Kenneth Martin Maragni

Kenneth Martin Maragni was born in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn, and moved with his family to New Jersey at a young age, growing up primarily in Clark where he spent many hours working in his family’s deli and liquor store. He graduated from Arthur L. Johnson High School in Clark and Dayton University in Ohio where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Geology.

After graduating from college, Ken joined the Army as a First Lieutenant and was stationed at Fort Carson in Colorado Springs, CO. He had a great appreciation and love for the U.S. Military, serving proudly as an engineer for 3 years. He loved his country and was a proud American.

Ken was married to his wife, Janet, for 56 years and they had one son, Michael.

Ken was employed by Union Carbide in Bound Brook for 14 years where he worked in Sales and traveled to major corporations that worked with the innovative materials developed by Union Carbide used by NASA for missions into space.

During the 1980s he realized his dream of owning a business, opening a toy and hobby store in the Rockway Mall named after his son, “Michael’s Things For Fun”.

In 1989, he began a second career working with Kitchen Magic, and still holds the company record of over 4,000 kitchens sold. He appreciated the family atmosphere and the many friends he made during nearly 30 years with the company, retiring in 2018.

In 1986 Ken and his family moved to Tewksbury, New Jersey, where he lived for 35 years. He liked gardening, and especially liked when neighbors stopped to compliment his grass and beautiful landscaping.

Ken was an avid fan of the New York Yankees and the Dayton Flyers. He enjoyed many family trips to Bermuda and time spent at his parents’ summer home in the Pocono Mountains.

He loved animals, especially cats, and he adopted several over the years. People would often be surprised how the most skittish of cats would eventually end up sitting on his lap.

Ken adored his family and the many friends he made during his life, all of whom were special to him. His family is very appreciative for the support so many have shown over the past several months. He is survived by his wife, Janet, of Willow Spring, NC; son, Mike, of Raleigh, NC; sister, Lana, of Blackwood, NJ; brother, Marty, of Boca Raton, FL; nephew, Steven, of Sewell, NJ; niece, Susan, of Blackwood, NJ; and many dearly loved cousins. In lieu of flowers, the family would appreciate donations in Ken’s name to the Travis Manion Foundation or the Tunnels to Towers Foundation.