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Florence Dickhut

Helenville, Wisconsin

Ken was discharged on January 31, 1946, after serving in the Ardennes, Rhineland, and the Central Europe campaigns. He received the Victory medal, the American Theater ribbon, the European African Middle Eastern Theater ribbon with three bronze battle stars, two overseas service bars, and the Good Conduct medal.

Before he went into the service, Ken would go to various small towns in Jefferson County on Saturday nights. Entertainment was either watching a movie that was shown on a big screen outside in the park or listening to a local band concert. He was sixteen years old when he met a young girl from Helenville, Wisconsin. Flo was only fourteen years old and the next weekend he saw her again in another small town at a movie. He told her he was going to marry her. He did not see her again for two years.

Valentine sent to Ken in Europe from Florence

(signature inside Valentine is background for webpage)

Once he was eighteen and in the service, Ken came home on his first furlough. He called her and made a date. He met her parents and they went out three times during that furlough. On his second furlough, they went out a few more times. On the third furlough, he asked her to marry him and she said yes. He went off to Europe and wrote her. During the last three months he was in Europe, she did not hear from him because he was moving around so much in the move back to the ports for the trip home. He was discharged on January 31, 1946 and they were married on the 16^th of February, two weeks later.

Florence and Ken on his first furlough

Photo taken on Dickhut farm near Helenville, Wisconsin

Ken and Flo moved to Watertown after the war. He was educated on the GI bill and then he and Flo farmed for 9 years near Helenville. In the 1950s, he began working at Felton Electric in Jefferson until his retirement.

Ken and Flo have two children, Dennis and Sally. They also have several grandchildren. Earlier this year they celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary.