Kenneth Dale Claborn

Kenneth Dale Claborn, age 89, passed away peacefully at his home in The Villages, Florida on Christmas Eve, December 24th, after a long battle with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).  He was surrounded by his three oldest children as he entered his "sleep in heavenly peace." Ken was pre-deceased by his wife of 45 years, Lorraine.  He is survived by six children; David W. Claborn (Elizabeth) of Marion, OH; George Claborn (Judy) of Amherst, NH; Janice Umetin (Ron) of Havre de Grace, MD; David B. Claborn of Bel Air, MD; James Claborn (Meredith) of Stevenson, MD; and Doug Claborn (Marlene) of Glen Rock, PA.  Also surviving are 12 grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. Ken was born June 30, 1924 in Texline, Texas to Leonard and Oleta (Stauffer) Claborn.  He spent his youth in Sterley, Texas often working with his father on the steam engines of the Fort Worth and Denver Railroad, developing a life-long love of railroading.  He served in the U.S. Army Medical Corps from 1943 to 1946, landing on Omaha Beach during the U.S. invasion of France. Following his service in World War II, Ken returned home to pursue a degree in electrical engineering at the University of Colorado where he met his first wife, Margaret Warren of Maplewood, NJ.  The couple moved to Dallas, TX where Ken worked at Chance Vought Aircraft.  Shortly after the birth of his first son, David, the family moved to Towson, Maryland, where Ken began his life's work designing antennas with Bendix Radio.  Among his accomplishments were antennas used on Patriot missiles and Gemini and other NASA spacecraft. After his retirement from Bendix, Ken and Lorraine enjoyed the country life and bluegrass music on their gentleman's farm in Parkton, Maryland.  In 1992, they moved to a waterfront home in Perryville, Maryland, and in 2002, to their home in The Villages, Florida.  Ken and Lorraine were Sunday Chapel Service volunteers at the VA hospital in Perry Point, MD and volunteered at the Cecil County Domestic Violence Center in Elkton, MD.  Utilizing his many mechanical talents, Ken became the shelter's volunteer handyman.  He loved working with wood and over the years made hundreds of toys for disadvantaged children. In lieu of flowers, Ken requested donations be made to the Cecil County Domestic Violence Shelter in care of Lee A. Patterson & Son Funeral Home, P.A., P.O. Box 766, Perryville, MD 21903-0766. A memorial service will be held Saturday, January 11, 2014, 11 AM, at the Lee A. Patterson & Son Funeral Home, P.A., 1493 Clayton St., Perryville, MD.  Rev. John Richardson will officiate.