Kenneth Ward Guptil, 83, of Guptil Road, Waterbury Center, passed
away peacefully in the comfort of his family at the Central Vermont
Medical Center in Berlin on Friday, June 19, 2009. Born in Waterbury
Center on December 6, 1925, he was the son of the late Kenneth D. and
Bertha (Ward) Guptil. Ken was previously married to the former Barbara
Gibbs.
Ken was a 1944 graduate of Waterbury High School and then continued to
work on the family farm. In the early 1960s he went to work for Rock of
Ages in the quarries for several years. Ken was later employed by the
state of Vermont, first in the highway department and then at the
Vermont State Hospital in Waterbury where he worked in housekeeping. He
was also employed by the Mount Mansfield Co. operating a ski lift in
the winter and was a part-time bartender at the Waterbury American
Legion. He retired in 1991.
In his leisure time he enjoyed watching sports of all kinds, especially
tennis; was a member of the "251 Club"; enjoyed candlepin bowling; and
as a younger man, he was an avid hiker, having walked most of the Long
Trail in Vermont.
Ken is survived by his children, Stephen L. Guptil and his wife Pam of
Waterbury Center and Mark T. Guptil and his partner Arnold Domina of
Montpelier; his two grandsons, Christopher Couture of W. Bolton and
Kyle Guptil of Waterbury Center; and his former wife, Barbara Brackett
of Waterbury Center. A son, Randy S. Guptil, predeceased Ken.
Memorial services were held from the Perkins-Parker Funeral Home on
Wednesday, June 24, at 8 p.m. Inurnment will be private in Waterbury
Center Cemetery. In lieu of flowers memorial gifts would be appreciated
to the Waterbury Backcountry Rescue Team, P.O. Box 95, Waterbury
Center, VT 05677, or to the Waterbury Firefighters Scholarship Fund,
P.O. Box 9, Waterbury, VT 05676. To send online condolences please
visit www.perkinsparker.com.
