Ishpeming – Ken W. Hietikko, age 63, of 605 Lakeshore D., Ishpeming passed away on Monday April 10, 2017 at Northwestern Memorial Hospital in Chicago, IL where he had been a patient for the past two weeks following an apparent heart attack.

Ken was born September 1, 1953 in L'Anse, MI the son of the late Waino and Barbara (Pearce) Hietikko.  Ken grew up in Baraga and was a graduate of the Baraga High School, Class of 1971.  He worked briefly at Celotex prior to moving to this area in 1975.  For the past 42 years Ken worked for Cliffs Natural Resources (CCI) as a shovel operator at the Tilden Mine, a job he truly loved.

Ken enjoyed playing the bass drum in Drum and Bugle Corps. including the Golden Eagles, Blue Notes and Kilties Senior Corps. He ran the taekwondo club in Ishpeming at the Strength and Fitness Center for 10 years, where he will be remembered by his many children he had the privilege of teaching. Ken was a second degree Black Belt in taekwondo.  He was a very handy man and in recent years was restoring a 1942 "Willy's" Jeep, had done blacksmithing at the Cliffs Shaft Mine Museum, and had been studying World War II History.  Ken will be missed at Sherries Restaurant where he was a daily patron.

Survivors include 2 sons – Levi (Jennifer) Hietikko of Ishpeming and Brandon (Lauren) Hietikko of West Ishpeming, 5 grandchildren whom he loved and cherished – Kholey, Miller, Mason, Riley and Gabriele, 2 brothers – Steven Hietikko of Baraga and Bradley Hietikko of Grand Rapids, MI.  He was preceded in by his parents and a granddaughter Kinzy J. Hietikko in 2009.

A celebration of Ken's life will be held from 1 until 3pm on Saturday, April 15, 2017 at the Bjork & Zhulkie Funeral Home in Ishpeming where family will greet relatives and friends.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to the Cliffs Shaft Mine Museum, 501 W. Euclid St., Ishpeming, MI 49849 in Ken's memory.

Ken's obituary may also be viewed at bjorkandzhulkie.com where relatives and friends may leave a note of remembrance.