Kenneth F. Morman

Hello Neil: You and I have met only once, briefly just after your mother died, Your father and I have been "lunch buddies" for many years and I had driven up to your father's place up North to go out to lunch with him that day. But on arrival I heard the sad news that your mother, Kate had just passed away. We met as you and your dad were getting into the car to go on errands connected with your mom's funeral arrangements. I had driven up to keep my lunch date with Ken, not knowing that your mom had just died . Your dad and I met about 15 years ago at meetings of a quality management group we were both members of. We found out that we both had learned much from Dr. W. Edwards Deming, who was a consultant to Nashua Corp and a major professional influence on your dad and on me. Your dad and I used to meet for lunch at the India Palace in Nashua on Amherst Road. We had many enjoyable lunch meetings to discuss whatever was of interest at the time, including the statistics of baseball, his studies at GMI and his later studies at the U of Michigan (I too had worked in engineering at GM Turnstedt and GM Assembly Division when I was a young engineer), and I believe your dad mentioned that he had worked at GM's Electro-Motive Division which sent him to GMI) I am not sure if GM was involved in his graduate studies at Michigan, of which he was a very proud alumus. With our GM experience in common we enjoyed discussing mathematical statistics in quality management. as well as tales about various cruises to Alaska and down the Atlantic Coastal Waterway which your father and mother had taken.. On the rainy day I met you and your father, we had previously agreed to discuss a chapter on Dr. Deming for a textbook I was writing and wanted him to critique. I left a draft of the chapter under the seat of his walker/chair. I will miss your father and our lunches together very much. Please accept my sincere condolences at your father's death. PS: Your father showed me a file folder of personal correspondence between himself and Dr. Deming which he brought with him to our very first lunch long ago. He was very proud of the correspondence which he took me through page by page. I believe the letters dated from when Dr. Deming worked with Nashua Corp and afterward. Deming mentioned his work with Nashua Corp in his Book, Out of the Crisis. I remember your dad mentioning that subsequently he had taken a public short course directly from Dr. Deming and some of the letters may have been connected with that course. A Google search on the Internet turned up a Deming Literature Collection at the Library of Congress. They may have an interest in adding some or all of your dad's correspondence with Dr. Deming to their collection or if not, they may be able to direct you to a collection ( perhaps MIT) that could preserve them for future scholarly research. Just a thought in memory of your father and his great interest in quality management at Nashua Corp. Again, please accept my very sincere condolences at your father's passing. It is very sad indeed..

Hi Neal and Hali, Kindly accept our sincerest regards concerning the passing of your dad. Ken and I had the priviledge of working together for twelve and a-half years at Nashua Corp. We started at the same time (Oct 1969) and truly had an exceptional run of professional and personnel experinces. Not only did Ken tutor me over the years for which I'm very greatful but, we had the additional priviledge of co-owning a Falcon sailboat together. That lead to many group and family outings usually at Lake Sunapee remembered by Jerri and I as really awsome times. Some where in that time zone Ken & Kate acquired a catermaran (a Felix) another fun water toy. Then one year Ken and Kate went to the Boston Boat Show just to check it out.....they came home having acquired a Hobie Cat, still another fun water toy just, bigger, better ,faster and prettier. I think most folks knew that Ken was a tennis player (a very good one at that) but, does anyone know of him ever losing at ping pong on the third floor of the tech center? Neal and Hali, Ken and Kate surely set a wonderful example for you two to aim for may you be blessed with all the love and success they would want for you. Blesings, Don & Jerri Dempster

