Ken met his wife, Karen, at Shaky’s Pizza Parlor when he was only 18. He put her in his “dating rotation,” but quickly wised up and realized that she was the only girl he wanted to see. They were married on November 24, 1972, and would have celebrated their 50th anniversary this year. They loved to travel and see the world, and together they had three children and twelve beautiful grandchildren.
He became a Christian as a young adult and was a passionate follower of Christ. He read his Bible daily and was often moved to tears while worshipping the Lord. His first response when he heard someone was sick was to pray for them, and many were healed! His love for Jesus overflowed every area of his life and filled him with joy only found in Christ.
A gifted musician, Ken played five instruments, including the piano which he played by ear. He played on the praise and worship team at several churches through the years. He spent many evenings at home singing and playing songs to the Lord, and loved to write songs, as well. He taught some of his grandchildren how to play the piano, and there weren’t many family gatherings, camping trips, or holidays that weren’t filled with his music.
Math was another love for Ken which led him to become an electrical engineer. He earned a bachelor’s degree from Louisiana Tech University and master’s degree from Florida Atlantic University, both in electrical engineering. He worked as an engineer for the US Air Force and for AT&T/Avaya. He loved his job so much that he couldn’t believe they paid him to do it. When others shied away from math, Ken embraced it. As a newly married man, he bought an algebra book at a garage sale, telling his wife they could do problems for fun (she didn’t think it sounded like a fun past time). He made his children do math drills to keep them up to speed on their math skills, and he tutored friends and neighborhood kids in their high school math classes.
Ken was born in Vallejo, California on December 9, 1951. Because his father was in the US Air Force, he moved a great deal growing up, but graduated from Bossier High School in 1969. He is preceded in death by his parents, Jack and Birdean Wodke, and his brother, Jack Wodke, Jr. He is survived by his wife of 49 years, Karen Barr Wodke; children David Wodke and wife Sandy, Laura Caudill and husband Jeremy, and Katie Abshire; grandchildren: Camille, Jack, Cole and Noah Wodke, Celeste, Ben, Sam, Emerald, and Helen Caudill, and Asa, Annette, and Betty Abshire; sister, Margaret Wodke Roberts; and a multitude of nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends he considered family.
Services will be held at Hill Crest Memorial Funeral Home at 2pm on Tuesday, March 15, 2022, followed by interment in Hill Crest Memorial Park. The family will receive guests on Monday evening from 5-7pm at the funeral home.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be sent to the Davis Phinney Foundation for Parkinson’s Research.
“Jesus said to her, ‘I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?’”
~John 11:25-26
