Ken was one of the first people to believe that I could be a photojournalist. He let me shadow him as a high schooler, apply for the fall internship AFTER the deadline, and then gave me the job…even though my portfolio was weak. I interned at The Muskegon Chronicle during one of the worst times for the newspaper industry. People who had worked at TMC for 20+ years were being laid off every other week. Ken always made sure to bring good food to the “goodbye” parties and remembered the birthdays of the small staff that was left. He always made time to have a quality conversation and never, ever was in a bad mood…no matter how rough that season became.
I never had another editor like Ken. He was always honest about my work, but also kind and understanding. I know he (like many of the other dedicated staffers) worked plenty of unpaid overtime hours, just to keep the paper afloat. He was a person that believed in the power of journalism, the community, and keeping the local paper alive. I also appreciated that I was never treated like an intern, but rather like a staffer with equally amazing, challenging assignments.
There’s a photo that hangs in my husband’s childhood bedroom that Ken took many, many years ago. Brendan had just started his “career” at the young age of three, and the paper was covering the story. I know his family (and I) cherish that photo, and I’m sure MANY others in the community will remember and be grateful for the numerous stories he’s captured through the years.
Ken, we will all miss you lots.