Ken moved to the Point in 1932 at the age of 3 weeks. Attended both NY Avenue and
Dawes Avenue schools. Moved to Philadelphia and for 7th and 8th grades then moved back to
the Point. Attended OCHS and graduated in 1950. Worked in NJ and South Florida during the
next few years.
Jean was born in 1935 in what was then the Point Tavern, her parents were year around
caretakers there. So we relate to the Pointers home page. Jean moved to Manahawkin in 1940
and returned to the Point in 1946.
Ken returned to the Point in 1952 and joined the Navy. Dividing the next four years
between NAS Pensacola, Fl. and the USS Conecuh (AOR-110) out of Norfolk, Va.
In 1957 I took advantage of the GI Bill by attending Capitol Radio Engineering
Institute, in Washington, DC. Graduated in 1959 with an Associate in Applied Science
degree with a major in computer engineering. Hired by RCA as a computer service technician
on the countries first all transistorized computer,. My first assignment was at RCA Astro
in Highstown, NJ where I was privileged to witness the development of our countries first
satellite, the TIROS Satellite.
Of course I spent my weekends in the Point. Jean Force and I began dating, we were
married by mayor Chapman in 1960 and moved to Willingboro, NJ (then Levittown). Jean had
two children from a prior marriage, Jeanann and Deborahlee. While in Willingboro we added
two more children, Terrylynn and Robert. Over the years we had two more children and moved
around the country because my assignment changed about every five years.
1963 we relocated to Tallahassee, Florida taking four children and both our mothers
with us. While there we added Lynnann, we were trying to have a brother for Robert but the
lord had a different plan. In 1965 I moved into management and covered the territory west
of Tallahassee including Pensacola, Fl; Mobile, Al; New Orleans, La; to Shreveport, La;
and north to Jackson, Miss. Jackson was an interesting city for a yankee in those days but
New Orleans was a great city for recovery. These were long weeks, Jean would take me to
the airport at 6am Monday and pick me up Friday midnight. My son thought daddy was the
telephone.
We relocated to Miami in 1966 where we lived until 1972. My territory included Florida,
Louisiana, southern Mississippi, southern Alabama and Puerto Rico. Miami was a great city
in the late sixties. Jean and I enjoyed Puerto Rico too. In 1972 Jenniferlee was born, she
was our delightful surprise child. While in Miami I attended Miami-Dade JC and graduated
with an AA in Management.
Also in 1972 Sperry-Univac took over RCAs computer business and we got the chance
to move to Omaha, Nebraska. Miami to Omaha was a change in every sense of the word.
Covering SAC Headquarters was most interesting. While in Nebraska I returned to college
and in 1975 earned a BSBA degree. Jeanann our eldest daughter was married and moved away
with her navy husband. Also Deborahlee was married and remains in Omaha.
The rest of the family moved to Chicago in 1978 and lived there until 1983. I was
assigned to Sperrys Worldwide Parts Distribution Center as Director of Customer
Services. This was a 60 hour a week kind of job but I learned how to work with people
around the world and got to travel to several countries. Terrylynn married that year and
moved to West Virginia. Robert married and lives in Rockford, Il. Lynnann married and
lives in Carpentersville, IL.
In 1983 we moved to Blue Bell, Pa. Sperrys home office. My assignment was
Worldwide Director of New System Implementation. We spent many hours fixing up our home
thinking we would finish out my working career there. In 1987 we were surprised when
Burroughs Computer Corp, acquired Sperry in a hostile takeover. This resulted in another
opportunity to move.
We moved to Clinton in northern NJ. I covered Northern NJ, NY City and Long Island.
Talk about traffic hassles. Over the next few years this ill conceived Burroughs takeover
resulted in continual workforce reengineering (layoffs). Continual reorganizations
resulted in another relocation in 1991.This time to Harrisburg, Pa. I covered Pennsylvania
from Harrisburg to Pittsburgh and all of West Virginia.
About this time Jean and I decided we had enough of this fun, and in 1993 we retired
and moved to Pace, Florida. Three of our daughters now live in this area. We have 19
grandchildren and 2+ great grandchildren. Jean and I travel as much as we can while we
can. No one knows what tomorrow brings and we dont want to look back and say we
should have.