Kenneth "Ken" E. Wertz

Kenneth “Ken” Wertz, 89, of Kent, passed away on Father’s Day June 21, 2020.

Ken was born in Wooster, Ohio to Earl and Glenna Wertz on December 7, 1930.  He graduated from Wooster High School in 1948. Ken then attended Kent State University graduating with Bachelors and Masters Degrees in Business Administration. While still attending college, he started his 43 year business career with Colonial Machine Co. in Kent as an accountant where he later became president. He was a CPA in the state of Ohio.

He was a long time member and past president of the Rotary Club of Kent, and a Paul Harris Fellow. He served on the board of Kentway and United Christian Ministries, and was a volunteer at the Kent Area Chamber of Commerce and a member of the Herrick Society at Kent State University. He found great enjoyment in travel and photography and visited 70 countries and all seven continents with his family. He presented many travelogues in the Kent area and at local libraries. He received Kent State University’s Business Administration Alumni Council’s Distinguished Alumni Award and was affiliated with Delta Sigma Pi and Beta Gamma Sigma.

He is survived by his wife, Nancy Wertz, and were married for 62 years, as well as son Eric Wertz.

Private graveside services were held at Standing Rock Cemetery.  A memorial service at the United Methodist Church in Kent will be held in the future.  In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Kent United Methodist Church, 1435 E. Main Street, Kent, OH 44240, where he was a 50 year member and served on many committees. Contributions can also be made to United Way of Portage County, 999 E Main St Suite 200, Ravenna, OH 44266 and the Kent Rotary Foundation, P.O. Box 6, Kent, OH 44240. Services in care of Bissler & Sons Funeral Home and Crematory, 628 West Main Street, Kent, OH 44240.