KAUK, William Edward

William Edward “Ed” Kauk, 82, of Minden died April 8, 2012 on Easter Sunday at his home from cancer. Ed was born August 20, l929 on a farm near Alma to William Frederick and Elsie (Baker) Kauk. He graduated from Alma High School in l947 and enlisted in the Air Force for four years working in the medical division. He attended the University of Arizona in l956. Also Nebraska Wesleyan University in l958 and received an AB degree in business administration. In l956 he married Valerie Ramones from Oahu, Hawaii where she also attended Nebraska Wesleyan University. He was married in Phillipsburg, Kansas on June 8 at the Methodist parsonage. On June 9 at the Alma Methodist Church where there was a wedding and reception for relatives and friends. Following graduation he moved to Los Angeles, California where he was an accountant for an oil company and a general office manager for a printing firm. He owned a triplex apartment in back of his home in Englewood, California. 
 He moved to Alma, Nebraska in l965 where he owned the Western Holiday Motel for l0 years, then the Holiday Motel in Spearfish, South Dakota for a short time. He moved from South Dakota to Reno, Nevada in l981 where he worked in 2 casinos and lived there for 22 years before moving to Minden for approximately 9 years. He enjoyed traveling, especially to Hawaii annually on vacations, seeing relatives and friends. He looked forward to drinking coffee with friends at Daylight donut shop in Minden and at Perkins Restaurant in Kearney. Survivors include his wife; an only child, Novella Mae Giddings and husband Woody of Kearney; step granddaughter Terri Giddings of Kearney; step grandson J. R. Giddings and wife Jeannie; great step grandchildren Lexi and Logan. He is preceded in death by his father, mother, sisters Lois Gregory, Eileen Goodall, Roberta Johnson and many nephews and nieces. By his wishes there will be no funeral but there will be an inurnment at the Gibbon Cemetery to be determined at a later date. Craig Funeral Home of Minden was in charge of cremation.