Kenneth Engelman

MADISON-Reverend Dr. Kenneth Engelman, born in 1924 on a farm near Raymond Illinois, the son of William and Anne (Baumann) Engelman, has died on September 5, 2018. His mother died when he was 18 months old and he was raised by his father, sisters and brothers. From a one room country school he eventually attended Illinois Wesleyan University. He was active in interracial and interfaith conferences on a national and international level. In 1949 he married Marjorie Jeckel from Delavan, Illinois. They had two children. They embarked on a life journey of addressing social justice and equality issues. He received a Master of Divinity Degree from Garrett Theological Seminary and a Master of Arts in Biblical Studies from Northwestern University. At 50 he returned to school and was awarded a PhD in Educational Psychology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

After being ordained in the United Methodist Church in 1953 he served churches in Wisconsin including Appleton, Wautoma, Spring Lake, Whitewater and Madison. He was involved in many boards and agencies in the United Methodist Church including chairing the Board of Missions and President of the Board of Church and Society. He taught at Garrett Theological Seminary and the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay.

In 1971 he was appointed to the American Foundation of Religion and Psychiatry in Green Bay, Wisconsin and for 10 years was a personal counselor and marriage and family therapist. Ken was asked to serve in the Church's central office in Sun Prairie as Director of the Conference Council. After two years, in 1984, he became the Senior Minister of First United Methodist Church in Madison, Wisconsin. He retired in 1988 and remained in Madison.

Ken enjoyed biking, hiking, canoeing and sailing in the summer and snowshoeing in the winter. He helped restore oak savannas and prairies most recently to aid the Karner Blue Butterfly on his farm, in Marquette County. He and Marge traveled the world together. In retirement he began taking piano lessons.

He is survived by his wife Marge; daughter Ann Engelman and husband Anders Yocom; son Barth; two grandchildren, Paul Engelman and Angela White; son-in-law Paul White and two great grandchildren, Caleb and Olin White; many nieces and nephews; and four step-grandchildren, Jenny (Shelton), Alison Yocom, Mark Yocom, Meredith (Schwall) and their families. He was preceded in death by his parents; Uncle Arthur; sisters, Lucille, Mildred and Velma; and brothers, Harold (Spud), Mitchell and Jess.

When his three brothers went to serve in World War II Ken, at 18, was left at home to manage a 240 acre farm. When his brothers returned Ken became the first in his family to go to college. He was admitted, on probation, to Illinois Wesleyan University. With determination and always carrying a Webster's dictionary, he continued for four years, working a number of jobs to get his education.

His sermon titles included: Where is Home?, Take A Firm Grip on Confusion, Care and Feeding of the Land, On Raising A Few Curtains, Sources of Hope and Joy, Are Some More Equal Than Others?, Where Will You Be When You Get There? He was a storyteller and wrote stories: My Dad the Horseman, The Loss of a Tree, Early Introduction to Elitism, Rain, and The South Porch.

Ken was with people wherever they were. He was a thoughtful community builder, a caring and compassionate person, with utmost integrity, in all areas of his life. "A road diverged in a wood and I - I took the one less traveled by. . ." Robert Frost

A service will be held on Sunday, September 16 2018, at 2:00 p.m. at Capitol Lakes in the Grand Hall, 333 West Main Street, Madison, Wisconsin. In lieu of flowers please consider a donation to Porchlight in Madison, Wisconsin or the Capitol Lakes Foundation, Madison, Wisconsin. The family appreciates the love and caring from our Capital Lakes friends and staff-family and Agrace Hospice caring staff.

Cress Funeral and Cremation Service
3610 Speedway Rd, Madison
608-238-3434