RICHFIELD SPRINGS-Kenneth Blackwell age 79 of Park Street entered into eternal rest on Wednesday February 5, 2003 in Valley Health Services Inc., Herkimer. He was born on April 23, 1923 in Taunton, MA son of the late Earle B. and Theresa C. Maloney Blackwell. Ken was raised inTaunton and was a graduate of Taunton High School. On May 20, 1943 he married Dorothy Miller in Long Island, a loving and devoted union of thirty-six years until her passing in 1979. An honorably discharged veteran of World War II he served with the US Coast Guard. For many years Mr. Blackwell was the beverage manager for the Otesaga Hotel in Cooperstown, retiring in the early 1990s. He moved to Richfield Springs in 1996 coming from Cooperstown. He was a member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars. Ken had a great sense of humor and was a familiar face around Richfield Springs to all the businesses where he would stop in to say hello and share a joke. He was happiest when he was surrounded by his friends and family especially his grandchildren and great grandchildren. He was a friend to many and will never be forgotten. Surviving him are eleven grandchildren; Dorothy Peters of Mohawk, Paul Holland of Richfield Springs, Matthew Iannotta, Jennifer Rood both of Little Falls, Diane Corter of NJ, Kelly Winslow of Richfield Springs, Kathy Thomson of CT, Kristine Thomson of East Springfield, Karen Thomson of Utica, Kenneth Thomson of CT, Michael Lowenstein of NJ, over thirty great-grandchildren, three brothers; Robert Blackwell of Tennessee, Donald Blackwell, Earle Blackwell both of MA, two sisters; Barbara DeSylvia of RI, Diane Dickenson of AZ, several nieces, nephews and cousins. Besides his parents and wife Dorothy he was preceded in death by his two daughters; Sharon Ann Kilts in 1996, Deborah Jean Thomson in 2000 and a grandson; Ricky Iannotta in 1990. A celebration of Kens life will be held on Saturday at 4:00 pm in J. Seaton McGrath Funeral Home, 40 West James Street, Richfield Springs. The family will be present to receive relatives and friends in the funeral home two hours prior to the service (2:00 to 4:00 pm). Memorial donations may be made the Richfield Springs Veterans Club. Envelopes will be available at the funeral home.