My brother and I didn't get an allowance but we still found ways to earn money.  Before we were old enough to be employed we sought ways to make money on our own.  Instead of lemonade we picked blueberries and sold them from a little stand on the side of our road.  We picked up recyclables whenever we came across them and redeemed them for nickles and dimes.  Our entrepreneurship didn't ever pay off the way we envisioned but it did allow us to save up a little bit of money.  Our parents would double whatever money we had saved and we used that to purchase gifts at Christmas time. 

My brother was very artistic and he loved making things to give as gifts.  One Christmas when we were quite young he used what he found on hand in the house; cardboard, fishing line, glitter and glue. He made Christmas ornaments for everyone in the family and he wrote on the back of each one.  He wrote who the ornament was for and that it was from him and he also wrote the date.  

 Mine was a heart covered with red sparkles.  It's been over 30 years and I still have it. Every Christmas I carefully open the box and unwrap the the layers of tissues that protect it.  It has lost a few sparkles over the years but it still catches the light as it dangles from one of the top branches of the Christmas tree.  

The gifting of ornaments remained a tradition for decades and now I have boxes and boxes of sentimental ornaments.  Each has the date and who it was to and from so as I unpack the Christmas decorations, I unpack memories that I cherish.  I share the memories with my children as we decorate the tree together.  

Our tree may not be stylized and perfectly decorated like so many I see posted on social media these days and that is just fine with me.  Our Christmas tree is one of a kind just like my brother was.  

Miss you.

Thinking of you on your Birthday,Got my snowmobile out yesterday and thought of you and the times we went snowmobiling together.Miss you my friend.

    My daughter & I met Kenny through line dancing.  I remember being so jealous of how easy he could move on the dance floor. He always had a big smile on his face and was freindly to everyone around him.

   Also met Jen while dancing even before she & Kenny got together. When I look at the two beautiful children they created, I can see Kenny in each of them. Kenny lives on through his children.

       Glenice Stover

 Can not believe 7 yrs. have passed. I think of Ken often and miss him. 

Greg  

Krankin Ken was Kennys' nickname on our dance team :"The Hot Country Flames". Ken loved to dance and he was one of the best dancers around. He won many dance contest that was proof of his dancing abilities. He was also an excellant dance instructor. He choreographed a dance to:"Old enough to know better but much to young to care" which quickly became a regional favorite.

Ken was one of the most passionate people I have ever met. He loved life . His high energy personality allowed him to put alot of life in his short years. He touched the lives of so many people. His smile was contagious and sometimes devilish. he loved to tease and play jokes on his friends.

He was a hard worker and always willing to help out. When my daughter was moving he loaned her his truck for the day. And, of course he would always let me know when I had lipstick on my teeth before we went on stage for a dance performance. LOL!

Ken was like a little brother to me. My  heart aches for Jenn and their children. I hope the kids will remember their father through this website. Please, feel free to contact Ray & I. We would love to share our stories. He loved you so much and was so very proud of you all.

Much love,

Susan Hall-Dupuis

Many years ago at our 4th of July picnic after most people had gone home, Ken went to his truck and took out lumber and tools.  I asked him what he was doing.  He said he was going to replace the wooden railing that follows the stairs from the top of the hill down to the lake.  It was about 4;00 p.m. when he started and was dark when he finished.  An excellent job.  Every time he came, he would check it to see if it was straight and sturdy and to this day it is perfect.  Thanks Ken.                Uncle Roger

In addition to being a great friend, son, father and Husband, Ken was an avid outdoorsman.  A devoted sportsman who totally enjoyed God's creation, and always enjoyed a new adventure.  Perhaps these words tell how much the foregoing meant to his being.

He scattered flowers as he went along,

With a cheery heart and a happy song,

The flowers will bloom and the songs will stay,

Although from us he has passed away,

Truly, he gave us his best,

And now in heaven, he has found his rest,

Kind and loving, faithful and true,

He has left this world much better,

Just for his passing through!

Ken thoroughly enjoyed the Fall season and was an avid bow hunter.  Every Autumn he and his dad would travel to Isleboro and stay with the Clayton Family or the Porter's.  These trips to Islesboro inspired his dad to pen the following which is entitled To Ken from Dad 2005

Oh, how he loved that first September chill,

Oh, how he loved that first October frost,

With Autumn leaves in color bright when that time of the year made everything seem right,

For a man whose goals would never end a visit to Isleboro with Dad, his friend,

With its rocky shores and sandy beaches,

With salty air and gentle breezes,

And now to see no more,

The beauty of that rocky shore,

His time has come to be with Thee Above,

Now to leave all those he loved,

It is not for us to ask why,

It had to be so soon,

As we sit here in this tear filled room,

Let us never forget not even for awhile,

What we remember most is the beauty of his smile!

SO MOTE IT BE!

Ken was a great friend,There is not a week that goes by that I dont think of him.I grew up with Ken from a very young age right through high school.I have alot of great memories of the years in Pownal. After high school we didnt see one another for a while but we got connected again and it didnt take long to resume the friendship that we had.I enjoyed helping him build his new house and looking back I wished I had more time to spend with him but life pulls us in so many directions its hard to do everything we want to do.This time of year snowmobiling was something we both enjoyed doing from riding to repairing and the best of all just hanging out.He is greatly missed by me and all his friends.Thank you Ken for all the memories.    Your friend  Greg