MILFORD – Kenneth R. “Chicken” Gastia, 78, peacefully passed away Feb. 10, 2011, surrounded by his loving family. He was born May 16, 1932, in Old Town, son of Augustus and Ozilda (Michaud) Gastia.
Kenneth proudly served his country on the USS Valley Forge in the U.S. Navy during the Korean War. He was a life member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, Old Town Post 3381, where he was a two-time past post commander and post chaplain. Kenneth also served as the grand commander of Military Order of the Cooties, served as the chaplain for VFW Department of Maine and was a past member of American Legion, Orono. He worked for many years at the paper mill in Old Town and was a member of Local 80. After his retirement from the mill, he became a greeter at Wal-Mart, a position he held for more than 10 years. He was a faithful Catholic and a parishioner of Holy Family Church, Old Town. He also was a notary public and honored many couples through the gift of matrimony. Ken was a devoted family man who loved his children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren, and he enjoyed hunting, fishing and bowling.
Ken was predeceased by his parents; his brother, Norman Gastia; and his sister, Jeanne Lynch. Ken is survived by his beloved wife, Betty; nine children, Brenda Arnall and her husband, Robert, Ronald Gastia and his wife, Sherri, Kevin Gastia and his wife, Crystal, Michelle Crate and her husband, Doug, Rosalie Owens, Patty Patterson and her husband, Tom, Barbara Dunakin and her husband, Walter, Roberta Straka and her husband, Michael, and Elizabeth Newland and her husband, Maurice; 19 grandchildren, Andrew and Joseph Arnall, Dustin and Jason Underhill, Brandon, Daniel and McKayla Gastia, Adam and Matthew Bailey, Blake and Elizabeth Owens, Cory, Josh and Kenny Patterson, Madeline, Jeremy and Hal Dunakin, Michelle McEnany, and Aaron Newland; four great-grandchildren, Jayden Patterson, Isis Bailey, Dylan McEnany and Cassandra Knowles; brother, Robert Gastia and his wife, Barbara; brother-in-law, Timothy Lynch; many nieces and nephews.
Family and friends are invited to call 2-4 and 6-8 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 13, at Birmingham Funeral Home, 438 Main St., Old Town, where a short service will be held 6 p.m. by the members of VFW Old Town Post 3381. A Mass of Christian burial will be held 10 a.m. Monday at Holy Family Church, 429 Main St., Old Town. All are welcome to a luncheon after the service at the parish hall. Interment with full military honors will be held in the spring. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Kenneth’s name to LAVFW Homeless Veterans Project, care of Janice Gaskill, P.O. Box 66, Passadumkeag, ME 04475. Notes of condolences may be left at
www.birminghamfuneralhome.com.