Oltman Honken

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NYz3f69sJc4

Oltman “Okie” Honken was born March 12, 1936 to Oltman and Jennie Honken in Hardwick, Minnesota. He was baptized at First Presbyterian Church in Edgerton, Minnesota. He was raised in the Hardwick/Kenneth area, attended country school north of Hardwick and Kenneth for grade school, and graduated from Luverne High School in 1954. Following high school, he worked for Lampert Lumber Co. for three years and enlisted in the Army National Guard in 1957. After completing his basic training, he worked for Frakes Construction for 18 years. He started his own construction business, Okie Honken Construction, in 1975, doing residential, concrete, and commercial projects in the three-state area. On October 19th, 1963 he was united in marriage to Cleone Swenson at Bethany Lutheran Church in Luverne. The couple made their home in Luverne. Okie and Cleone later moved to Touchmark at All Saints in Sioux Falls, South Dakota where Okie passed away on Friday, February 27, 2026 at 89 years, 11 months and 15 days.

Okie was a member of St. John Lutheran Church where he served as a Trustee and donated many hours doing upkeep and remodeling the kitchen. He was a member of the Luverne Community Hospital Board and was a charter member of the Hospital Foundation (Luverne Community Health Care Foundation). He enjoyed fishing, especially with his grandsons on their annual fishing trip. He loved his family and had tremendous pride in all his grandchildren. Okie was truly born to build. He put tremendous pride in every project and simply refused to have his name associated with anything that was not done to the highest quality.

Okie is survived by his wife, Cleone; two sons, Ronald (Cathy) Honken of Leota, Minnesota, and Randall (Carmen) Honken of Sartell, Minnesota; grandchildren, Reed, Riley, Matthew, Vanessa and Anna; and a brother, Robert (Sandy) Honken of Laramie, Wyoming. He was preceded in death by his parents; and a sister, Elaine Loveless.