He made a variety of powder horn styles and was an accomplished gunsmith. Ken built an extensive gun collection over a period of 60 years. He also volunteered on community projects, helping build the North Springs Shooting Range in Price, UT, about which he was particularly proud.
Ken was a kind and generous man. His greatest love was his wife and five children. His family meant everything to him. His devotion was returned in full by his wife and children who enjoyed his sense of humor, the warmth of his smile, the ease of his manner and his personal sayings or “Ken-isms”.
Ken Stika died on Friday, October 23, 2020. He is survived by his wife Maureen, Price, UT, son Mike (wife, Debi) Stika, Grantsville, UT, daughter Terry (Jack) Schons, Price, UT, daughter Cherri (John) Charlesworth, Copperton, UT, son Bruce (Franky) Stika, Mapleton, UT, and son Kelly (Anita) Stika, Pleasant Grove, UT. In Ken’s extended family there are 16 grandchildren, 39 great grandchildren and three great-great grandchildren. Ken is preceded in death by his mother, Valaria, his step-father Ellis Mecham, and his big brother Larry.
The family would like to thank the employees of Symbii Home Health, especially Diane and David for the loving care they provided during the last two years and in the final weeks of Ken’s life. Funeral arrangements are being provided by Walker Funeral Home in Spanish Fork, UT. A private graveside burial ceremony will be held Thursday, October 29, 2020 at the Spanish Fork City Cemetery.