Kenneth Robert Arthur Nibbe (aka Ken) was born in Milwaukee, WI on March 18th, 1932, to the late Arthur and Klara Nibbe. The country was amid the Great Depression, which would end some seven years later, in no small part due to the efforts of Ken and others in his cohort, the so-called Generation of Builders. At age 10, already a precocious young man filled with ambition, Ken was featured in the local newspaper as the delivery boy of the month. Throughout his formative years Ken made friends easily and would have been intensely curious about this emergent technology called “television.” By the time he entered high school (Milwaukee Lutheran) he was a tall and handsome young man and a good basketball player.Unsurprisingly, he drew the wonder of his classmate, Jeanette Giese. Shortly after they both graduated high school, in 1952 Ken and Jeanette were married, and remained inseparable for the following seventy-four years.

Expecting he’d be drafted, Ken decided to enlist in the Army. In support of the Korean war effort, he served two years in New Jersey where he headed up an electronic supply department. Ken was a proud veteran his entire life. After his military service ended, he and Jeanette moved to Illinois where Ken earned a degree from the DeVry Institute of Electronics. After that, they moved to West Allis, WI where Ken was employed by Mr. TV, and later North Avenue appliance, working in television repair. Once, when his son Steven was asked in school, what does your dad do? Steven replied proudly, “He works in show business!”

Jeanette and Ken would have three children, all of whom survive him - daughter Gail Popp of Menasha;two sons: Steven (Diane) Nibbe of Madison and Rod (Nancy) Nibbe of Blaine, Washington. In addition,four grandchildren: Kelly (Andy) Ullrich; Sierra (Matt) Provencal; Hanna and Taylor Nibbe; and great grandson Caleb Larson; and great granddaughters Madison, Mariah and MacKenzie Ullrich.

In addition to his work in television repair, as a man of faith his entire life Ken was active in the laity of various churches where he and Jeanette were members. After Ken retired (1994), he and Jeanette sold their home in West Allis, WI and moved to their newly built dream home on Buckatabon Lake in Conover,WI. With plenty of fuel left in his tank, Ken was invited by the builder to come to work for the business.Ken agreed and worked for Benson Builders for fourteen years. He would come to fully embrace the Northwoods lifestyle - snowmobiling, long walks in the woods, and, of course, boating and fishing. Ken was most content to be on the lake, casting a line, a gentle breeze rippling the water, the sun setting.

In 2005, Ken and Jeanette left Buckatabon Lake and moved to Appleton, WI where they lived together,independently, for nearly twenty years. Still vital in spirit and health, Ken served on the Board of Directors at the homeowners’ association. In 2023, as a senior veteran, Ken was privileged to be selected to take an Honor Flight to visit the Korean War Veterans memorial in Washington, D.C. In 2024, Ken and Jeanette moved to independent living at Heritage Woods senior home in Appleton, WI. Shortly after Jeanette’s death in August of 2026, on September 30th Kenneth Robert Arthur Nibbe, age 94, died peacefully at Cherry Meadows Hospice, in the same room where Jeanette had died. Most everyone agrees the cause of Ken’s death was a broken heart.

Ken’s family would like to extend a very special thank you to the nurses and staff at The Heritage. Also, to the staff at Cherry Meadows, for their grace and compassionate care given to Ken. 

A Memorial Service for Ken will be held at 11 AM, Oct. 27, 2026, at Brettschneider Trettin-Nickel Funeral Chapel. In lieu of flowers, memorials can be directed to his daughter Gail Popp. The family will purchase a bench to be donated to The Heritage in memory of Ken and Jeanette.