Notizen zu dieser Person
Had Rhumatic Fever as a boy, damaged his heart Had colon cancer in 1984. Had emphasyma - smoked a pipe when younger, had not smoked for 50 years but he worked in an atmosphere that was blue from cigarete smoke Lived in the Good Shephard Home, 235 Columbus Ave, Fostoria, OH in independent living section. Lived until Jan 1998 in Methodist Senior Living apartment, Fostoria, OH. Lived in Ann Arbor, MI, Lima, CO, Portland, OR as a child. He attended high school in Jay Co., Indiana; earned a BS in Electrical Engineering from the U. of Michigan, 1933. Ken and Jack Shafer participated in a test of electrical lines for the newly emergingelectrical transmission industry. Worked at IBM Endicott, starting in the stock room until an opeining occured in the 'Lab'. Moved to Owego, Federal Systems division in 1950s as manager of Quality Control. Was in the RoTC in College so was called up to serve in the Signal Corp during WWII. Reporting for duty was delayed by a ruptured appendix. He participated in the landing on Okinawa where he was responsible for setting up the communications; and spent a year stationed on Hawwii after Pearl Harbor. He attained the rank of Lieutenant Col. and became Col. Koon on his retirement from the Army. He was instrumental in changing the local school system from one room school houses to a central school district. In the more than 25 years he served on the Board he saw many changes in education. He was on the original BOCES board of Broome Co. He passed the exams to become a member of IEEE, a professional engineering organization. One of his fellow workers once told me that he could ask dad for something and he would make it. All the man had to do was describe what he wanted the thing to do. He was a longtime member of the First Presbyterian Church in Endicott, then moved to the new Northminster Presbyterian Church when it was established in Endwell. He served as both a deacon and an Elder, resigning as clerk of the Session only when he moved to Ohio. When He and Flo traveled around the country camping Dad built a box on top of their station wagon with a bed in it that was big enough for him. He didn't like sleeping outside under the stars like mother did and there weren't many sleeping bags for people over six feet tall. While still in High School he worked summers at a glass factory. When Sheril was 2 1/2 the Koons purchased an 100 year old farm house on Farm to Market Road. The pavement ended at their door. There was a hand pump on a shallow well in the door yard and a privy outback. Ken bought 3 electrical appliances, a stove, refrigerator, and a mangle (ironer) so the electric company would extend the line from Fensons (1/2 mile away) to their house. He wired the house,put in a bathroom, had a deep well dug to provide a reliable source of water. After WWII he built an addition on the original house which included a garrage, an apartment for his mother-in-law who wasretireing from teaching soon, on the first floor, and three bedrooms and a bath upstairs. From Dad's Time Line: Aug 30, 1908 Born Ann Arbor, Mich. 1909 1 year 1910 2 years 1911 3 years 1912 Four years 1913 5 Kindergarten in Ann Arbor Mich.; moved to Boulder Colo. no School 1914 6 First Grade Boulder 1915 7 2nd Grade Boulder 1916 8 3rd Grade Boulder 1917 9 4th Grade Boulder 1918 10 5th Grade Moved from Bolder to Ranch Limon Colo. No School 1919 11 6th Grade Rode Horse to 1 room School House 2 mi. 1920 12 7th grade Bus to Limon Colo from Ranch 1921 13 8th Grade Limon Colo - Fheumatic Fever 1922 14 Freshman Portland Oregon H.S. 1923 15 Sophmore Limon Colo. High School 1924 16 Junior Madison Twp H. S. 1925 17 Senior Madison Twp. H.S. 1926 18 Graduated H.S. Madison Twp. Ind. Entered UM Engineering College 1927 19 Sophmore U. M. 1928 20 Junior U.M. 1929 21 Went to ROTC Summer Camp at Ft. Monmouth N.J. 1930 22 Worked in Owego, N.Y. and NY City 1931 23 Returned to U.M. as senior 1932 24 Graduated U.M. BSE 1933 25 Worked in Gas station in Rochester, NY Aug 18 ,1934 26 Married Flora Elizabeth Shafer. Started with IBM in March
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