As Ken and Kate’s nephew, living far away and seeing them seldom, I am incredibly grateful to have them as my aunt and uncle and to have felt so close for a lifetime. They were dear to me, kind and patient, so loving. When Ken met Kate, I was only 5 and I remember being in awe of this young couple, in part because my mom and grandparents spoke highly of Kate, and of course I idolized my uncle. They were bigger than life to me! The imagery that Neal created of their wedding portraits recently–Ken & Kate so young and vital--flooded me with those memories. I mist up when I realize what a gift Ken and Kate’s love has been in my life. A cool thing I learned about Uncle Ken From our phone conversations is that he had a soft spot in his heart for his former classmates over the eons – he and Kate drove to Chicago in the Fall of 2014 to his 60th high school reunion, and to Ann Arbor, MI for his U of M 50th class reunion (his Physics degree), after making it to Champaign, IL for his 50-yr class reunion in 2010 (MSEE degree). He had also brought Marie Morman to his 1874-era grade school 50-yr class reunion in 2000, rendezvousing with his childhood friends Jim Parks and sister Madge, and visiting the old neighborhood at 53rd & Marshfield where his mom was born and my mom lived as a toddler. Noteworthy that the nearby Sherman Park Lagoon is where Marie and Frank Morman first met, ice skating. Another cool thing was Ken’s keen sense of humor, particularly toward razzing other respected men—i.e., razzing as a way of showing affection. Telling me this story, Ken was literally BRIMMING with pride and laughter. It had to do with his brother-in-law, Ned (sorry, Uncle Ned, but I know you have broad shoulders). Turns out Ned forgot where he parked his car one time in Lowell, and ended up reporting it as a stolen vehicle to the police. Then, sure enough, the car turned out to be right where Ned had parked it. Well, Ken relished the thought of leveraging this insider information. He planned this conversation for weeks: Ken asked Ned, “Gee, I wonder what it's like in the Lowell police station jail cells?” Ned said, “I don't know, never been arrested.” To which Ken slyly retorted, “Not even for false reporting of a stolen vehicle?” Oh, man. Ned said, “You really know how to hurt a guy!” Poor Ned had to endure another rendition of this when I was on the phone with Uncle Ken in Jan 2019—he wanted to tie Ned in on a 3-way, and during the ensuing conversation I tee’d up that story by asking Ned if he’d ever been to Lowell. Anyway, I know Ken came by this particular sense of humor honestly, as I recall Frank Morman recounting his masterful roast of a retiring Cotter & Co. colleague. Ken and Kate experiences like the following mean the world to us. My mom and I rendezvoused at the Manchester, NH airport in Dec 2017 and drove to their place at Bedford Falls in pleasant weather (unusual for Dec), and the four of us had a very close and connected visit. Especially meaningful about this visit is that we suspected, correctly, that this would be the last time Mom, Ken and Kate would be able to see each other. While there Ken and I went out on a shopping spree that netted them a nice new big screen TV for the living room wall, something they were tickled about thereafter. A cherished experience with Uncle Ken and Cousin Neal was the fulfilling celebration of Aunt Kate’s life at her funeral service and reception in Nov 2019. Neal did a great job being there for his dad and planning all the arrangements while facing the loss of his mom. It was heartwarming to experience the “signs” that Aunt Kate was still with us in spirit, and share them with Ken and Neal: 1. When I first arrived in Boston, walking through the Boston-Logan airport, everyone seemed to regard me as if I had an angel sitting on my shoulder! People caught my eye and smiled and greeted me warmly – the check-in kiosk attendant, the Alamo rental car agent, an airport custodian, the young man at the Burger King counter, other passers-by… when does that ever happen? 2. On a 15-min shuttle drive btwn the airport and hotel, another passenger (a Delta flight attendant) and I were drawn into an unusually deep conversation about life, and in so doing we both lost our cell phones; but due to a fluky sequence of events and helpful people, we both got them back within a half hour (cab rides chasing the shuttle, etc.), and prevented the flight attendant from missing her flight. 3. In preparation for the wake and funeral Neal and I took wheelchair-bound Uncle Ken to buy a blazer to wear to the services, and we were able to find a perfect-fitting coat off-the-rack, first item tried on, in 15 min. New world record, and he looked terrific! Had to be Kate at the helm. Uncle Ken and Aunt Kate’s lives were surrounded by goodness and love -- meeting Kate’s extended family and friends at her funeral and hearing the heartfelt eulogies really gave me a sense of this. Ken faced his loss of Kate with pragmatism, even though his sorrow was overwhelming, and it gave us a chance to bond on a deeper level. He showed wisdom and strength by dwelling more in gratitude for the gift of Kate, and looking forward to reuniting again. So it is truly joyful now to fathom Ken and Kate each being “whole” again and together, one with God. How nice to imagine being greeted by such a loving, accepting couple, when it’s our time!

