Kenneth “Ken” Lee Childerston was born December 12, 1938 in Hyannis, Nebraska to Harold and Maxine (Garrett) Childerston. He died September 24, 2020 at Great Plains Health in North Platte, Nebraska due to complications from idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.
Kenny (as he was often times called as a youth) became an Eagle Scout with Silver Palm in May 1956. Ken graduated from North Platte High School in 1957. He attended college in McCook graduating in 1959. He served in the army reserves, spending six months at Fort Ord, California.
Ken worked at Armour Meat Packing Plant in North Platte for seven years until the operation closed. He spent the next 25 years as an auditor for the state of Nebraska auditing courthouses. As systems changed, he continued auditing courthouses for two different private firms until 2007 when he retired. Ken even found his wife, Anita Schocke Blake, while auditing the courthouse in Gering, Nebraska. They married in 1974 and Ken became step-dad to four, Jolynn, Craig, Janet “Jan”, and Brenda, although only the two youngest, Janet and Brenda Blake, moved to North Platte. Ken and Anita celebrated 46 years of marriage in 2020. They enjoyed spending winters in Mesa, Arizona after their retirement. Although Ken spent many nights away from home as his work took him from courthouse to courthouse in the western half of Nebraska, he was always ready with suitcase in hand to take a trip, often times with one or several “grands” in tow.
Ken was a kind, gentle man with a dry sense of humor. He loved working with numbers, his birthday 12-12-38 was his favorite. He enjoyed working Sudoku puzzles wherever he could find one. He even liked to balance his checkbook; in fact, he balanced his checkbook in the hospital 10 hours before he died. Ken lived at Lake Maloney for 50 years and was happiest when surrounded by family who came to fish, water ski, or play in the water. He loved watching sports and following grandkids activities. He was a wealth of statistical information about college and pro sports.
Ken was preceded in death by parents: Harold and Maxine Childerston; brother, Bernard E. Childerston; mother-in-law, Elisabeth Schocke; grandparents, James and Anna Childerston and Walter and Edna Garrett.
He is survived by wife, Anita Childerston of North Platte; sister Joanne (Roger) Henrichson, Lincoln; sister-in-law, Eileen Childerston of Lincoln. Step-children: Jolynn Hacker, Hebron; Craig Blake, Cedar City, UT; Janet “Jan” (Paul Koubek) Blake, North Platte; Brenda Tobey, North Platte. Grandchildren: Ryan Blake, Gering, NE; Erin (Greg) Feather, Gothenburg, NE; Sky (Brandon) Seery, North Platte; Bradley (Tami) Hacker, Hershey, NE; Levi (Angela) Shute, Rapid City, SD; Jennifer (Scott Kimball) Hiller, Cozad, NE; Tiffany (Mark) Johnson, Cairo, NE; Morgan (Chris) Matthews, Las Vegas, NV; Matthew Hiller, North Platte; Dr. Robert James “RJ” Shute, Charlottesville, VA; Spencer (Jordan) Shute, Whitman, MA; Tyler (Amy) Blake, North Platte; Trevor Blake, North Platte; Tracy (Kash Houser) Blake, North Platte; Jacob Tobey, North Platte; and Jamie Tobey, North Platte. Also survived by 21 great-grandchildren. Other survivors include nieces and nephews: Amy (Tad) Hunt, Lincoln; Brian (Susan) Childerston, Lincoln; Alan (Silke) Henrichson, Buch, Germany; Julie (Mark) Lutjeharms, Lincoln.
Per Ken’s wishes no funeral service will be held, however, a private family gathering will take place. Cremation was chosen. The family requests no flowers or plants.
Memorial may be sent to Pulmonary Fibrosis at https://www.pulmonaryfibrosis.org/