Kim Delka closes his Hardy garage, construction business

Delka's Garage has long been a fixture of the Hardy commercial landscape. Kim Delka, owner and operator, has sold the garage and retired. Sort of. He sold the building to Barry Blackstone who has no plans to continue the garage business but will use the building for storage. Delka has exited the garage business but is working at the Superior Country Club. He has undertaken the repair and maintenance of equipment at the site. And Blackstone mentioned to him that he could use help with spring planting.

Kim is the son of the late Don Delka and his wife Alice, who resides in Superior. Kim attended Hardy High School for three years. He graduated from Superior High School. He married Julie Crook in 1977. The couple have two sons: Adam, who is a teacher in Houston, Texas, and Levi, who is employed at Kawasaki, in Lincoln, as a welder. He and his wife have one son, Sawyer.

Delka grew up working with his father at the garage. His father had purchased the garage business of Jerome Kohl. As the business grew, Don constructed a new, larger steel building in 1974 to accommodate the diverse business interests he had developed. In addition to repairing automobiles, trucks, tractors and farm implements, Don had expanded into earth moving. He taught Kim the business as he grew up. The shop served as a modern day blacksmith's shop, fabricating machine parts on demand. Welding was a major part of their business.

When asked what some of the stranger requests he has undertaken over the years, Kim replied several people brought their dentures in to be ground down for a better fit. Another client had an issue with his artificial leg. Kim removed the broken piece, effected a repair and the customer walked away satisfied.

Kim installed underground water lines throughout the area. He did water terrace and tiling work. He would manufacture whatever a customer requested. Delka produced a pump which allowed water to be pumped uphill in irrigation pipe. He and his backhoe were a common site in Superior and the surrounding area as they dug up water and sewer lines for Mick White and other area plumbers.

Several area mechanics and welders, including Troy Hayes, Jerry Kussman and Ben Price, worked with Kim in their early days in the auto and welding business.

Delka has two brothers, Lyle, a heavy equipment operator, who resides in Denton, Texas. Mike Delka is employed by CPI and rersides in Red Cloud. Kim has two sisters: Dixie Bargen, who works at the Hardy post office and Cindy Rhoades who works at Central National Bank in Superior.

Lyle's daughter, Kellie Delka, is a member of the 2022 United States Winter Olympic team. She competes in the skeleton, a type of sled.

Kim will miss the interaction with his customers but not the daily grind of the business. He foresees the day when he completely retires but he does not enjoy being inactive.

Kim noted he came across and advertisement for his great-great-grandfather, in Smith Center, Kan., newspaper. He called himself the fix-it guy for the whole area. Seems to run in the blood.