Kenneth E. Balciar, 89, of Medford passed away Wednesday, April 24, 2024 at Aspirus Care and Rehab while under the care of Hope Hospice.

A memorial service for Kenneth will take place at 11:00 AM on Saturday, May 11, 2024 at Hemer-Pickerign Funeral Home, with Brian Rodman officiating. Burial will follow at Medford Evergreen Cemetery 2. Visitation will take place at Hemer-Pickerign Funeral Home on Saturday, May 11, 2024 from 9:00 AM until the time of service at 11:00 AM. Following the service Military rites will be performed by the Medford Area Military Honors Team.

 

Kenneth E. Balciar, born October 10, 1934 to Adella P. (Valent) and John Balciar Jr. His marriage to Joyce A. Frischman took place on November 3, 1962 in Medford.

 

At the age of 19 he joined the Air Force where he served in the Korean War. He was honorably discharged in 1956 after serving 4 years. He was fortunate to travel to Washington DC with fellow veterans on the Honor Flight on April 18, 2016.

 

In his early years he worked on his family farm, stocked shelves at the Medford Co-op, and was also a mechanic.

 

After he returned from the military he bought a Chevrolet dump truck and went on the road as a self-employed contractor all over Wisconsin. When he returned he purchased the Skelley gas station and renamed it Ken’s Repair and sold Chaparral snowmobiles. He also raced Polaris and Chaparral snowmobiles all over Wisconsin. He worked for Armin Buehler for a period of time before starting his own business, Balciar Bulldozing, where he started out with a 350 Dozer and later adding Balciar Concrete.

 

Ken and his wife, Joyce, purchased a beautiful property on Lake Holcombe where they enjoyed weekends for over 30 years. In their retirement they fell in love with UTVing and went on many travels with friends and the Gator Girls. Ken’s favorite pastime was feeding the deer on his property out West of town and then stopping in for a beer and a shot while shaking dice with his buddies at Cindy’s Bar.

 

Ken had a love for dogs. He had a number of Doberman Pinchers and in his later years he hunted in Iowa, South Dakota, and the local area with his brittany spaniels, Bo, Ty, Cheetah, and Jessie.

 

Ken is survived by his children, children, Scott Balciar, Shelley (Brad) Hutchinson, and Shawn (Dana) Balciar, all of Medford; grandchildren, Brett Hutchinson of Milwaukee, Gabe Hutchinson of Medford, and Devin Balciar of Marshfield Two sisters-in-law, Betty Widmer of Medford and Peggy Brehm of Marshfield and many nieces and nephews.

 

He was preceded in death by his wife, Joyce, who passed away on August 5, 2022; brothers, Walter (Margaret), Emil (Pearl), Richard (Delores), and sister, Irene(Ray); brothers-in-law Wayne Widmer and Mike Brehm.