Kenneth Allen Larrabee

1942 - 2021

Born July 17, 1942, in Homestead, Pennsylvania, (Kenneth) Allen Larrabee spent his early childhood there enjoying friendships which became lifelong. At the age of seven, he moved with his parents and younger sister to Yarmouth, Maine, where he spent the rest of his formative years, attending Yarmouth Schools and fostering a love of playing classical music with weekly piano lessons. He graduated from Williams College, focusing heavily on the classical languages, and spent several years teaching Latin in private schools. His entrepreneur instincts moved him next to becoming a piano tuner, a career he loved for many years until hearing difficulties interfered. His next major move led him to the Massachusetts Department of Revenue, reviewing business returns, from which he retired and moved to Manchester NH.

His most-loved career, however, was his volunteer work after retirement with multiply-disabled children at the Crotched Mountain Rehabilitation Center (now closed), where he spent many hours on a weekly basis over several years reading to the students there and interacting with them to augment their social skills. He developed particular fondness for three students, with whose families he became close. In addition, he developed a strong friendship with a fellow worker in the field, who not only served as a friend but also assisted him in medical transportation. Manchester also marked an era in which he embraced the Buddhist faith, and he enjoyed many retreats at their local center, striving to live up to the standards of the faith.

In his final move, in 2018, he discovered a 'funky blue house' in Bath, Maine and bought it happily. He loved that quirky house - it suited him perfectly.

He passed away on June 21, 2021, and without doubt is already reading psalms to his three students, who predeceased him. He was inordinately proud of his two children, Lisa Larrabee of Greenbelt MD, who survive him, as does his sister Ann Jo (Mrs. Paul) Jackson of Gloucester MA and his dear friend Joan Larrabee of Haverhill MA, as well as several nieces and nephews with their parents. In addition, throughout his life, he maintained a close relationship with three families of maternal cousins; these family ties were very important to him and provided him with much support.

A memorial service including only extended family and close friends of Allen will be held on July 17, 2021, Allen's 79th birthday, at 11:00 AM at the Annisquam Village Church in Gloucester MA with a reception following at his sister's home. Interment will be with immediate family on July 20 at Mount Auburn Cemetery. Donations in his memory may be made to Aryaloka Buddhist Center, Inc., 14 Heartwood Circle, Newmarket NH 03857.