I was always so proud of my Uncle Ken and not just because he led the way for a whole pack of us to the University of Illinois. He was a kind, decent, caring and brilliant man. We were both extremely lucky to have a big sister 10 years older that doted over us. Neal, I am so sorry for your loss and wish you and Hali all the best.

When I was born, Mom asked Uncle Ken to be my godfather, and what a special one he was. As a tween-ager, I had a pony crush him because he was so handsome. While I tried to be cool, it was pretty obvious! But Uncle Ken was always kind and gentle with me; he never laughed at me or teased me. When Uncle Ken met Aunt Kate, he brought her to our home to introduce us. I immediately fell in love with Aunt Kate, too. She even let me be her "pen pal," always answering my letters on lovely stationery. Uncle Ken and Aunt Kate were a perfect match and it's comforting to picture them together again for always.

Dave and I met Ken and Kathy when we joined the Michigan Club of NH in about 1980. They were family to us immediately. They always talked proudly about their son in California who made movies. They both acted like God parents to my son Michael. We went to lectures, concerts, picnics, college fairs alumni meetings, football games etc with them. I have lots of pictures of them at events if you want me to email them to you Neal. My sister (Sr. Peg O’Shea, IHM) spoke to our M Club about her Catholic Missions in South Africa and Ken and Kathy were quite taken up about her Zulu catholic preschool. My sister went to Michigan and said that when Notre Dame wouldn’t take women, the Nuns went to Michigan for their masters and doctorates. My sister is having a Mass for them both this month in Kwa Zulu Natal South Africa. Our lives were enriched by knowing Ken and Kathy. We love you both. Cathy and Dave Gruette

