Corvette Action Center Loses a Valued Member

[koolaid117]

RIP Ken. You will be missed.

Jim

 

[bosshogg]

Here such a short time, but touched so many...RIP

"What we do for ourselves, dies when we do, what we do for those around us and others is immortal" - Albert Pines

 

[JohnyH]

Sorry to hear about a great enthusiates passing, God speed!

http://www.corvetteobsession.com/KenStapelsCorvetteObsession.html

 

[Zixxer]

God speed my friend.

I never met him but I enjoyed his posts and website.

 

[Achilles]

Never had a chance to meet Ken, but was able to drool over his car at Irwindale Speedway one evening.

I wish I had met him though by all the nice things that are being said about him here...You know he did it right. RIP

 

[Tom]

Sad to hear, Rest In Peace Ken.

 

[Nut]

Over seven years I had the good fortune to have known Ken Stapel. Being another of the first few CAC members in the fall of October 2000, I began a friendship over the internet with what certainly seemed the ultimate Corvette enthusiast. Over the next few years as the CAC grew and events were held I met Ken in Bowling Green. You liked Ken right away. He had that infectious "car guy" energy and as all true car guys; had an opinion on everything. As luck would have it my company business took me to Southern California 2-3 times a year. This afforded me the opportunity to share a dinner with Ken and sometimes his brother Bill once or twice a year in Hermosa Beach. Hermosa Beach is a delightful seaside community and Ken's apartment was up on a hill but a mere few blocks from the beach and offered a great view of the Pacific Ocean that anyone would dream of.

Ken's apartment. It was like walking into the Library of Congress - Corvette wing. There was not so much as a sliver of free space on any shelf, bookcase, desk, coffee table, floor that wasn't filled with Corvette books, reports, magazines, CD's, DVD's, models, posters,...... the walls, his computer(S) all Corvette related. I can't begin to imagine what he actually had there; not to mention an enormous music collection as well. A collection that could easily be part of the NCM. And that car....... God did that man love that car.

I saw that car bone stock, stripped bare to the frame and in various stages of repair, upgrade and in operation. It was his love. No matter how sick I saw Ken over the last few years; and Ken truly kept that very close to the heart; when that car was running great Ken looked like a million dollars. I sometimes think for the longest time it was what kept Ken going as his health faded. In all the years I knew him he never let on once just how sick he had become. I think many of us that knew him basically knew those years at the refinerey had caught up with him.

Ken was one of the few people I could pick up a phone with; 24 hrs a day and know that he'd help you in any way he could. He loved the CAC and he loved just talking and interacting with everyone he met. As many have said he was truly one of a kind; and I was both privledged and proud to call him a personal friend.

Adios amigo.......... nut

 

[Vettelt193]

The World, both real and virtual, will never be the same without you Ken. RIP

 

[Remo]

God bless Ken and his family.

Remo

 

[Blade]

Why does God always take the good ones early?

:confused


Thanks for sending out an e-mail to all members... like others I don't drop by very often but always enjoyed having fun with Ken on these forums. He was a good sport and didn't mind our fun poking about his shaved head with the photochop pics.

 

[DkBG]

So long Ken . Glad to have known you . You were the most interesting person on the web . Cliff

 

[coastalrap]

RIP

My condolences to his family

 

[Hotwing]

May he cruze the streets of gold forever in peace.

 

[jim coulter]

A very sad day, our prayers are with his family.

 

[69vettester]

I Remember Ken, Read His Posts for years, He was always there helping make the C3 tech world a little easier.

 

[midyearvettes]

I am very sorry to hear of this. Ken will be missed and my condonences to his family. Mike

 

[code5coupe]

Godspeed, Ken.

Prayers sent for his friends and family.

Larry

 

[DIE4RED]

We will miss you

It’s very sad to learn Ken has passed.
I never met him, but I always enjoyed his posts.

I will keep him in my prayers.

Howard Straley

 

[timotheous]

Very sad to hear, condolences to his family.

 

[SPANISHVETTS]

Well, now I know why my last email went unanswered. This is truly a sad day.
<o> </o>
Ken both befriended and defended me, made me smile and made me think, gave advice and ask for information and above all stood firmly by his ideas of right and wrong regardless of the cost.
<o> </o>

<o></o>
‘Tis all a Checquer-board of Nights and Days
Where Destiny with Men for Pieces plays;
<o> </o>
Hither and thither moves, and mates and slays,
And one by one back in the Closet lays.

<o> </o>
Adiós Amigo