Kenneth David Wilder

Kenneth D. Wilder, 76, died March 24, 2022, at home in Miami under hospice care. Born March 24, 1946, in Birmingham AL, Ken attended Avondale Elementary and Ramsay High School. He obtained his BS from Livingston College (University of West Alabama) and served in the U.S. Army. During college he worked as a student manager for ARA (Aramark) and joined the company as food service manager at University of Miami, Barry University and Florida State University. Having met his future wife at Barry, Ken returned to Miami as food service director at Miami (Nicklaus) Children’s Hospital, spending 17 years in that position. He left to join his father-in-law Donald F. Wright at New York Life. Ken worked with Colonial Life until he retired in 2018.

Ken is survived by his wife of 42 years, Gail Wright-Wilder, son Randall Wilder (Jewel Melville) of Cutler Bay, and daughter Bethany Shah (Chetan) of Arlington VA. Ken was preceded in death by his parents, Ralph and Helen (Davidson) Wilder and sister Marcia Oster.

Alabama was in Ken’s blood, and he rooted loudly for the Crimson Tide. Ken’s other pursuits were varied. As an amateur travel photographer, he documented the many trips he loved planning for the family. He volunteered for Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden propagating plants and used native flora to landscape his yard. One of the first three volunteers for Radio Lollipop at Nicklaus Children’s, Ken served as president of the group and was involved in volunteer trainings for most of the 24 years that he brought smiles to children and parents on Terrific Tuesdays. His quick wit and dry humor created joy for many others every day of the week.

Donations in Ken’s memory may be made to Radio Lollipop at https://give.nicklauschildrens.org/areas-to-support/children-s-experiences

A service of joyful remembrance will be held at Caballero Rivero Woodlawn South, 11655 SW 117th Ave, on Saturday, April 2, 2022, at 10 am.