i so appreciate all the memories and thoughts about my dad posted here! my aunt dolores wrote the most amazing piece. she asked me to cut it down for size; it was too perfect to cut, though, so it's here in its entirety. she's concerned that her sister jean is at a place now where it's just impossible to write something for herself. she's been talking to jean, though, and this is what she had to say... 'Jean remembers that she was thrilled to have a baby brother, and that he was the cutest little kid, very smart, and people enjoyed him. Once she made an icosahedron at school and brought it home to show us. He reached out to touch it but quickly retracted the hand and asked “Does it bite?” He was only 7 when she entered the convent, so she missed even more of his young years than I did. Probably doesn’t recall their disagreements on politics, and that’s a good thing.' i have to laugh about that last line. my aunt jean and i found out that we agreed about almost everything by accident about 10 years ago. we had never spent that much time alone together, just the two of us. it became clear on that cool, overcast day at the beach that we see issues regarding politics, religion, and even life in general in a very similar way. we walked for hours down on the venice beach boardwalk, killing time before she went on to new zealand to visit friends. i'll never forget that day, and it's painful to know that she needs help to get her thoughts out here now. jean, dolores and i all visited mom & dad in the summer of 2017. it took the force of his two older sisters to convince him it was time to say goodbye to 7 juniper lane in nashua, NH. i never could have convinced him myself. he was a rock, made of the minerals found in the granite state. he always covered over the saying he hated on his NH license plates: 'live free or die.' his favorite saying to me as a kid was nothin' doin'! to their credit, my folks were well aware of the pitfalls of spoiling an only child. thankfully, i was spared that fate with the ponderous weight of religious belief. as i grew older, dad and i sparred endlessly over everything from predatory 'healthcare' to the destruction of life on planet earth for profit. as a result, my debating skills were well honed - thanks, dad! each year, he'd 'hide' my annual circular from my mom. of course, she wasn't 'allowed' to go on the email by herself (it was complicated). dad would say he just hadn't 'gotten around' to showing my work to her. eventually, i started printing them out and sending them to mom as a book! to help illustrate these debates i'd have with my father, i'd say he was coming from the intellectual stance of the manchester union leader and the NRA, while my worldview was more informed by the words of howard zinn, henry david thoreau and noam chomsky. i sometimes felt a bit trapped growing up in that little NH home, but the oppression i felt as a kid eventually led to my outspoken nature today. dad wasn't a tyrant, he was a very serious and responsible man. he both presented and maintained the image of the ultimate logical man, never making a misstep. i wonder if seeing him as 'just human' would have been a positive thing. probably, but my folks had a relationship that was pure and true. they played their rolls perfectly. catholic marriages were heavily structured by dogma and patriarchy. it worked for them - they were living out their beliefs. my dad was the head. my mom was the heart. together they made a beautiful, loving couple. my dad knew well how fortunate he was to have found such a gentle, loving spirit as my mom. he was a wonderful husband to her in so many ways. the two of them always listened to each other. they gave me the model to strive for as i travel through life with my hali - she has my mom's heart and my love for her transcends time and space. thanks mom and dad, you lovebirds helped draw for me a map to help navigate my life! my aunt dolores also wrote, 'Neal, I’m sure you will write about all your dad’s accomplishments, and the classes he taught on ISO-9000 and weather. I don’t know enough about them and hope you do.' my aunt dee is such a beautiful soul, i'm lucky that she moved to carlsbad so i can visit. i agree about most things in life with her, too, and it's great to get her perspective. as hard as this all is, she knows how much her little brother loved and cared for her. she'd like the folks here to know what a math & science genius ken was - and it's true! he was a complex problem solver, and that's mandatory when you're in charge of quality control for circuit boards and other nearly microscopic devices. he was not only ISO-9000 certified, he taught the classes! he also taught weather and navigation at the 'power squadron.' he was sought out as a teacher because he had the ability to break down complex material and explain it well. he had a masters in physics from michigan. he almost got a doctorate, but he felt that being an academic was not for him. he wanted to be in the world, doing battle with real life engineering conundrums and challenges. he would have made an amazing professor, though, had he gone that route. as a natural and pure math dummy, i'm sure i was a painful disappointment for him. i'll never forget this one conversation we had in the basement one evening, though. he told me that as a young man, he had sought an education that matched his interests. after school, he sought out a location that would suit his job skills. he moved to the high tech northeast. i studied film and moved to hollywood - that was partly because of that conversation! i found something interesting and moved to where they do it. thanks, dad, that really freed me. dad and i connected most over animals, though. when mom and i returned from the mall with gerbils one day, there was absolutely no joy in mudville - at first. soon, that serious 'old man in the mountains' look melted, and gerbils were running back and forth down his arms. when i was 10 we got our first cat, tigger. we all loved tigger so much; my dad had actually fully opened his heart to illogical animals. tigger was like a brother to me. he liked to chase the neighbor's poodle, and would smack it on the ass as it ran away! he was a big tough cat. i'm thankful that the magical innocence of animals brought dad and me closer together. years later, when i sent the folks the stray kitten 'dylan' as a present, it was a total home run. the big white coon cat was now their only child, and he'd ride downstairs on dad's shoulder every morning. you could see the love in dylan's eyes after dad made a climbing/scratching post with a landing near the ceiling for him. we all loved dylan; he'd headbutt my childhood bedroom door in the morning when i'd visit to get me up, jet lag or not! i think the happiest i ever saw my dad was at our wedding in 2002, both my folks were aglow on that beautiful day under coastal oaks near santa barbara. another outstanding day, the kind of day that echoes through eternity, is the 50th wedding anniversary party at ned & terry's. hali and i took a red-eye from LAX. we had snuck into the house down on the cape before they woke up & came downstairs for breakfast. mom came down first. there's hali, me, uncle ned & aunt terry sitting there at the table, and we're all like, what? mom's shock at this impossible tableau froze her in place for at least a full minute. she made not a move. she made no sound, either, as the shock was so gripping. of course the next surprise was the following day: a full on party in the backyard with many family and friends gathered to celebrate their love and wonderful marriage. i'm so thankful to ned & terry for that day! following through for my folks as the years passed, i stayed back east for a month in 2016 with my amazing friend and brother, dave. he has been such a great help with my needs over the years, and his dog chester, too. i love them both! the folks had met chester, but were in rough shape now: dad got pneumonia, then a few days later mom was diagnosed with congestive heart failure. so began the final chapter of the book of ken & kate, and it was my pleasure and honor to be there for them in whatever ways i could. bedford falls was a wonderful place for them to land, and i know they were well cared for right up to the last moment. after mom passed, dad and i had some super depressing conversations. over time, though, we decided that all the wonderful memories we have of mom, newfound lake, the tall pines of 7 juniper, and all the beautiful things were our treasure trove now. i'd call him on saturday mornings, and i would let him talk until he finally ended the call. our record was 1 hour 46 minutes. i'd ride my road cycle out the expo bike path until i was half way downtown, sharing memories and visions of a new, fresh dimension we could all inhabit together on the 'other side.' at the end it was just the two of us, separated by 3,000 miles and a pandemic eating this country alive for no other reason than the current president is a 'businessman.' the upside of that situation - we finally agreed on something political! thanks are in order to the don, i suppose, for exposing the GOP for what it's always been, in my view - profit driven & completely heartless. if you'd like to debate me on that point, i'm ready! thanks again, dad. i love you, man : )

