With Heavy Hearts...

The Kitchen Associates/Sterling Surfaces family has lost a dear co-worker and friend this week. Ken Graves passed away after a long illness. He will be dearly missed by all who knew him.

Ken started working at Kitchen Associates in September of 1986, just a couple of years out of high school. Ken was a hard worker and loved to learn. He learned to install kitchens. As Kitchen Associates expanded into the solid surface market, Ken became an expert at fabricating and installing Corian and other Solid Surface products. Ken was a key team member and instrumental in the formation of our Sterling Surfaces division. As our solid surface projects grew more complex, Ken would go on to learn the skills necessary to accomplish even the most complex of projects. Ken took great pride in his work, and because of his diligence, his installations set a standard we still strive to replicate to this day. Some of these jobs included complex showers, counters and the famous Grand Central Chair that Sterling Surfaces became famous for.

Ken continued to educate himself and became a self-taught “engineer”. He became very proficient at CAD drawing and SolidWorks component modeling. Not only did he do all of that, but he also managed and grew our Sterling Surfaces O.E.M. accounts, which continue to produce products for companies throughout the country.

In addition to Ken’s secular life, he was also a man of great faith in his Creator, Jehovah God and the ransom sacrifice of Jesus Christ. This faith was evident in how he used much of his spare time and talents, volunteering to help build houses of worship and unselfishly helping people who needed assistance with a project on their home. Ken and his wife Kelli were generous, hospitable people, always entertaining their friends. 

Many of us became close to Ken and Kelli. They traveled with family and friends quite often. Ken was often found on the golf course with his buddies and quite often you would hear his voice belting out a song or two during karaoke!

Ken will be dearly missed by his beloved wife Kelli, his son Zak, and daughter Jordiana, along with his family and many friends.