Kendrick R Smith

Kendrick R. Smith, 65-years-old, passed away on October 7, 2024 with his loving family close by his side just wishing for a little more time with him. Ken fought glioblastoma brain cancer for more than 3 1/2 years the same way he lived his life -- with all the strength that he had.

Ken was the hardest working man you ever knew and, beside his love for his family, work was his passion. While he had a few nicknames (Super Ken and Kenjamin come to mind), the one that best described him was MacGyver. There wasn’t a problem he wouldn’t solve, a thing he couldn’t fix, or a clock that stopped him from finishing the project before him.

Ken was born in New York and moved to Manchester as a child when his family returned back to the area. He graduated from Central High School in 1976, and the locals still talk about his legendary parties at Ken’s Pub. He attended UNH for Mechanical Engineering for a few semesters, but started working at Champ Auto Parts after deciding college wasn’t for him. He would often pull up to work in his bright yellow 1936 Ford coupe, a car he painstakingly rebuilt for two years from a rusted body and frame. Riding in that car was always an adventure.

During this time, he met his wife of 41 years, Kathleen. His family gifted them a plot of land for their engagement, with Ken’s parents as their backyard neighbors. They were married in 1983, and later with their first child on the way, he started working for G.A. Laflamme Electric and went back to school to become a Master Electrician.

Ken took tremendous pride in his work. In addition to the hands-on work he loved during the day, he taught himself AutoCAD and spent many nights drafting blueprints for upcoming job sites. Some of his projects included the NYNEX Tower, City Hall, Currier Gallery of Art, Central High School, and PSNH/Eversource. He had just started working an FAA project when he got sick.

He was predeceased by his parents, Mary Smith and Roger Smith. He leaves behind a family that wholeheartedly loved him, including his wife, Kathleen (Myers) Smith, his children, Dana Smith and Kaley Dvorak, their spouses, Keaghan Smith and Jeff Dvorak, his loving grandchildren, Eleanor Dvorak, Levi Smith, and Rowan Dvorak, and his sisters, Sarah Smith Perry and Kathryn Smith Meadows, along with many other wonderful family members and friends he affectionally called “framily.”

Ken was treated with love, compassion, and dignity at the Community Hospice House in Merrimack. Angels work there. If you would like to make a donation in his honor, please consider brain cancer research, the Community Hospice House, or the Manchester Animal Shelter (he was known to be a dog whisperer). 

Ken always loved a good storm, so there’s little doubt the thunder booms louder and the lightning strikes brighter now that he’s re-wiring heaven. But even though our favorite electrician is gone, his light doesn’t dim. Through the memories of Ken as a husband, father, grandfather, brother, electrician, friend, and so much more, his light will always shine brightly.

In lieu of services, his family will hold a celebration of his wonderful life. Don’t wait to make the call to the ones you love, to stop by and visit, to hug them, and to tell them how much you care. Time is a thief. Spread peace and love out into this amazing world.