Kenneth B. Law

Kenneth B. Law, also known to his friends as Ken, Kenny, or just KB, died December 31, 2020 of complications from prostate cancer while in hospice care.

Ken graduated from Tenney High School in Methuen, MA in 1963. He was a nephew of the late Alfred Law, the school guidance counselor at the time. In 1965 after a couple of jobs as an automotive mechanic and two attempts at higher education, which he just wasn't ready for, he joined the U.S. Navy. Ken was trained  as a Naval Air Structural Mechanic and achieved the rank of AME 2nd Class. Although he served at a few different bases, his most memorable were VF-101 squadron at NAS Boca Chica in the Florida Keys, where he performed maintenance on the ejection seats of the F-4 Phantom and VQ3 squadron at NAS Agana Guam where he assisted with the maintenance of the Navy's C130 aircraft which were used for communication with submarines at sea.

In Florida, Ken developed a passion for motorcycling. He and his buddies, sometimes called “Tunas”, enjoyed riding motorcycles, around Key West, up and down the Keys, back and forth to Ft. Lauderdale, and, with his good friend Larry Swinney, a trip to Sebring for the 24 hour auto races.

On Guam, according to a new friend, Bob Post, they experienced,”Spectacular sunsets, cockfights, typhoons, Japanese Honeymooners, great diving and the Marianas Trench. We made friends with guys who were mechanics from Continental Airlines. They had a boat and sometimes we got a case of beer and would go out boating on the bay. We lived off base in a house we rented from a local Guamanian. We had Geckos on our walls. Sometimes we would use a 55 gallon split in half to BBQ. We had parties outside at the house the locals called Fandangos.” 

Following his honorable discharge from the Navy in 1969, Ken returned to Methuen and enrolled at Northern Essex Community College where he graduated with Honors and resumed his relationship with many of his high school friends like Tom Higgins, Joe Barberio and John Regan.  He then took his Associate of Arts degree in Liberal Arts and transferred to the University of Massachusetts where he acquired a Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology.

After achieving his primary goal of acquiring a college degree, Ken went to work on fulfilling another dream. He took a temporary job at a local steel distributor to accumulate enough money to travel through Europe. He traveled through many interesting countries including Germany and Morocco among others before returning to the US to begin his next adventure.

In 1974 Ken loaded his earthly possessions into his VW bug and he, with his brother Dick, drove across country to Los Angeles, CA. There, he began his career as an Insurance Claims Adjuster with the Geico Insurance Company. Ken worked for two major insurance companies before moving to an independent firm that handled overflow and interstate claims under contract with various major insurance companies. Ken honed his investigative skills to a high degree of proficiency over the next 15 years. In 1988 or 1989 Ken, being the eldest of two brothers, returned to Methuen to take care of his aging parents. His father, Frank Law passed away in 1990 and his mother, Marion Law passed in 1996. Ken decided to remain in the family's Methuen home until he was moved to a hospice care facility 10 days before his death.

 After his mother died Ken bought a new Kawasaki Sport Touring motorcycle and resumed his passion for riding. Whether riding for a charity or touring New England during the fall foliage with predeceased riding partners Ray St.Onge and Jim La Torre, Ken loved the open road. And the curvier the better.

Ken leaves behind a few cousins and his younger brother Dick, who will greatly miss the counsel and guidance he has received all of his life from his big brother.

Ken's remains will be cremated and held until spring or summer when hopefully we can have a short memorial service and interment of the ashes in the family plot at Walnut Grove Cemetery in Methuen.

Arrangements are by the Dewhirst & Boles Funeral Home, 80 Broadway, Methuen. To leave an online condolence, please visit Ken’s tribute page at www.dewhirstbolesfuneral.com.

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