Ken Gunnerson - A Kind and Generous Man
(6/14/1937 - 1/14/2021)

"We need Ken, he'll know what to do." I heard Andy Salzman say those words while the Men's Club was preparing for our first Movie by the Pool evening last September. Members of the Men's Club Movie committee were having problems with the sound system. Tom Donovan asked Ken if he would look at the sound setup at the pool to see if he could spot the problem. As we have all come to ex- pect, Ken fixed the audio. Of course, didn't Ken always know what to do? For those of you who knew Ken well, you know that he and his wife Christianna, were part of the first wave of new residents moving to Leisure Glen in the late 80's. When Ken and I spoke about Leisure Glen, he'd share memories of how the community grew over the years. He told me how he would go over and watch the construction of our Clubhouse. When construction was completed, in 1987, a grand opening celebration was held. At this party Alexander Haig, Jr. (President Reagan's Secretary of State) and Patti Page attended the ceremony. A video of the event can be found on our website www.LeisureGlen.com.

Ken was very proud of Leisure Glen. Ken always agreed to assist anyone who asked for help. From friends and neighbors to the many Leisure Glen clubs that would call upon him to help with various tasks. Ken was also President of our LGTV, and the Woodworking club. From my own experience, Ken was always one of the first to volunteer his assistance. The Men's Club could count on Ken to help with our Night at the Rac- es, monthly movie days, our annual Children's Christmas party and others. I may be wrong, but I believe there wasn't a club or committee that didn't reach out to Ken for his knowledge or support.

The other day, while inventorying equipment Ken managed for the Men's Club, I came across a video (VHS format) titled "Everything You've Always Wanted to Know About Timber Ridge at Leisure GIen". I'm told that it was shown in the Clubhouse for the community's 30ft anniversary. Whin I first saw the ti- tle, I thought it was prepared by the LG developer as a promotional video to help sell homes. Out of curios- ity, I took it home and played the video. It was actually a segment about retirement living that appeared on Cablevision'd "Dollars and Sense" program (circa 1995).

The video was comprised of two thirty minute segments. Each segment had 3 different Leisure Glen resi- dents who shared their individual stories about how they came to live in Leisure Glen and what made it a special place. The common theme throughout the videos was about the people in the community who looked out for one another and their generosity. Whether it was bringing food to a sick neighbor or sitting and grieving with a friend over a lost loved one. And of course the volunteerism of the residents, which was abundant.

That's exactly who Ken was. Bill Ciechanowski wrote in an email this week, "We will all miss Ken very much. Ken was a true gentleman. Liked by all. He was a great asset and friend of the Computer Club. Ken was involved in many Glen activities. It will be very dfficult to fill his shoes. " In Ken's memory, I'd like to encourage everyone who hasn't volunteered their time to consider getting in- volved. Club/committee information can be found on-line at our website, www.LeisureGlen.com or in your Homeowner's manual. Or you can call and ask me about any questions you may have about helping out in the Glen.

As the early residents of Leisure Glen indicated, volunteering, it's what makes this community a wonderful place to live in. Please help us continue with our tradition.

Rest in peace, Ken. And thank you for your service to the community.

Respectfully,
Paul Lanning - President, Men's Club