Kenneth L Schank

It is with great sadness that we announce the peaceful passing of our dear father, Dr. Kenneth L. Schank, on Saturday January 19, 2013. He will be greatly missed by family and friends in the Port Charlotte music community. Born in West Allis, Wisconsin in 1920, he was the son of William and Stella (nee: Mund) Schank. He served in the Navy in WWII, as a Machinist Mate 2/c, and survived the sinking of the light cruiser USS Helena (CL-50) in the South Pacific. A 1949 graduate of the University of Wisconsin - Stout in Industrial Arts, he also received a Master's degree in Business Administration from Bradley University, and a Doctor of Education from the University of Maryland in 1965. He taught and held the role of Consultant for over twenty years in the Unified School District of Racine, Wisconsin. Moving to Buffalo, New York in 1970, he served as Director of the programs in Industrial Arts Education at the State University College of New York - retiring in 1987. During his years in academia, he acted as consultant for USAID-AED in Zimbabwe, Africa, with the Peace Corp in Nepal and educational consulting in India, Korea, Egypt and the Philippines. He also co-authored several books and contributed significantly to literature in the discipline in technical education. An accomplished musician, primarily on the banjo, he was a member of the Buffalo Banjo Band, the Gulf Coast Banjo Society - Southwest Florida's Premier Dixieland and Jazz Band and the Sahib Shriners Banjo Band on the Sun Coast of Florida. Ken was a 60 year Mason - a member in the Masonic Lodges in Racine, Buffalo and Sarasota. He is survived by his three daughters; Karen Schank Mills of Port Charlotte, Florida; Kendra Schank Smith PhD and her husband Albert C. Smith PhD of Toronto, Ontario; and Lori Schank McGonigal and her husband Joseph P. McGonigal Jr. of Kearny, New Jersey; and three granddaughters; L. Emma Mills of Oxford, New York; Lorna and Katherine McGonigal of Kearny, New Jersey. As all who knew him will attest, Ken Schank was a kind, generous, warm and supportive friend. He was gregarious with a quick wit and wonderful sense of humor; greeting everyone with a joke or funny story. He was dearly loved by family and friends and we will miss his brilliant smile and the twinkle in his eye. Ken Schank will be interred at the Sarasota National Cemetery with arrangements by Larry Taylor Funeral and Cremation Services. Memorial contributions to his favorite charities would be appreciated; The Tampa Shriners Hospital for Children and the National WWII Museum in New Orleans. To express condolences to the family, please sign the online guest book.