 Kenneth Holston Myers (Ken), long-time Ithaca N.Y. resident passed away peacefully on February 1, 2008. Ken is survived by his three children, Jim, Susan and Jon and his six grandchildren, who reside in Boulder, Colorado; Redmond, Washington; and San Rafael, California. Ken was a devoted husband, father and grandfather and found great joy and nourishment in his marriage and family. Ken's beloved wife, Bee, whom Ken lovingly referred to as his "soul mate", passed into eternity, January 13th, 2006.
Ken's life reflects his belief that one can do what one puts one's mind to. Ken loved the book intended for young children, "The Little Engine That Could". The story's message is: "I think I can, I think I can". Ken's life is characterized, in large part, by Ken's indomitable will to succeed and contribute.
Ken and his family lived in Illinois, Japan, California, Massachusetts,
before finding their true home in Ithaca, New York in 1973. The Ithaca
community became very dear to Ken, Bee and the Myers family. Ken wrote
in 1975, "We have arrived. We are only too glad to spend all four
seasons right here in our home overlooking Cayuga Lake".
Ken
contributed greatly to the Ithaca community. Such contributions
included his service as President of Citizens Savings Bank, President
of the Cayuga Lake Intermunicipal Water Commission, Founder and
President of Ithaca Memorial Society, President of Ithaca Housing
Authority, Board member of Ithaca City School District Board of
Education, and member of Ithaca Rotary Club, City Club of Ithaca, and
the First Congregational Church of Ithaca.
Ken's pursuit of an
Engineering degree from the Illinois Institute of Technology was cut
short by two years due to the onset of World War II. He enlisted in
U.S. Naval Reserve in 1938. His Reserve unit was mobilized in 1940.
Ken's primary service in the War was aboard the destroyer, USS Madison,
on which he served as the ship's Chief Engineer and Lieutenant
Commander, until the War ended in 1945. The USS Madison was awarded
five combat stars for her courageous service in European-African-Middle
Eastern Campaigns, including courageous service in the invasion of
Southern France in August of 1944.
After the War, Ken finished
his college degree at Harvard in 1947, graduating with a B.A. in
American Government. He thereafter attended the Harvard Business
School, class of 1949. He thereafter returned to the city of Chicago,
where he had spent the majority of his childhood. He elected to return
to school and attended Northwestern University, where he was granted a
Ph.D. in Business Administration University in 1956. His primary
courses of study in the Doctorate program included Economics,
Industrial Management and Operations Management. He authored and
published several books including his thesis which was titled, "Design
for Digging, the First Seventy-Five years of the Bucyrus-Erie Company".
He also authored numerous scholarly articles and case studies appearing
in a number of scholarly Business Journals.
Ken became full
Professor at Northwestern in the School of Business just three years
after completing his Ph.D. In 1959, Ken split time between his
professorship at Northwestern University and his post as Program
Director for the Japan Productivity Center in Tokyo. The Center was
associated with the University of Tokyo. There he developed the first
Japanese Executive Program for Presidents and Directors of major
Japanese corporations.
Ken later served as visiting full
professor at University of Southern California School of Business,
where he was responsible for the Executive Development Programs. In
1966, Ken took the position of Dean of the School of Business at
Southern Illinois University (SIU) at Edwardsville, where he was
responsible for the development of graduate and undergraduate programs
in Business Administration. While serving at SIU he also was Chairman
of the Federal Home Loan Bank of Chicago.
Ken's consulting
and government service as Chairman of the Federal Home Loan Bank of
Chicago from 1968-1970 led to his decision to leave academia and accept
a position to become President of the Federal Home Loan Bank of Boston,
where he served from 1970 to 1973. Ken and Bee concluded in 1973 that
their family may find greater fulfillment in a smaller community. Thus
it was fortuitous that Ken was approached by the Board of Citizens
Savings Bank located in Ithaca, N.Y. The Bank was seeking to replace
the outgoing President, who was retiring. Ken accepted the position and
served until his retirement in 1985.
Ken will be remembered by
his loved ones for creating a good life for his family. His children
will further remember him for his empathy for those who are underserved
by their communities, for his progressiveness, his long range thinking,
his questioning of and not infrequent dissatisfaction with the status
quo, his memory, the precision with which he used language, his
expansive knowledge and interest in the social sciences, law, business,
medicine, history, philosophy, religion, anthropology and other fields
of study. His friends will remember him for his far-ranging intellect
and kindness. The community will remember him for his compassionate
action directed to those less fortunate.
A Memorial Service
will be held on Sunday, February 10th, at 2 p.m. at the First
Congregational Church in Ithaca, New York. In lieu of flowers,
donations can be made to Hospicare of Tompkins County, or to the First
Congregational Church of Ithaca. Please share thoughts, condolences,
and memories by sending email to
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