Kenneth C Maetzold

MAETZOLD, KENNETH C. Ken Maetzold will be best known as a Scoutmaster. He has left a legacy of scouting adventures with Boy Scout Troop 199 of the Denver Area Council where he was the Scoutmaster for 50 years. He started with 8 scouts in '53, and retired as SM with a troop of nearly 60 Scouts in '03, with a 50-year total of over 600 Scouts, including 80 Eagles Scouts. His Troop is still best known as the high adventure troop of the DAC, with a fantastic outdoor program of camping, backpacking, canoeing, skiing, cycling, rafting and more. Ken has received 45 50-miler awards for the backpacking and canoeing adventures in his troop. The troop is sponsored by St. Johns Lutheran Church at Washington Park, Denver, and continues the legacy left by Scoutmaster Ken with many of the traditions established with the troop over the years. Some of Ken's recognitions as a 50-year Scoutmaster include the Lamb Award (Lutheran Church), the Silver Beaver Award, two District Scoutmaster of the Year awards, Silver Acorn Award, 7-Everyday Hero from Channel 7, and the Scoutmaster Award of Merit from the President of the BSA and National Eagle Scout Association. Ken was given a Scoutmaster Emeritus status at a special 50-year Celebration by his troop in June, 2003, as well as a letter and autographed picture from President Bush. Ken was born on November 19, 1927, in North Dakota, growing up in the depression years of the 30's on a farm near Devils Lake. His earlier school years were at a country school, where he and his brother hitched up Billy, their Shetland pony, to a cart to travel to school in the spring and fall months; winter months were usually by a covered sleigh pulled by a team of horses. He graduated from Crary High School with a class of 9 in 1945, and started college that fall in the Architectural Dept. of North Dakota State University in Fargo. He was drafted into the U.S. Army in 1946, and served with the 88th Infantry Division of the occupation forces in Gorizia, Italy being discharged in '47. He then returned to college, graduating with a Bachelor of Architectural degree from NDSU in 1951. Ken returned to Denver in 1953, having spent 4 summers here during his college years, working at the Bureau of Reclamation. After employment with 4 different architectural firms, Ken received his architect's license, and opened his own office in 1961. His small office did a variety of work, but he was best known as a church architect, designing a number of churches and related school projects in the Denver area, as well as Boulder and Longmont. His buildings included multi-housing developments in Denver, as well as in Texas, Arizona and New Mexico. Ken closed his office in 1988. Ken was also an avid skier, claiming he first learned to ski on the manure pile behind the barn on the farm in North Dakota. Ken was a ski patroller on the Breckenridge National Ski patrol for 8 years, where he was also the Junior Ski Patrol leader and maintained a lifetime membership in the National Ski Patrol. Ken was never married. He devoted much of his life to the scout program of his troop, as well as to his church and community, where he was well known, and had many friends. He published a book in 2003, "Adventures of 199," with stories and pictures about his 50 years as Scoutmaster, and of Troop 199's active outdoor program, giving it to past scouts, BSA leaders, and friends. He was also known for his creative and inspirational poems and writings known as KensPens, combined with his photographic pictures in nature. He always kept in touch with many, including past Scouts, and was known to have a Christmas card mailing list of well over 400. He is survived by his brother Richard and wife Ilean, many nieces and nephews and hundreds of Scouts he could call his family. Viewing/Visitation, Monday, 5-7 PM and Tuesday, 9-11 AM both at St. John's Lutheran Church, 700 So. Franklin St. Graveside Service, Tuesday, 12 Noon, at Fairmount Cemetery, 430 So. Quebec St. Memorial Celebration, Tuesday, 7 PM, with Reception beginning at 5 PM, both at St. John's Lutheran Church. Memorial contributions may be given to the charity of your choice or to the "Special-K Fund" set up by Ken on his 50-year retirement for Troop 199. This fund helps needy Scouts who would otherwise not be able to enjoy fun and adventure of the BSA in Troop 199, and helps sponsor an Eagle Scholarship Fund for college-bound Eagle Scouts in the troop. Ken would want this fund and BSA-199 to go on forever serving the youth of America. Checks can be written to BSA Troop 199 directed to this fund.