RIP Ken Pfrenger

lklawson

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My good friend Ken Pfrenger died yesterday.

He was 1 year older than I am, birthday late May, like me. They think it was a heart attack.

When I first started studying Western Martial Arts, including old style Pugilism & Wrestling, I first reached out to Ken. Did a lot of good training with him. He literally just finished coauthoring a book now being published about Celtic martial arts.

It sucks. OTOH, his widow is insisting that she (and he) doesn't want "condolences" or prayers. "He was way too real for that" she says. And, truthfully, he would DEFINITELY have wanted an old style Irish Wake complete with people getting blitzed and at least one fight breaking out.

Maybe it was the last year of ISMAC (International Swordfighting and Martial Arts Convention). I don't remember. What I DO remember was (I gave him a ride to and fro) I drove south and then hit I-70. The interchange was laid out a bit confusing and I ended up going West on 70 and still chatting & shooting the bull. Yeah. We hit Indiana before I realized I'd been driving almost a hour in the wrong direction. Ken and I laughed about it for the next 5 hours till we got to his place and told jokes about it for years after. I forgot to call & tell She Who Must Be Obeyed that I was getting home much later than I'd told her I probably would and caught hell for it.

I can still hear Ken laughing.
smile.gif


Peace favor your sword,
Kirk
 

Tony Dismukes

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I only met Ken the one time, but he seemed like a really cool guy and a knowledgeable martial artist.

2016 seems to be turning out to be a sucky year for people dying too young. The day before I saw the news about Ken show up on my Facebook page I got the word that one of my friends and training partners had died in his sleep. Only 33 years old. I hadn't seen him for a few months and had just thought to myself that I should give him a call and see if he wanted to get together and train.

Appreciate your friends and loved ones while you have them, folks.
 

Buka

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I'm so sorry for your loss, Kirk.

R.I.P.
 
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lklawson

lklawson

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I spoke with his Widow last night. She wants to have a unofficial send off for his "real friends," after the "memorial" for his family.

He was scheduled to teach at CombatCon in just about a month from now. They're planning on having a Wake for him there. I've been asked to come to his Wake there and to fill in for some of his classes but I just don't have the travel budget for it. Maybe something will come through.

Peace favor your sword,
Kirk
 

Langenschwert

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Ken was the real deal. His passing is a great loss to the martial arts community. I'm sorry you lost a friend, Kirk. I'm also sorry I never got to meet him. He was scheduled to do a workshop up here a couple of years back but couldn't make it. No one is promised tomorrow. His contributions speak for themselves. We should all aspire to a reputation such as his.
 

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