Kenneth C. Lamppa

Kenneth Lamppa, age 68, a gifted musician, talented artist and "Jack Of All Trades" passed away on December 2, 2008 following a courageous battle with lung cancer. Ken grew up in Embarrass, MN After graduating from high school, he attended Virginia Junior College for 2 years and graduated from UMD in 1963 with an Art major and Music minor. Ken was an elementary art supervisor and junior high art teacher for 3 years for the Unity School District in Balsam Lake, Milltown and Centuria, Wisconsin. He taught art and music for one long year in a Detroit suburb, Trenton, MI. Returning to Minnesota, he married Betty Saari from Palo, MN in August 1967. Ken mostly taught art (but occasional general music classes and choirs) for 32 years at John Glenn Middle School in North St. Paul, MN. Betty and Ken made their home in White Bear Lake until 1999 when they moved to a lake home on Coon Lake, west of Forest Lake. While Ken was teaching, he spent most of his summers working on construction projects (decks, basement finishing, garages, room additions) for friends and others with another teacher from Gilbert, Jim Milanovich, or remodeling his own home. Following retirement, Ken has been workin...[more]

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art-time at Forest Productions in Maplewood building cabinets, entertainment centers, tables and mantles for clients. Ken's avocation and passion for the last 40 years had been vocal music pursuits in the Twin Cities area which began with the White Bear Area Community Chorus, then onto The Paul Kaye Singers (a chamber chorale), the Bach Society and the chamber group within the larger chorus, the Sebastian Singers, and the Minneapolis Vocal Consort. For over 40 years, Ken has been singing with a church choir, in White Bear Lake for many years and has most recently sang at Faith Lutheran Church in Forest Lake. He also sang with a community group in Chisago Lakes called Unexpected Company and also was a member of a barbershop quartet. He is survived by wife of 41 years, Betty; daughters, Kristin Lea (Dan) Lamppa and Karrie Lynn (Matt) Holz; grandchildren, Annikka Liisi and Maxwell Lamppa and William and Ryan Holz; brother, Harry (Joan) Lamppa; sister, Shirley Burton; sister-in-law, Darlene Lamppa; numerous nieces, nephews and many friends. A Musical Tribute to Ken's Life will be held at 1 PM Saturday, Dec. 6th at Faith Lutheran Church, 886 N. Shore Dr., Forest Lake 55025 with visitation beginning at 10 AM. Arrangements with Roberts Family Funeral Home, 555 Centennial Dr. SW, Forest Lake, MN 55025