Kenneth Ronald Rikke

The funeral service for Kenneth “Ken” Rikke, 85, of Belview, formerly of Echo, will take place at 11:00 a.m. on Thursday, April 23, 2026, at the Yellow Medicine Lutheran Church in Hanley Falls, MN. Visitation will be held on Wednesday, April 22, from 5:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. with a prayer service at 7:00 p.m. at the Sunset Funeral Home in Echo. Visitation will continue on Thursday from 10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. at the Yellow Medicine Lutheran Church. A private family interment will take place at a later date.

Kenneth Ronald Rikke was born on February 7, 1941, in Vesta, MN, to Kenneth “Sam” and Luella (Maasch) Rikke. In 1948, he and his family moved to Hanley Falls where he attended fifth through twelfth grade. Ken was baptized as a baby in Vesta and was confirmed and an active member of Yellow Medicine Lutheran Church in Hanley Falls.

In 1959, he married Carol Ann Engel. The couple had three sons Brad Alan (Donna) from Boulder, CO, Brian Kenneth (Amie) from Vesta and Kevin Lee from Denver, CO, as well as grandchildren Luke, David, Rebecca and Derek and great-grandchildren Austin, Joshua, Blossom, Charlie and Lex.

Ken and Carol spent several years in California and most of their married lives around Hanley Falls, MN. Ken was self-employed and operated a road grading and gravel hauling/maintenance business for 30 years.

Ken died on Friday, April 17, 2026, at the St. Cloud Hospital in St. Cloud, MN. He is survived by his wife, Carol, three sons, four grandchildren, five great-grandchildren and sisters Shirley Gordon, Joyce Wright, Linda Rikke and Pam Rikke. He was preceded in death by his parents Sam and Luella and sisters Judy and Collette.