Kenneth Dudek

Kenneth Lewis Dudek passed away at age 96 in his home surrounded by his adult children. He is
survived by daughter Lisa, sons Konrad (Jessica Krakow) and Joseph; granddaughters, Iris and
Laurel, and multiple nieces and nephews.
Ken was born in Chicago, Illinois, to Polish immigrants (Joseph Dudek and Josephine Bubak), the
youngest of their six children. Ken graduated from Northwestern University, class of 1949,
Evanston, Illinois where he earned his bachelor’s degree and later a master’s degree in chemical
engineering.
Ken fulfilled his childhood dream to live and work overseas by working at Creole Petroleum in
Venezuela for 15 years. There he met another adventurous spirit, Wanda Sherman, a farm girl
from Wesley, Iowa. She too was employed by Creole Petroleum, as a fifth grade teacher for the
children of the expatriates. They married in 1959. Ken and Wanda’s three children were born in
Venezuela.
The family moved from Venezuela to the Denver area in 1967 and built their home in
Columbine Knolls, Littleton. While they lived in Littleton, Ken worked for Sterns-Roger
Engineering and did consultation work in the Virgin Islands for Hess Petroleum. Ken and Wanda
hiked, skied, gardened, and encouraged their children in their own pursuits. They were able to
enjoy discounted air travel to many exotic places through airline benefits associated Konrad’s
employment.
Ken kept close contact with his family in Chicago and his nieces and nephews as they moved
and settled in different parts of the country. He enjoyed living in Colorado and was always
delighted to give tours to visitors or lead walks through Roxborough and Chatfield State Parks.
He also enjoyed being the local handy man for many of his neighbors. Ken often alarmed his
family and friends by climbing ladders, trimming trees, and cleaning the gutters on his house at
age 90+!
Wanda, Ken’s wife of 54 years, preceded him in death in 2012. Ken cared for her at home
during the last 11 years of her life.
Please join us to celebrate Ken’s unique life. His memorial will be held at Columbine Unitarian
Universalist Church, 6724 S. Webster Street, Littleton, Colorado 80128 at 3:00pm on April 29,
2023.