Ken Stock
STOCK, Ken, 93, PRINCETON, PRESQUE ISLE and WATERVILLE, March 31, 2011. At Ken’s request, there will be no viewing or formal service. A memorial moment will be held at noon, on July 30, 2011 by family & friends. Arrangements in care of Dan & Scott’s Cremation & Funeral Service, Skowhegan.
Surrounded by family, Ken Stock, 93 years old, crossed life’s finish line on Thursday, March 31, 2011. Ken began his race on September 3, 1917, in Richmond Hill, New York, the second of Charles and Fannie’s two sons.
His first job was at a golf course where he once caddied for Babe Ruth. Thus began his life long love of golf. He next worked as an elevator operator and runner on Wall Street. After completing two years of college at Pratt and Whitney in Brooklyn, he married Myrtle A. Finn on April 7, 1940, and began his life long quest to win at cribbage for the next 70+ years. (They tied the day before he left, leaving them even but short of their 71st Wedding Anniversary).
By the time World War II broke out, he was working as a machinist at one of the largest shipyards on Staten Island. Ken and Myrtle later moved to Morgan beach where in 1950, they lost their home to a flood. He always remembered wading in waist high water to help evacuate his neighbors. This horrible event turned their lives in a new direction. They moved into a new house around the corner from Myrtle’s sister, Bernice, and Ken began his career at National Lead Company.
Each summer, the family traveled to Maine to visit Myrtle’s relatives in Princeton. Ken loved the beauty of nature he found there. In 1958, with four kids, a wife, a dog and a Hudson, he took a huge leap of faith to leave behind a manager’s position, a beautiful home and a life style he was sure would kill him to come to Maine, “The Way Life Should Be”. He started out small buying a building and selling candy which progressed into coffee and doughnuts and finally bloomed into Stock’s Luncheonette. Through the years, Ken and Myrtle were there to help Princeton’s high school teams celebrate basketball victories with milkshakes, lend a listening ear to heartbroken teenagers and to serve coffee and doughnuts to hard working woodsmen. Ken supplemented income with guiding and scaling wood. He loved living in Princeton. The store eventually evolved into Chainsaw repair and fishing equipment.
Without a doubt, Ken’s years in Princeton were his favorite years. In 1986, Ken and Myrtle moved with mother-in-law, Ella, to Presque Isle, to be near their eldest son and only granddaughter, Veronica. Ken commuted between Princeton and Presque Isle until he sold the store and they moved to Waterville. They eventually moved in with their daughter, and there is where Ken spent his remaining 12 years.
One of his joys during those years was going along with his daughter to The Salvation Army to “crank” the change donated during the Christmas season. He looked forward to it every year but particularly enjoyed his years counting with Captain Bill. It was Captain Bill who led Ken and Myrtle in their renewed vows for their 70th Anniversary. The family will be forever grateful for such a beautiful ceremony.
At 80++ years, Ken held the honor and workload of being the man of the house, mowing lawns, repairing things, and cleaning the pool right up to his 90’s. He was invaluable. When he wasn’t working, he was enjoying the Red Sox and golf. Ken was a gentle, kind, unpretentious man who never met a person who didn’t like him.
He was predeceased by his brother, Harold Stock; and Ken’s youngest son, Ronald.
He is survived by his wife, of 70+ years, Myrtle; his son, Kenneth “Charlie” Stock and wife, Cynthia; his son, Richard W. Stock and sons, Devin, estranged April and Brian; his daughter, Carolyn and her sons, Kyle and Brooks and wife, Victoria, and Ronald’s daughter, Veronica Collins and husband, Dan. He was GG Pop to Chaz, Danika, Rylee, Logan, Cameron, Dylan and Christopher. Uncle Kenny particularly loved his 16 nieces and nephews, all who showed him great love and respect. He wanted to let Maureen and Dennis know how grateful he was for all they did for him recently.
At Ken’s request, there will be no viewing or formal service. A memorial moment will be held at 12 noon, on July 30, by family and friends at his nephew’s Dennis’ yearly get together. In Ken’s memory … please take a moment to appreciate all you have, get up early and watch a sunrise (one of his favorite things), smell your new mowed grass, have a beer and thank God He made men like Ken. Arrangements under the care and direction of Dan & Scott’s Cremation & Funeral Service, 445 Waterville Road, Skowhegan.