When Ken was born, we were all ecstatic. Dad sent a telegram to Uncle Felix and Aunt Marge in California: “Rhythm outstanding success; it’s a boy.” That little 6 pound boy was a dream come true. Once when he was just a baby, Mom let me take him to school to show the kids that he was real. Well, that was a grand experience! To me, he was a real live doll at first and then he grew to become a pal to play games with and go bike riding. We rode to 75th Street beach every Saturday morning as soon as he was old enough. The 10-year age difference didn’t matter, because it was fun to be with Ken. And he was such a handsome boy. He was Dad’s little helper. There’s a photo in our album of this cute little kid “helping” his father shovel a huge load of coal from the street to a window in the basement, with a little tiny shovel. There were a few smudges on his little overalls. He and little Jim Parks were the same age and were great pals when they were young. His best friend at Mt. Carmel High School was Dan Vandercar. He and Kate drove to visit Dan and his wife as part of their trip when their grand-nephew Jeff was married. After the war, when you could buy gas again, we drove to Wisconsin to visit Uncle George and Aunt Anne and their boys, and then on to Niagara Falls and Canada. He was 9 then and loved the walk in back of the waterfall. I don’t remember how old he was when he went to visit his Wisconsin cousins but do recall that he enjoyed it and learned a great deal. He wrote home once; his closing line was “This afternoon I watched a cow being bred; it was very interesting.” The thought had never occurred to me, so it was a bit of a shock to read this from my little brother. When Ken was 11 or 12, Mom and Dad decided to drive to California and see the sights on the way. In San Francisco we went to a seafood restaurant, and Ken ordered swordfish. He asked the waiter if he could have the sword, but the server replied calmly that he was very sorry, sir, but these fish are dangerous and must be disarmed as soon as they’re caught. He was 11 when I became engaged. He immediately told the neighbors the big news and capped it with “I’m gonna be an uncle!” Most embarrassing. Four years later, age 15, he did become an uncle, and I’m still laughing at his angst when I asked him to hold my Laurel. He was terrified. Mom offered to take care of her while Ken and I went to see “My Uncle” at a local theater. We laughed ourselves silly at the movie and then wanted a coke from the machine in the lobby. I had no change, only a nickel, and coke was ten cents; we put the nickel in, and the machine filled the cup half full. I can still remember the two of us cracking up over that. Kate was welcomed into our family with open arms; we couldn’t have designed a more fitting and wonderful girl for him. Laurel was in 8th grade and went with us to the wedding. Kate was a beautiful bride, and a wonderful friend for me. Many’s the hour we spent on the phone, chatting, while Ken listened patiently on the other phone without having a chance to get a word in edgewise. Then after Dad died, I went with Mom to Nashua for her annual October visit, and loved being with them. One summer Kate and Ken invited me to spend a week with them at Lake Winnepesaukee. Ken took me sailing in his catamaran, a wonderfully blissful experience. All you could hear was the sound of the wind in the sails, and then when Ken called out “Tack,” I’d move to the other side. When I married Ed in 1995 and moved to Massachusetts, I came pretty close to fulfilling my wish ”to live next door to Kate and Ken.” I loved the house on Juniper Lane, and still remember that phone number well. Ken and my husband Eddie were kindred spirits, so we had 14 years of good times together until Eddie’s illness. All four of us enjoyed the barbershop quartet concerts near their home, and they drove down to meet us many Sundays to hear the Longwood Opera performances in local churches. Oftentimes we’d just meet for dinner and conversation, and they always came to Scituate for Christmas and New Year’s Eve. In 2009 when Ed was so ill, I had a stroke and spent over 2 weeks at Brigham Rehab. Kate and Ken drove 80 miles to visit me every single week end, the whole time I was there. That’s heroic. That’s my brother. God rest him. It’s good to think of Ken and Kate together again.

