The Reverend Kenneth LaFleur, gifted preacher, pastor, and parish minister, talented musician and teacher of history, died in the care of Gosnell Hospice in Scarborough, Maine, on 5 December 2015, aged 81.
The Rev. Mr. LaFleur earned particular praise for his thirteen-year healing pastorate at First Parish Church (the “Old Ship Church”) in Hingham (Mass). The Rev. Ken Read-Brown, Old Ship Church’s current minister (as of 2017), spoke of his predecessor’s tenure there as a time of healing and strengthening for our congregation, “[He was] one of the finest preachers in our or any denomination, and even more importantly, he was a fine, good, and gentle man.“
Kenneth Gordon LaFleur was born in Waterville, Maine, on 14 December 1933, son of Daniel LaFleur and Louise Pelletier LaFleur, and grandson of the Rev. Isaac LaFleur. He was valedictorian of his 1951 high-school graduating class. Musical talent and church life were significant parts of Kenneth’s young life. In his high school years, starting at age 15, he served as a church organist in Waterville, and after graduation, began his church career at age 19 with summer ministries at nearby Maine churches.
Without any formal study, Mr. LaFleur was ordained in 1954, at age 21 by the First Parish Unitarian Church (now UU) of Castine, Maine, where he served until 1958 and then again for one year in 1961. In between (1958-60) he was minister to the First Parish in Northborough, Mass. He finally received a B.A. from the University of Maine and his B.D. from Bangor Theological Seminary, both in 1961. He moved on to First Parish in Wayland, Mass (1962-69) and then to a yoked ministry with the First Universalist Churches of Norway and South Paris, Maine (1970-72), while earning an M.A from Brandeis University in 1970. In 1972 he was called to First Parish (UU) in Hingham, Mass, where he served until 1985 and was named Minister Emeritus.
In retiring back to Maine, Ken served as the organist of two nearby churches, helped found the AIDS support group of central Maine, wrote a weekly column for Waterville’s Morning Sentinel newspaper, and served as part-time minister to All Souls Universalist Church of Oakland, Maine. Although he had requested no formal memorial service, a celebration of life was held on Saturday, June 18, 2016, at the Friends Meeting House in East Vassalboro.
Ken outlived all six of his siblings. He is survived by his beloved wife of 54 years, Helen Myrick LaFleur, daughter Margaret LaFleur Asadoorian, sister-in-law Deborah Myrick Martin, several nieces and nephews, and many other family and friends. Notes of condolences may be sent to Helen LaFleur, P.O. Box 110, East Vassalboro, Maine 04935.