Charlton Ma.- Kenneth Conrad (K.C.) LaForce, 67, passed away on Jan 18, 2017. K.C. was born in Worcester on December 3, 1949, the son of Francis and Sonia (Kisk) LaForce. He leaves his close friend and longtime companion Dee Gleason of Leicester, and five siblings: Denis LaForce and his wife Jane of Manchaug, Mark LaForce of Ware, Janis (LaForce/ Maker) Nelson and her husband Bob of Charlton, Ruth (Southwick) Berman of Leicester, Thomas Southwick Jr. and his partner Karen Britton of Leicester, nephews Jason and Josh Maker and Cody and Sam Berman, and niece Sylvia Trevor. K.C. lost his father, a Worcester firefighter, in the line of duty while responding to a fire on July 4, 1955. In 1963 his mother married Thomas Southwick of Leicester and the family moved to Maple Hill Farm.
K.C. graduated from Leicester High School, class of 1968. He was on the Leicester HS Hockey Team and continued to play into his fifties. While in his teens and twenties, he played guitar in a number of local rock bands, sometimes accompanied by his two brothers. He was often seen at blues/ rock jams at local night clubs, playing his beloved Fender Stratocaster. He was a member of Woodstock Nation and would reminisce about his enjoyment of three days of Love, Peace, and Music. K.C. was religious, but prayed at the alter of Eric Clapton, Dickey Betts, Johnny Winter and many others. In the late sixties he was an original “Elm Park Hippy”.
He was a motorcycle enthusiast with two Harleys in his stable. His bikes won many prizes at local Friday Night Cruise events. Speed was always in his veins starting with go-carts as a teenager, and drag racing motorcycles later. A contradiction to going fast and loud was his love of fishing, spending many idyllic hours on the water with Dee, his brother Tom, and a few chosen friends.
He drove an oil truck for Warren Oil, followed by a few years working for his brother as a machinery mechanic before settling into 19 years as a mechanic at Rt 146 Supply in Millbury Ma. He took early retirement in 2013 when arthritis limited his ability to use his hands.
Family was priority with him and he especially loved his mother. He would visit Sunday mornings to be able to make her breakfast. After her passing, he became an expert at making Swedish Meatballs for our traditional Christmas Eve dinner using his Mom’s original recipe.
A private memorial service at the convenience of the family will be held at a later date.