Ken was born on December 15, 1926 to Murwin and Ruth (Montgomery) Easley in Benton, Illinois, and attended schools in Illinois and Iowa. Ken graduated from Marshalltown, Iowa High School with the class of 1944 although he was on active duty with the U. S. Navy. Ken proudly served on a minesweeper in the Asiatic-Pacific theater until his discharge in 1946. After the war, he graduated from the University of Iowa in 1949 and started his career as an industrial engineer. After 15 years, he returned to school and received a law degree in 1968 from the Stetson College of Law in Florida. He practiced law in Florida until his retirement in 1991. Late in his career, he served as General Counsel for the Florida Department of Professional Regulation.
Ken was married to his beloved Betty (Chapman) Easley, a longtime state legislator in Florida from Pinellas County, who was later appointed to the Florida Public Service Commission where she served until she retired in 1993. After her death in 1994, following a long illness, Ken was blessed again in 1999 when he met and married Lois (Connie) Cook in Tallahassee, FL. for a loving and wonderful marriage.
While in a private law practice in Pinellas County, Florida, he served as the legislative delegation attorney, city attorney for Bellair Bluffs, town attorney for Bellair, general counsel for the Pinellas County Transit Authority, Republican State Committeeman and general counsel for several large corporations.
Ken and Connie spent their winters at their home in Tallahassee, FL, and their summers at their home on Beech Mountain, N.C. Ken had many interest and enjoyed golf, reading, genealogy, and his family. He also held a commercial pilot license. He is survived by his daughter, Kim VanHooser (Owen) of Eugene, OR and her son, Sean; step-daughters Virginia Johnson of Miami and her daughters, Mary and Rebecca; Cary Moore Kristensen (Richard) of Jupiter, FL and Kathy Lanier of Tampa, FL and her children, Cristin and Scott; stepsons, Michael Cook (Cindy) and Douglas Cook and stepdaughter, Kerry Cook.
A memorial service will be held at 11:00 AM Friday, April 27, 2018 at Faith Presbyterian Church, 2200 N Meridian Rd, Tallahassee, FL 32303.
In lieu of flowers, please make donations in memory of Ken to Faith Presbyterian Church in Tallahassee or Banner Elk Presbyterian Church in Banner Elk, N. C.