I met Ken only once - in Ann Arbor. My three roommates and I traveled across the country in 1962 from Boston to California. We four were nurses. Janet Sullivan, Teresa Mannix, Joan Arsenault and Kathy Gallagher . We settled in San Francisco and continued our nursing careers. Kathy was with us only on a temporary stay. Kathy was really waiting for the day she would rejoin Ken in Massachusetts. Janet always said that Kathy was so in love with Ken. Ken played an important role in our life because his friend John Jensen had also arrived in San.Francisco. Ken was aware that Kathy had some good looking nurses living there. John came to visit, met Janet and fell in love. It was an easy fit for Janet to be impressed with John. He was the proud owner of a 1962 Blue Porsche convertible. Because of Ken and Kathy, Janet and John were married in 1965. they have three beautiful daughters and two lovely granddaughters. All due to Ken who was smart enough to steer John in the right direction. Peace and love to Kathy and Ken.

Neal, It has been a long time since we have had an opportunity to visit with you and your Mother & Father. So sorry to hear you have lost both in such a short period of time. Ken and I were youngsters together (I was 4 to 5 years older). i remember very clearly enjoying the times we could be together. I have always regretted that events created a great geographical distance between us, but my good memories have not been separated or lost. Ken was always thought of him as a bright, pleasant young man and cousin. God bless you and your parents.

Neal, Once again, our condolences and gratitude for your keeping us informed. It is rare to have a friend for over 65 years, but Ken and I had that honor. We met at Mt. Carmel H S on the south side of Chicago. Ken was a year ahead of me, but we hit it off immediately. I was invited to his south-suburban home often where I also enjoyed the company of his parents, Frank and Marie. Marie was a great cook and Frank, Ken and I enjoyed playing golf. Ken went on to General Motors Institute, a co-op engineering college. He was instrumental in introducing me to and helping me to be accepted at GMI, a truly life changing event for me. I later visited Ken while he was a grad student at Michigan. I next found Ken during a business trip to MA. He was working at Raytheon. It was then I first met Kate, his soul-mate. We continued a long-distance relationship via phone and cards. Eventually family events brought Ken and Kate to Chicago more often. Whenever possible, they would visit us at our home in La Grange. My wife, Lenore, became very good friends with Ken and Kate and would often remark how easily conversation flowed, as though we saw each other all the time. On one trip back, they brought a copy of your wedding book. They were so happy for you and Hali. On another occasion we had a reunion with two other Mt. Carmel grads, Dan Vandercar and Mike O'Connor and their wives at Cog Hill CC. Such memories! I also saw your mom and dad at Tim Unsworth's services. We reconnected after your parents moved to Bedford Falls. I spoke with Ken often and was sorry to learn of his ailments. He called with the sad news of Kate's death. Thanks to you, I was able to talk to Ken twice at the hospital. Ken was a true gentleman, a man of his word, a loving husband and father, an exceptional engineer and a person I was truly honored to know and call friend.

