Ken's Memorial Weekend in Charlotte

We met Ryan n family in Charlotte (for Ken's Memorial Service that was Sunday, Oct. 15) at the Reedy Creek Park and Nature Center for a picnic.  We spent the afternoon there hiking.  Claire found beaver evidence on this tree on our walk.

Can you imagine how scared that little toad must have been! He survived and happily hopped out of Easton's hand and skeedaddled.

Surrounded by bears!

I love this picture that Carrie took - Easton recently turned 3!

Before our picnic supper, we played this animal game with Claire.

My sweet Claire

After enjoying a visit to the nature center, we went to the play area out behind it - how cool!

You shoulda' heard the music they made!

This was my favorite "instrument"

Ta dah!

"Look how tall you are - taller than Grandma!"

Sunday morning at the Sharon church in Charlotte at Ken's memorial.  Carrie was running around helping and taking pictures so unfortunately I didn't manage to get a complete family picture.

The program for the service was so well done, with details about the significance of music and participants included.  Jaclyn and Stephanie did amazingly well at their part "Defining Dad."  

The Postlude was a video of Ken playing his impressive improvisation of "Shall we Gather at the River" at SVA's recent Alumni Weekend.  It felt like he was in the room at the organ and was very moving and so sad yet full of hope.

These next four pictures I found and scanned for them that they included in the slide show during the service.

This was in Oshawa one cold winter day in 1992 that we took a hike together at the GM nature trail.

Preparing to strike out on our trip together to Lake James in NC, July of 2000

Thanksgiving weekend together at Highland - 2012

Ken's personal items that could be found at his desk at home were displayed on this desk at the front of the church.

His recent reading list was displayed on this table in the foyer, along with the digital photo frame cycling through pictures used in the "Family Photo Album"

Ken's sister Lori looking at the pictures on display.  Ken's academy football letter and a jacket were also included.

Cades Cove and Dollywood Fun

On Thurs., Sept. 28, we drove to Cades Cove Campground and camped five nights.  It was so much fun seeing so many bears - 9 in all, on this trip.

Mama bear and her two cubs - we watched them for about 30 minutes along the road from our van when driving around Cades Cove.

She strolled down the road quite a ways too.

Randy's new trailer. . .

This mama bear had 3 cubs, but they were hard to get pictures of since it was so wooded where we spotted them.

When I reserved our site, it was the ONLY one left that we could get, just the day before we were leaving, and we LOVED it.  A corner site in loop C where generators are NOT allowed.

Friday Ruthie n Milt joined us at Dollywood's Gospel & Harvest Celebration.  We heard the Collingsworth Family for our first time, and for sure not our LAST time.  We heard all three of their programs that day and brought home 4 CD's!  I guess you could say we're hooked.

Carrie made us this sign for Christmas - so cool!

Randy's Drive-way Job Continues

Just starting the sealer job on the semicircle in front of our house, in the cool of the morning around 8 a.m.

Progress, still in the shade

So much for the shade and cool. . . it got up to 90 degrees on this hot early October day.  He got two coats on, after working on it for 11 hours.  He was one whipped puppy that night. What a great job he did!  Only problem was he used up all the sealer he had bought, thinking it would spread over the entire driveway.  He has about 1/3 of it done. . . and now the weather is too cool at night for it to cure.  So it will be continued next spring probably.

How we'll miss Ken

June 25, 2017 

  

at Stephanie's wedding, June of 2013

The shocking news that we got on Monday when we were camping at Cades Cove of Ken’s death was and still is unbelievable.  The last time he and Renee were here in June he seemed to be feeling A-ok as far as we knew, and we had our usual great conversation and laughs together.  We had not heard that he wasn’t feeling well.  How can he be gone?!  It’s too incredibly sad.  

at Jaclyn's wedding in June of 2008

I can’t begin to understand how Renee is feeling.  Or Jaclyn or Stephanie.

Stephanie's June of 2013 wedding

Ken was there for me with words of encouragement when I lost my teaching job at CA 3 years ago.  I remember him telling me not to take it personally.

What a treat it was to hear him play the organ and piano –he was such a gifted musician.  Worships here when he and Renee came to visit were the best.

His photographs were top notch, like his "adequate" camera equipment.  One that he took and sent me I will always cherish was of me holding Easton asleep in my lap in Ken's chair in his living room.

We had so many great times together as families as our children grew up from the time our little girls were toddlers – camping and boating . . .

Camping together at Presqu'ile Provincial Park in Ontario in September of 1991.




at Lake James, July 2000


Ryan, Amy, Jaclyn and Stephanie all skiing behind Ken's boat, with us shooting pictures in ours.

We had both of our boats at Lake James - what fun it was!

Jumping off the rope swing at Lake James

holidays, birthdays, and even a beach vacation . . .

Thanksgiving at Stephanie's apartment at Highland Academy, 2012

Ken's picture of the gathering at our house around Thanksgiving in 2010

Celebrating Ken's birthday together on June 8, 1991 in Oshawa.

Happy 4th birthday, Amelia!

Outer Banks vacation together in June of 2002

game nights (he especially loved to play Sorry and was wicked at it!) . . . 

He even tolerated Settlers sessions!

Stephanie must have gotten a great video of this!

church functions, spaghetti dinners and walks together. . .

January of 1992 in Oshawa, when we went to hike the nature trail at the GM plant.

in Charleston, SC, March of 1992

When we visited them at their new home in Summerville, SC in March of 1992 soon after they'd left us behind in Oshawa.

Boating with them at Nosoca Pines Ranch when Ryan and Carrie and Stephanie worked there the summer of 2006.

at their home in Raleigh, NC

Those gatherings and good times have continued through the recent years sharing big events and milestones . . .

Jaclyn's SAU graduation in Dec. 2003

 – most recently he and Renee were here in May for Randy’s surprise retirement party.  It won’t be the same without him.  But we'll hold his memory close as we continue spending time with Renee and Jaclyn and Stephanie, because we have become like family and can't imagine life without them.

Ken greeting Randy at his surprise retirement party in May, 2017

He used some words often that will always make me think of him with a smile – Used often in his prayers with us - "front lines" and  "no more good-byes."  Others are “adequate”  Boca  "Bubba”  “Bertha”  "Company Man"  “Mercy!”  Amelia (his name for Amy) and RUTH!  I loved his sense of humor and enthusiasm.

"Amelia" n Stephanie on Amy's 4th birthday

My heart aches for Renee, Jaclyn and Stephanie.   In Phil 4:7 Paul says "And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus."  I am claiming that promise for them.

He was a real family man who deeply loved his three girls. This was just before they moved away from Bowmanville, ON

Ken was truly a "Grand Dad" and loved  his grandsons, Jackson and Jordan.  He cherished any time he could share with his entire family (picture borrowed from Renee's current FB cover photo).

We can’t wait to see Ken again when Jesus comes soon to take us to heaven. We know our lives do not end here but we have eternity to look forward to.  1 John 2:17 says "And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof:  but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever."  Ken was all about doing His Father's will - all of the time.  It's wonderful to know that we WILL see him again.