Benjamin Eugene Vidricksen (June 11, 1927–September 14, 2015) was an American politician who served for over two decades as a Republican in the Kansas State Senate, from 1979 to 2000.
[1] After graduating from high school in 1944, Vidricksen served in the U.S. Navy during World War II.
During this period, he met and married Lola Nienke; the marriage lasted until her death in 1992.
[3] After a stint working in O'Neill, Nebraska as a dairy manager, he returned to Kansas in 1958 to go into business with his brother Robert and their mother Ruby, owning and operating several restaurants in Salina and a catering business (his brother was inducted into the Kansas Restaurant Hall of Fame in 1980).
During his time in the State Senate, Vidricksen served as Assistant Majority Leader for 16 years.