Kenneth Parker “Doc” Mains, 90, a long-time Emlenton businessman and the husband of a United Methodist pastor, passed away Wednesday evening, December 3, 2014 at his home.
Ken was born in Boyers on April 13, 1924. He was the son of the late Charles Klahr and Blanche Parker Mains.
Ken attended Whitehall Elementary School and graduated from Emlenton High School in 1941.
As a young man he worked for Quaker State Oil Refining Corporation and then attended St. Bonaventure College.
For many years Ken made a living racing on the area’s dirt tracks many nights each week.
In 1956 he qualified for Daytona but had to withdraw due to the death of his father-in-law.
He joined the U.S. Marine Corp in 1942 serving during World War II and was honorably discharged as staff sergeant in 1946.
Mr. Mains owned and operated a garage and machine shop in Bradford until 1956 when he returned to Emlenton and returned to his prior employ at Quaker State Oil Refining Corporation.
Later Ken was employed by Mr. George Breen as the operations manager for Sports Pal Canoe Factory in Emlenton.
He along with his business partner, John Smith, operated J & K Enterprises on Main Street in Emlenton for many years.
Mr. Mains also owned and operated the Emlenton Laundromat and Car Wash for many years.
He was an avid motorcycle enthusiast starting with his first Indian and ending with his 1993 Harley Davidson which he reluctantly sold at the age of 84.
Ken was a skilled airplane modeler throughout his life and was a founding member of the Hilltop Flyers Modeling Club.
Doc was a talented golfer and loved golfing with his wife and buddies at the Foxburg Country Club which he joined in 1946.
He was a 50 year member of the Petrolia Masonic Lodge #363 in Oil City and the Consistory Valley of New Castle.
He was a long-time active member of the Emlenton United Methodist Ministry where he served on the board of trustees, the administrative council, and the planning committee when the new church on Kerr Avenue was built.
He was a member of the Emlenton Fire Dept. and was a faithful worker at the department’s annual Summer Festival and Strawberry Festival and was volunteering with his wife during this year’s festival.
He is survived by his wife, Denise Goans Warfield Mains, whom he married in May 2004.
Also surviving is a daughter, Melissa Fitzgerald and her friend, B.J. Page; a sister, JoAnn Wilde of Flagstaff, AZ; three step children, Brandon Warfield, Mitchell Warfield and his wife, April, and Amanda Matassa and her husband, Travis, all of Emlenton; three grandchildren, Matthew Slater and his wife, Candace, of Pittsburgh, Mark Slater of Seneca, Robert K. “Bobby” Sloan and his wife, Dawn, of East Brady; five step grandchildren, Alexander and Sebastian Warfield of Sligo, Thatcher and Cooper Matassa, and Jada Warfield, all of Emlenton; three great grandchildren, Dawson Sloan, Alexis Slater, and Laython Slater, and three step great grandchildren, Dakota, Jonathan, and Rylee.
He was preceded in death by his first wife, Wilma Sloan “Billie” Mains; a daughter, Patricia JoAnn “P.J.” Grimm, and a grandson, Brian E. Sloan.
Friends will be received at the Hile Funeral Home Inc., 1204 Kerr Ave., Emlenton from 2 – 4 and 7 – 9 p.m. Friday (today).
A funeral service will be held from the funeral home at 11:00 a.m. Saturday with the Rev. Kent O’Neil, pastor of the Emlenton United Methodist Church, officiating. Military honors will be accorded by the V.E.T.S. Honor Guard at the funeral home.
Interment will follow in the Emlenton Cemetery.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Emlenton Volunteer Fire Dept., PO Box 371, Emlenton, PA 16373.
For additional information or to send a condolence please visit www.hilefh.com.
