Avon Park, FL / Waldwick - Kenneth Howard Cassidy, age 87, of Avon Park, FL, formerly of Waldwick, passed away on Friday, May 9, 2014.

Ken was born on October 15, 1926 to Howard and Vera Cassidy in the farm near Fayette, Wisconsin. It was the beginning of the Great Depression. He started school when he was 4 years old and had many happy memories of those early school years. Ken's parents boarded a teacher and she suggested that Ken begin attending school with his brother, Vernus, giving Vera more time to work with Howard on the farm. The middle child of 3 boys, Ken is predeceased by his brother Vernus (passed away Sept 2011) and survived by the youngest brother, Jerry. Ken was accident-prone and recalls several of his life stories in his autobiography "I Did it My Way", still available at the Mineral Point Library.

While attending college at Platteville State College, Ken joined the Wisconsin State Guard. Many of the units had already deployed to service in World War II. Shortly after being promoted to Private First Class, his unit discovered that Ken was only 16 years old and promptly discharged him. After a short time, Ken was able to enlist in the United States Navy and served for 2 years on the Cabot and the US Langley. Ken served in multiple combat zones in the Pacific Ocean and returned through the Panama Canal and served 2 tours in Italy. He steamed 4 of the 7 seas. Ken was honorably discharged from military service and resumed his studies at the Rockford School of Business. During this time, he met and fell in love with Phyllis Rowe, and they married on March 15, 1947.

Ken started work as a salesman of livestock feed. Over the years, Ken distinguished himself as an intelligent and perceptive business professional, leading a successful and progressive career in sales and was often sought out for public speaking engagements across the nation. After years of hard work and promotions, Ken received a seat on the Board of Directors at Vigortone Agricultural Products, then based in Cedar Rapids, IA.

Ken is survived by his 3 children, Linda Fowler, Lydell Cassidy, Louise McClean, 5 grandchildren and 4 great-grandchildren. Ken was active in many civic and veterans organizations, including the American Legion, Veteran's of Foreign Wars, Elks Lodge, Loyal Order of the Moose Lodges and Shriner's International in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. He was a member of the Celina, Ohio Masonic Lodge, attaining Mason's Order Third Degree there and Thirty-Two Degree in Freeport, Illinois.

After his wife Phyllis passed away in 1994, Ken remarried Lorrain (Lincoln) Cassidy in 1995 and they enjoyed a happy and active lifestyle in Avon Park, Florida. Lorraine passed away March 2013 and was cremated. Ken is placed near Phyllis in Section 3, Row 7 of the Dodgeville Cemetery, Dodgeville, Wisconsin.

Funeral Services will be held on Sunday, May 18, 2014 at 2:00 p.m. at the WALDWICK COMMUNITY CHURCH in Waldwick. Pastor Dave Ritchie will officiate. Burial will be in East Side Cemetery in Dodgeville. A visitation will be held on Sunday from 1:00 p.m. until time of services at the church.