Santa Cruz, CA
Here's a remembrance for Ken Stewart, a long-time State Farm agent here in the Santa Cruz area and also a district manager here and in Southern California.
....
Ken Stewart passed away at his Soquel home on December 17, 2011 with his children by his side.
He was born in Quapaw, Oklahoma, on October 4, 1928 and raised in Monterey, where he attended local schools, graduating from Monterey High in 1947. He moved his family to Capitola in 1952 where he was a Deacon with the First Baptist Church of Capitola and served on that city's Planning Commission.
He was an accomplished magician and stand-up comedian and very proud of his membership in the Pacific Coast Association of Magicians and the Magic Castle in Hollywood. He was a member of Sons in Retirement and Past President of East Santa Cruz Lions, Santa Cruz Host Lions and a chapter in Southern California.
Two of his proudest achievements was being licensed as a private pilot and purchasing a Piper Cherokee.
An avid Giants fan, he was a season ticket holder for over 30 years. In his younger years he was a regular at the old Capitola and Surf Bowls. Ken logged three "aces" during his golfing days and belonged to both Pasatiempo and DeLaveaga Golf Courses.
Ken was associated for 45 years with State Farm Insurance as an Agent and Agency Manager in Santa Cruz, and later as an Agency Director in Southern California.
He returned to Santa Cruz upon his retirement in 1995. He was very devoted to his faith and was most recently a member of Twin Lakes Church in Aptos.
He is survived by his daughter Janice (Tom) McKinney of Corral de Tierra, and three sons, Dave (Mary) Stewart of Capitola, Mike Stewart of Soquel and Kenny Stewart of Live Oak, and two brothers; Ron (Margie) Stewart and Jim (Pam) Stewart of Monterey. He also leaves six grandsons; Ken Kimball, Matt (Natalie) McKinney, Phil Stewart, Stephen Stewart, Casey Stewart and Dylan Stewart.
The memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. on Saturday, January 7, 2012, at Twin Lakes Church, 2701 Cabrillo College Drive, Aptos, CA.
Ken was laid to rest in a private ceremony on Wednesday [December 21], beside his beloved wife Geri, who preceded him in death in 2000.
The family asks that remembrances be made in Ken's memory to the charity of your choice .
To light a candle for Ken and share your thoughts with the family, please visit www.pacificgardenschapel.com.
....
If I have a chance to speak at Ken's memorial, here's what I intend to say. [N.B. There was a plethora of speakers and I did not have a chance to speak to those at the Ken's Memorial. But I did meet a couple of people who may e-mail their recollections to me; if so, will include their remembrances below.]
I had known Ken from the time he moved his family around the Monterey Bay from the Seaside/Monterey area to the Soquel/Santa Cruz area. And when he arrived, he was nearly as thin as I am now. The reason? His appendix had burst and, if he had not been hustled to a Monterey County hospital, we wouldn't be here today.
He was the only non-family member we asked to speak at my late father's services in December 2005. Ken was thankful that my father shared his office with two newbies: him and the late Carl Lund. They had one rotary-dial phone with a long extension cord and moved the phone from desk-to-desk.
When Ken learned I was interested in bowling, we started bowling practice games together -- first at the former Capitola Bowl and later at the newly-built Surf Bowl (now the Boardwalk Bowl).
And since I was interested in magic he often took me and my sister Jane to the Monterey Bay Saahareen. I was at the meeting where Edwin Brush announced his retirement and gave all of those present part of his magazines, books, and paraphernalia. [Coincidentally, while searching for some headstones in the El Carmelo Cemetery in Pacific Grove, I stumbled across Edwin's grave; his headstone said, "Evangelist with Purposeful Magic."]
Ken also liked practical jokes -- as long as they were done for laughs and not to injure someone physically or financially. My father was a member of the Optimist Club, which for years had a Christmas tree lot on Soquel Ave. The Santa Cruz Host Lions had a lot just across the street. Once, out of view of my father, Ken told a fellow to go across the street and look at the Optimist trees -- and "I'll come over and steal you from Bob."
As my father was showing the prospect some trees, Ken came over and told the fellow, "We have batter trees across the street," and he grabbed the fellow by the arm and led him across the street. But my dad didn't react very much.
Ken later asked, "Bob, do you remember when I stole one of your clients from the Optimist Christmas Tree Lot; didn't that bother you? My father replied, "No -- they're both worthy causes."
Ken's response, at least at my father's services, "You take all the fun out of doing things." In other words, you didn't take the bait.
My guess as to Ken's advice to practical jokers is to keep trying, for eventually a mark (or mullet) will take not only the bait, but the hook, line, and sinker as well.
Lastly, Ken was a positive thinker -- even when his bowling team was losing.
--
Links:
- Monterey Peninsula Herald Remembrance with photo
W 4 Jan Actual Route: Pinto Lake - Santa Cruz - Hitching Post Motel
Th 5 Jan Actual Route: Hitching Post Motel - Campbell - MLK Branch Lib (SJ) - Campbell - Santa Cruz
F 6 Jan Actual Route: Santa Cruz - Pinto Lake
Sa 7 Jan Actual Route: Pinto Lake - Twin Lakes Church - Santa Cruz
Su 8 Jan Actual Route: Santa Cruz - Freedom - Pinto Lake
M 9 Jan Actual Route: Pinto Lake - Aptos - Santa Cruz - Pinto Lake
T 10 Jan Actual Route: Pinto Lake - Pacific Grove - Salinas - Soledad
W 11 Jan Actual Route: Soledad - Soledad Cemetery - Soledad Mission -
Th 12 Jan Actual Route: Greenfield - Soledad - Spreckles - Seaside - Corral de Tierra
F 13 Jan Actual Route: Corral de Tierra - Seaside - Monterey - Ft Ord - Pinto Lake
Sa 14 Jan Actual Route: Pinto Lake - Aptos - Santa Cruz
Su 15 Jan Actual Route: Santa Cruz - Freedom - Pinto Lake
M 16 Jan Actual Route: Pinto Lake - Santa Cruz - Pinto Lake
T 17 Jan Actual Route: Pinto Lake - Marina - Salinas - Soledad
W 18 Jan Actual Route: Soledad - King City - San Ardo - San Miguel
Th 19 Jan Actual Route: San Miguel - Paso Robles - Morro Bay
F 20 Jan Route: Morro Bay - Arroyo Grande
Finding Campgrounds:
- RV Campgrounds from TrailerLifeDirectory.com
- Family Camping Directories from Woodalls.com
No comments:
Post a Comment