Kenneth Light: Jan. 22, 1922 - Aug. 16, 2003

Ken Light, president of Lake Superior State College for four years during the 1980s, has died at age 81 in Oregon.

One of Light's many passions was his cottage on Lake Matinenda near Blind River, Ontario.

Funeral services, with Rev. Mike Keeney officiating, will be held at 2 p.m. at Hovie Funeral Home in the Michigan Soo on Saturday, August 23.

Visitation is from noon until 2 p.m. that day.

Burial will be in Lakeview Cemetery, Calumet.

The following is the full text of an announcement released today by LSSU:

********************* Former LSSU president Kenneth Light dies in Oregon

SAULT STE. MARIE, Mich. - Kenneth F. Light Ph.D., 81, president of Lake Superior State College from 1982-1986, died on Saturday, Aug. 16, in Oregon, where he had resided since his retirement.

Light was president of LSSU for four years, but he had a presence with the University for 15 years and a career in higher education that spanned three decades.

He joined the LSSC administration in 1965 as associate director and dean of the faculty, then was named vice president for academic affairs in February 1970.

He left in June 1976 to become president of Oregon State Institute of Technology at Klamath Falls, before returning to Sault Ste. Marie to take the helm at LSSC. While president at LSSC, he was instrumental in establishing the LSSC Foundation as the fund-raising arm of the institution.

Also during his tenure, the University's aquatic research laboratory was established, and academic programs such as automated systems engineering technology and fire science were added to the institution's degree offerings. In addition, while at LSSU he was president of the Upper Peninsula Health Education Corp., served on the Chippewa County Economic Development Corp. and was active in state curriculum committees and advisory committees on trade and technical education, including the State Advisory Council on vocational education.

His professional affiliations included the American Society for Engineering Education, American Society of Military Engineers, Rotary International and Phi Delta Kappa. The son of Bertram and Hilma Light, he was born Jan. 22, 1922 in Detroit, but his family moved to the Copper Country when he was a boy.

His interest in prospecting and rock hounding started as a youth in the U.P., where he would dig for copper in mine tailings.

He kept a small chunk of copper on his desk in his offices at OIT and LSSC. His love of woodworking also had its beginnings when he was a youngster.

He and his siblings used a two-man crosscut saw to bring in firewood to heat the family home.

Later, however, he refined his woodworking skills to make cabinets and furniture for his own home. Light enjoyed the outdoors, including fishing and spending time at his cottage on Lake Matinenda in northern Ontario.

He built the lakeside cottage with the help of family and LSSC co-workers, bringing in materials by barge to the site, which is seven miles from the nearest road. Light's other interests included hockey - he seldom missed a Laker game - classical music, golf and travel.

He and his wife Betty spent much time traveling since his retirement.

The two lived in Gresham, Oregon, most of the year and spent summers at their home in Kinross. Light received a bachelor's degree in industrial education and mathematics from University of Illinois in 1949 and a master's degree in education and agricultural engineering from Michigan State University in 1952.

He received a doctoral degree in higher education and college administration from MSU in 1967, shortly after he started work at LSSC.

He drew upon all of his educational degrees during his career, teaching at Calumet High School and Negaunee High Schools before joining the faculty of Michigan Technological University in 1956 as an instructor in mechanical engineering and, later, as associate professor and coordinator of technical education.

He was a U.S. Air Force veteran of World War II, serving from 1942-45 in the Pacific Theater, and he retired from the U.S. Air Force Reserve in 1962 with the rank of major. Light is survived by his wife, the former Betty Pritchett; a daughter, Karen St. John of Columbia, Maryland; two step-daughters, Robin Pritchett Church of Lowell, Ore. and Royce Pritchett Bishop of Gresham, Ore.; two sons, Kevin of Sault Ste. Marie and Brian of Interlochen; a step-son, Randell Pritchett of Portland, Ore.; a brother, Harold of Bothell, Wash.; a sister, Beverly Heffernan of Plymouth, Mich.; 10 grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren.

His first wife, the former Shirley Bower, preceded him in death.

Friends of the family may call between noon-2 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 23, at Hovie Funeral Home in Sault Ste. Marie.

Funeral services, with Rev. Mike Keeney officiating, will be held at 2 p.m. at the funeral home.

Burial will be in Lakeview Cemetery, Calumet.