Marlborough – Kenneth E. Knapp, 86, formerly of Wareham and Sudbury, died peacefully in Marlborough Monday, March 25, 2013. He was predeceased by his first wife, T. AlJeanne (Horn) Knapp; his brother, Robert; and his parents, Louis E. Knapp of Austria and Elsie Anna Schultz of Ohio.
Besides his loving wife, Catherine B. Knapp, to whom he had been married for the past 22 years, he is survived by his three daughters, Connie Knapp of Montana, Deb Keough of Massachusetts, and Cindy Hunt of Virginia, as well as his granddaughters, Kim, Dale, Stacy and Kelly.
Ken was born and raised in Cleveland, Ohio. He served in the Navy during WWII aboard the U.S.S. Wayne, a troop carrier that was one of the first ships to arrive in Nagasaki after the atom bomb was dropped.
He was most thankful for the G.I. bill, which made it possible for him to earn an engineering degree at Purdue University. He worked as a senior engineer for Stone and Webster in Boston for over 30 years.
For many years, Ken enjoyed sailing and navigating the waters of Buzzards Bay and the New England coast with his yacht “Obsession.” Later, he could often be found swimming, hiking, cycling, ice skating, cross-country skiing, canoeing, reading, or tinkering in his workshop.
After Ken and Cathy were married in 1991, they made Wareham their home and soon began a long and active membership in the Bay Area Senior Cyclists. Ken dedicated many years helping with the club's operations. He enjoyed participating in and leading many group outings, especially when they included lunch at the Massachusetts Maritime Academy.
Ken also enjoyed the weekly programs offered by the Peanut Butter Club in Woods Hole and volunteering at the Community Resources Network in Wareham. Most of all, he loved living on Cape Cod, which gave him the opportunity to make many new and close friendships.
A burial with military honors will be held Thursday, May 9,? at the Massachusetts National Cemetery in Bourne.
