Kenneth H. Rattenbury

Kenneth Harrison Rattenbury, 85, of Cocoa Beach, FL departed this life on January 1, 2013. "Ken" was born to the late Alice Philomena Rattenbury and John Francis Rattenbury on March 15, 1927, in the Bronx, NY. He is survived by his lovely wife of 64 years, Janet Elaine (Baxter) Rattenbury. After graduating from Lakeview High School in Chicago, IL, Ken served in the US Army as a medic. He attended Wright Junior College and graduated with a Masters Degree in Chemistry from Bradley University. He later earned his MBA from the University of Missouri. His career involved research and development of organic chemical products. Ken worked for Victor Chemical Co., of Chicago and then Chemagro Corporation in Kansas City, MO, where he was Vice Chairman of the American Chemical Society. In 1965 he became Vice President of Weston Chemical Company in Morgantown, WV, continuing to work in research and development. Borg Warner acquired Weston in 1975, moving Ken and his family to Parkersburg, WV. During his career, he was awarded 70 patents. In 1989, Ken retired as Export Manager from General Electric who had acquired the plastics division of Borg Warner Chemicals. Ken was the proud father of Kenneth (Debby) Rattenbury, Jr., Dana Rattenbury, Gwen (Paul) Paxman, Thomas (Mary) Rattenbury, Nancy (Robert) Kellar, Barbara (Mark) Epling and Elizabeth Rattenbury. He is survived by his grandchildren Jack Rattenbury, Ethan Selvig, Sarah Selvig, Thomas Paxman, Jordan Rattenbury, Evan Rattenbury, Michael Rattenbury, Erin Kellar and Amy Kellar. His is also survived by his brother Robert Bruce Rattenbury, sisters Margaret Rattenbury Tucker and Elsie Rattenbury. He was preceded in death by his sister Alice Anne Spartz, brother, John ""Jack"" Rattenbury and granddaughter Kathryn Rattenbury. Ken belonged to many civic organizations in the cities where he and his family lived, was a Cub Scout leader, worked with the children's swim teams and held memberships in many social organizations. Ken was an avid story teller, golfer and loved to play his ukulele. He was Commodore of the Cocoa Beach Boating Club, played golf in several of the leagues at the Cocoa Beach Country Club, and he and Janet belonged to the Navy League. Ken belonged to the Harbor City Harmonizers Barbershop Chorus and sang in the choir at the Church of Our Saviors. A Mass of Christian Burial will held at 10:30am Saturday, March 16, 2013 at Church of Our Saviour Catholic Church in Cocoa Beach. In lieu of flowers, please consider donations to your favorite charity or the Hospice of St. Francis, or Vitas Hospice Care.