William Kenneth “Ken” Fikes, 82, died Friday, August 02, 2013, in Athens, after an extended illness. He was born April 15, 1931, to Mr. and Mrs. John Fikes of Brent, Ala. He is survived by his wife of 53 years, Judy Harlow Fikes of Athens; daughter, Julie Fikes Albrecht (Peter) of Mobile; and son, John Harlow Fikes (Susan Olivier) of Athens; granddaughters, Anna Leigh Fikes and Katherine Leigh Albrecht; grandsons, Louis Harlow Albrecht, Carter O’Meara Albrecht and Andrew Scott Fikes; sister, Billie Ruth Clayton of Davidson, North Carolina; brother-in-law, John Harlow, Jr. (Grethel) of Athens; and several nieces, nephews and cousins.
He was preceded in death by his parents; brother, Eugene Harper Fikes; and Mr. and Mrs. John Harlow Sr.
Ken served in the United States Air Force in 1953-1954 in Japan. He earned a degree in electrical engineering from the University of Alabama in 1958. He enjoyed a 36-year career at Redstone Arsenal and NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center where he worked in the Astrionics Laboratory and later served as Director of Preliminary Design.
Ken was a member of Athens First United Methodist Church and the Harris Sunday school Class, former member of the Church Council and a Disciple Bible Study facilitator. He was a member of Athens/Limestone Hospital Foundation Board, and served as a volunteer for CASA and for Habitat for Humanity.
Visitation will be held at Athens First United Methodist Church sanctuary Sunday, August 4, at 3 p.m. with the service following at 4 p.m. with the Reverends James Bassham and George Allen Stewart officiating. Limestone Chapel Funeral Home is handling the arrangements.
The Fikes family would like to thank the kind, dedicated, caregivers of Limestone Health Facility.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be given to CASA, Habitat for Humanity, or the First United Methodist Church of Athens.
