Ken Hilgendorf

KEWANEE – Kenneth M. “Ken” Hilgendorf, 54, of Kewanee, died Friday, April 16, 2021 at his home.

Private funeral services will be held at Rux Funeral Home in Kewanee with Deacon Martin VanMeltebeck officiating. Due to COVID restrictions and capacity limits the funeral will be live-streamed at 11:00 a.m., Thursday, April 22 via the Rux Funeral Home Facebook page. Private inurnment will be held in Pleasant View Cemetery at a later date. An open house celebration for Ken will be held from 1:00-5:00 p.m., Saturday, April 24 at the Visitation School gymnasium in Kewanee. Please feel free to wear St. Louis Cardinals or Iowa Hawkeye attire. In lieu of flowers memorials may be directed to the Illinois Correctional Employees' Memorial Association (ICEMA) or to the Tony La Russa’s Animal Rescue Foundation. 

He was born July 14, 1966 in Clinton, IA, the son of Douglas “Doug” and Darlene (Scott) Hilgendorf. He married Shellie Adkison on March 9, 1996 in Kewanee. Survivors include his wife of Kewanee, his parents of Kewanee, brother, Franklin (Melissa) Hilgendorf of Murfreesboro, TN, sister, Lynn Hilgendorf and her fiancé, Steve Louderman of Galesburg, mother-in-law, Karen Adkison of Kewanee, sister-in-law, Jacquie Kauffman of Kewanee, several aunts, uncles and cousins and his four special canine “kids”; Maggie, Stewie, Archie and Lucie Lou. He was preceded in death by his grandparents and father-in-law, Bob Adkison.

Ken graduated from Kewanee High School in 1984 and attended Black Hawk East where he played basketball and set the all-time men’s single season scoring record during the 1985-86 season. He received his Bachelor’s Degree in Criminal Justice in 2011 from North Central University. He has worked for the Illinois Department of Corrections since 2001 starting out as a Youth Supervisor Trainee and has held various roles including; Juvenile Justice Specialist, Juvenile Justice Supervisor, Manager of Central Screening and was currently the Manager of Employee Services since 2019. He was also currently the president of the Illinois Correctional Employees’ Memorial Association (ICEMA). He enjoyed watching NASCAR and was an avid fisherman and devoted fan of the St. Louis Cardinals and Blues and the Iowa Hawkeyes. He also enjoyed traveling to tropical destinations with his wife and their good friends the Seibert’s.

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