Kenneth Johnson:
CLASS OF 1968
Mahar Regional High SchoolClass of 1968
Orange, MA
Kenneth's Story
Hi everybody. It's hard to believe so many years have passed since high school. What have we done with all those years?
My history hasn't taken me away from Orange, but I have had great work experiences in our region. From 1970 through 1989 I worked for UTD Corp., Rodney Hunt Company, Simplex Time Recorder and New Hampshire Ball Bearings. Jobs include mechanical designer, layout designer and corporate industrial engineer (in that order).
At age forty my company was purchased and my job was cut forcing me to take on a new occupation. Who would have thought age 40 was "too old" to do what I knew best. Oh well!
From 1990 to 1998, having reinvented myself, it was my new carrer in sales that kept me employed in the auto industry at various dealerships in Athol and Greenfield, MA. Then an opportunity came up to become an account and technical sales
rep. for Rice Oil in the propane division. This was a job that took me not just into home territory, but southern Vermont and New Hampshire. After a couple of years the company down-sized and once again I had to reinvent myself. Surprise!
Asking myself many key questions about what to do next for an occupation, I stumbled upon the most fulfilling part of my career... starting my own business. This was just an opportunity to use engineering skills, design skills, knowledge of tools and sales/marketing skills to the best advantage. Beyond that it proved that one can do anything he/she puts the mind to.
For the past eight years I have been a home improvement contractor serving many of the young and elder clients in the greater North Quabbin area. Clientel is in the hundreds and it alows me to connect with many companies and individuals. When homes need repair...I'm there. If you see a truck or sign with Rent-A-Handyman Services on it, that's me. It's always especially fun to connect with old school mates in my travels.
High school was a bit tough for me in that there didn't seem to be a way I...Expand for more
express my interests. Today I regret not being involved with the music department, but when I turned twenty a couple of my friends urged me to join the church choir. That proved to be a great outlet and I went on to plan summer musicals borrowing from pop music and doing take offs from the Beach Boys, Elvis, Sha Na Na and others. Part of that brought me to sing in the annual presentation of Handel's "Messiah", this was comprised of singers from all the area churches.
Today, it has been great fun to sing with Bob Ellison's Community Christmas Chorus. My wife, Judy, is a terrific pianist/director and was his accompianist for the 2008 Christmas presentation. She now had the baton passed to her and planned and conducted our 2009 concert.
Last January Judy and I joined the musical ensemble known as the North Quabbin Pro Musica conducted by music professor emeritus, Charles Heffernan (formerly with UMass). Charles is very inspirational in his interpretation of music and his historical knowledge of the compositions.
People have asked me many times why I stayed in Orange and never moved to a more exciting area. My answer has always been that we fail to see what good things are in this area. If we don't have it in Orange, we're only a short drive from it. This area has history, many forms of culture and a slower pace of life that can and should be enjoyed. The natural resources such as lakes, state parks, wildlife and historical landmarks are everywhere.
I have lived thirty three years in the home I purchased from a childhood neighbor in 1976. Four great children were raised in the four room house as I continually transformed it into a nine room home on 5.5 acres. Knowing what we have here is the biggest reason for staying in Orange.
We have entered a new charpter in life now with the recent birth of twin girls to my younger daughter. She is a special needs teacher and a terrific mother. It is fun watching these little girls grow.
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