Dearest Neal, I am so sorry you had to endure loosing both of your parents within months of each other, but they needed to be together. Can you imagine how much your dad missed your mom? I remember one time we were having lunch Harts Turkey Farm in Meredith NH and we were talking about something your dad had done, and your mom said. "that was before we were married", and without hesitation , he looked at her and said "yes, but marring you was the best thing I ever did!"! I will never forget how sweetly he smiled at her! He was such a gentle sweet man, and of course your mom was just as wonderful. I am so fortunate to have had them as friends.

Hi Neal, Your Dad was a kind and gentle man. I worked in the Tech Ctr. with the Central Eng. group. We sometimes worked on the same projects, but we shot together for years at the NF&G. With your dad's help I made it through my physics and calculus classes at U Lowell. He will be missed, but not forgotten.

Ken was such a wonderful man! Always pleasant, warm and friendly. Truly a great guy to everyone. We will miss Ken and Kathy so much. They were both like family to all of us for so many years. May they rest in peace with love from all of the Flynn Family!

Wonderful neighbors for 47 years. We were so sorry to see them move to Bedford two years ago. Life changes very fast as we get older. We had some wonderful conversations with Mom and Dad. Very caring and thoughtful people. They were so proud of you Neil, talked about you and Hali at all times. So happy about the anniversary get together a few years back. Very happy to share all the pictures with us. The love for each other was beautiful. They are back together, may they rest in peace.

Neal- I am so sorry for your loss. I have known your parents all of my life. They were just always there. Lifelong friends of my Mom and Dad. They would go months without seeing each other but the minute they got together ( especially if the Bakers and Gosselins joined in) their eyes would light up and the chatting would begin...and usually never stop! It was heartwarming to know that this group of kind, warm, loving people found each other and remained friends for life. They seemed like Saints, the whole group of them, your Mom & Dad at the top of that list. . They were the epitome of living life. It didn't seem to matter if there was a health issue that would take down any mere mortal- not them, they just kept plugging away. They frequented my diner for a long period of time even though it was a long trek with MANY stairs. I was always thrilled to see them because of the way they looked at each other. Honestly, you could see the love in their eyes. They had such respect for each other. In 2008 I had a 50th Anniversary party for my parents in upstate NY and your parents came. Lots of fun was had by all and your Dad really enjoyed riding (zooming) around in golf carts. They had a little golf cart parade. In recent years when my Dad was alive I'd take him to visit your parents. Boy could they reminisce. It was wonderful to watch and to hear. We visited your dad in the hospital, rehab, Aynsley Place (Corville), and Bedford Falls. The funny thing was, no matter how sick he was he was always a gracious host, concerned that his "guests" had what they needed. He looked frail but boy oh boy was he a tough cookie. The love they had for you spilled out each visit or conversation. Pride in your work, joy in your wife, delight in your cats and contentment in the man and son you are. It has truly been an honor to know your Dad and he is missed already.

