Kenny Zielike

Kenneth “Kenny” Zielike, age 82, of Big Stone City, SD, passed away on Friday, September 11, 2026, at St. William’s Care Center in Milbank, SD. 

Funeral Services will be held on Thursday, September 17, 2026, at 10:30 a.m. at Mundwiler Funeral Chapel in Milbank, SD. Visitation will be held on Wednesday, September 16, 2026, from 5:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. at Mundwiler Funeral Chapel and will continue one hour prior to the service on Thursday. Burial will be held at St. John’s Lutheran Cemetery near Milbank at 1:30 p.m. on Thursday. 

Kenneth “Kenny” Eugene Zielike was born in Ortonville, MN, to Theodore and Frieda (Strube) Zielike on December 7, 1943. He was baptized and confirmed at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Alban Township, Grant County, outside of Big Stone City, SD.

Kenny completed eighth grade and went to work as a farmhand for his uncle, Helmut, and Katherine Strube, until 1971. Then he worked for Cody’s Livestock in the farming operation. While there, he helped with Cody’s fireworks stand, and later owned his own fireworks stand on Main Street in Big Stone City.

In 1976, Kenny went to work at Cold Springs Quarry, which became his career. Over the 30 years he worked there, he cut and dynamited granite, often shaking the town of Milbank. He retired in 2006.

On March 25, 1967, Kenny married Linda Schneck at the courthouse in Webster, SD. They lived in Big Stone City and had two children: Sherri and Steven.

Kenny loved fishing, pheasant, and duck, and deer hunting with his friends and his son. He loved classic cars, especially the ’59 Ford Fairlane 500 Skyliner with a retractable hardtop that he once owned. He and Linda often had card parties at their house.

Kenny spent his retirement years doing kind things for others: mowing someone’s yard, getting his neighbor’s mail, or visiting friends and family in the nursing home. When his wife was infirm, he transported her voluminous cooking and baking to the Senior Citizens Center, to church funerals, to shut-ins, and on the big Christmas run around town.

Every week, Kenny and his friend, Joe Bear, went to Lakeside Gas to meet up with the coffee gang. He liked sitting on his deck, visiting with his good friends Gene and Arlyss, and waving to everyone passing by.

Kenny is survived by his children, Sherri (Alan) Sand of Rosholt, SD, and Steve Zielike of Big Stone City, SD; his grandchildren: Brianna (Jake) Madsen, Ryan Sand, Steve Junior Zielike, and Amber Zielike; great-grandchildren: Beau, Baker, and Banks Madsen; his brothers-in-law: Alan (Linda) Schneck, Gary (Lou) Schneck, and Dave Schwarze.

He was preceded in death by his parents; his wife, Linda Zielike, and his sister, Deiza Schwarze.