Kenneth P. “Ken” Joncas, 76, of Salem, NH died at Holy Family on October 31st after a two year struggle with Multiple Myeloma.
Born in Lawrence, MA, he was the son of the late Eliud and Ida (Simmers) Joncas and graduated from Lawrence High School in 1952. Ken enlisted in the US Marine Corps during the Korean War and was honorably discharged with the rank of Sergeant after three years active service and five years of reserves. Following his Marine Corps service, he was employed by the Western Electric Company in Lawrence, MA for a year.
He attended Newman Preparatory School in Boston and then entered the engineering program at Lowell Technological Institute from which he graduated in 1961 with a Bachelors Degree in Electrical Engineering. Following graduation from Lowell, he was employed by the Sprague Electric Company in North Adams, MA. He left there after two years to join the engineering team at Avco Systems Division (later Textron Systems) in Wilmington, MA where he was employed for thirty-six years. While at Avco/Textron, he was involved with numerous defense and Department of Defense projects for the US Government. He advanced through more senior engineering positions and, later, was program director of several Textron smart weapons programs until his retirement in 1999. He was a Registered Professional Engineer in Massachusetts.
Ken’s attitude throughout his life was that the glass was always half full and he enjoyed each day as a gift. His many interests included painting, photography, biking, sailing and golf. He and his wife were avid travelers and, in addition to multiple visits to the Caribbean, Canada, England and Europe managed to spend time with their children and grandchildren in Texas, Florida and Nevada each year. He especially enjoyed the summer visits each year with his granddaughters and looked forward to the special times they spent together.
Following his retirement, he renewed his interest in the art world with a particular focus on painting watercolor landscapes. He painted and printed the popular Christmas cards he and his wife mailed out each year and, more recently, took up portrait painting in oils. He was heavily involved with the Greater Salem Artists Association and chaired their popular spring art shows for a number of years. He was also a member of the Greater Haverhill Arts Association and the Art Institute Group of Merrimack Valley. He won numerous awards for his watercolors at the Salem and Haverhill art shows and at the Topsfield Fair. He was a director and past treasurer of the Textron Systems Retirees Association, an organization of retired employees of Textron Systems.
Ken is survived by his wife of 50 years, Deanna (Clarke) Joncas; their daughter Kendra Joncas Rejcek and her husband Edmund of Bradenton, FL and their son Christopher Joncas and his wife Victoria (Boeing) Joncas of Gardnerville, NV. He leaves, as well, granddaughters: Laura Joncas of Gardnerville, NV, Hannah and Hayley Rejcek of Bradenton, FL and the late Olivia Rejcek of San Antonio, TX. He is survived by brothers Albert and his wife Joan Joncas of Wolfeboro, NH and Walter and his wife Lynne Joncas of Cazenovia, NY; sisters Gloria Narinkevicuis of Wolfeboro, NH and Pauline Maki of Methuen, MA; sisters in law Rowena, wife of John Masera of Haverhill, MA and Karen, wife of Dennis Regan of Salem, NH; as well as numerous nieces and nephews.
Visitation is Fri., Nov 4th from 4 – 8 PM at Douglas & Johnson Funeral Home, 214 Main St., Salem, NH.
The Funeral Mass is Saturday at 9AM at Mary Queen of Peace Church, Salem, NH. Burial is in Pine Grove Cemetery, Salem.
In lieu of flowers, contributions in Ken’s name to: St. Jude’s Children’s Home, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105 or www.stjude.org/donate.