Ken Morman The reference of a diamond keeps coming to mind as I think about Ken’s life. So many facets. It’s impossible to see every one. You keep turning the stone and see a different dimension every time. Of course, the father so proud of his son the big movie camera man. He proudly bragged about Neal during every conversation. Not only Neal’s talent behind the camera, but his love of kitties and nature, just as Ken and Kate had. The scholar who “West West” to follow his dream and infiltrated the scene by doing volunteer work. Ken was so impressed with Neal’s outcome in life…and his happiness with Hali. Ken the loving husband. Kate wanted for nothing. She would just buy it herself anyway if so, but there was never a word of objection from Ken on Kate’s desires. A house filled with the latest, greatest comforts of life. Then, there is Ken the yard worker. Smashing the pine cones in the back yard with a tool his father had made him; a huge log (but one that would easily fit into the garbage can) with a handle attached to crush many pine cones at once. Genius. Speaking of genius, Ken also had his own household inventions. Always a piece of Velcro on the handle of the snow blower or lawn mower so it did not have to stop if he paused in pushing. Damn the manufacture instructions!! (He was smart enough not to run himself over!) Ken the sailor; packing up the family and heading to Newfound Lake for a gorgeous day on the lake. He never let that boat go; even decades later, he still had it. Ken the Michigan Alumni. How proud Ken was of the Mightly Big Blue M!!! He would talk of those days like it was yesterday. Plus, he was mentor to so many coming up in the ranks of his alma Mata. Who knew? He attended every annual event possible and had every conceivable piece of paper, pin, flag, book, certificate and gum wrapper of his time there. And slide rules. Everywhere in boxes in his office, slide rules!! Ken the genius. A friend said that someone Ken worked with in his early years said that Ken was the most brilliant man he knew. He could solve any problem others gave up on; it could take some time, but it was always complete and correct. Just like how he met Kate; while fixing a gadget a friend has that he could not figure out and just happened to meet Kate. Fate! Ken the brother to his wonderful older sisters who he admired beyond words. He would tell of their lives like it was a novel…and he, one of the final chapters. His parents; spry until 100 years or more. A family line of intelligence and grit. And a nephew who really was a “Rocket Scientist”!! I was fortunate to meet them all and are better because of the connection. Ken the driver…all over the place! Michigan was always a favorite destination to go to reunions of both scholastic and family orientations. Just an excuse for a wonderful adventure. But travels were part of his DNA and he loved to hit the road with Kate. Ken the kisser of the Blarney Stone! Ken the lover of Raisin Brand for breakfast (a specific kind, of course!) Trader Joe’s Crunchy Peanut Butter and Chicken Broccoli Alfredo with a nice bottle of wine. Ken the stubborn who would say no time after time only to say yes after weeks of contemplation. Ken the loyal friend; Ken the founder of a local gun club. Ken the marksman. The facets continue to sparkle as our memories turn; each one leading to another of brilliance, awe and wonder. May we all possess memories of Ken that allow us to turn the diamond in our minds as we fondly remember a life well lived, on his terms, and quirkieness that could only be our beloved, Ken. Rest in Peace.

Hi Neal. We all have many acquaintances, but only a few true friends. Your dad was a true friend. We worked together at Wang Labs and FLIR Systems. Over the years we became great friends who had dinner every month at our favorite fish and game club. Ken was a remarkable precision Bullseye competitor. Your parents loved the performing arts as do Val and I. They were in attendance at every show we attended. They always had nothing but praise for every show. You had to love a couple who never made a derogatory remark about anything or anybody. They were a very upbeat couple and a joy to be with. Your dad was always ready to lend a helping hand. It seemed that the only help he every asked for was when a computer was involved. I was glad he called his favorite IT support team, ME. Many may not know that Ken was an amateur weatherman. He always carried a small notebook in his pocket with daily weather details. I used to kid him about competing with the “Old Farmer’s Almanac”. He never mentioned what he did with his data collection. I will miss my friend, may he rest in peace.

Dear Neal and Hali, Your Dad and Mom were very special people. I recently had beautiful telephone conversation with your Dad. He shared with me, many stories about his life and love for your Mom, Kate. He spoke of their trips and vacations. Your Mom and Dad were very proud of you and happy that you found the love of your life with Hali. I always enjoyed seeing Ken and Kathy. And running into your Mom at Walmart. We never seemed to have enough time to catch up on things. May your cherished memories, help get you through this difficult time. With sympathy and prayers, Kathy Gosselin 💝

Hi Neal, I worked with your father at Nashua Corp, Wang Labs, and Flir Systems. He was a smart, considerate, and gentle man. My first memory of him was him riding his bike to work at the Nashua Corp. Tech Center building on Franklin Street in Nashua, and then running up and down the stairs, 2 steps at a time (which nobody else dared to do). Of course, that was 40 years ago, and he was in tremendous shape then. I met you when you were about 12 one Saturday, when he brought you in to work. Back then, your dad was Nashua’s chief hardware designer of hard disc servo-writers (the electronics that wrote storage patterns on large multi-platter disk packs, that competed with Digital Equipment products. Sometimes we worked in different groups and sometimes together, but your father always made time to help others needing some of his extensive knowledge. He was an excellent engineer and a very decent person. God bless him.