Kenneth Allan Wantuck

Kenneth Allan Wantuck, passed away on March 17, 2024 in The Villages, Florida, from complications involving sepsis. He was 87 years old.

Born in Dearborn, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit, Kenneth grew up in Miami, Florida, attended Miami Edison High School, and was the first in his family to graduate from college, University of Florida. While working in engineering in Baltimore, he pursued his post-graduate studies at George Washington University. He began his career with Westinghouse and then moved to Bendix. As Materials Manager for Bendix Corporation, his focus was to resolve inventory problems, to speed efficiency while improving quality. These concepts led him to study the Japanese approach to productivity for eight years in Japan before writing his textbook, Just-In-Time for America, still relevant and esteemed at business schools across the country.

Ken had many incredible gifts and talents; he was an artist on many levels. As a visual artist, he sketched cartoons for his high school and college newspapers, while creating more large-scale parade floats, championed by his UF fraternity Sigma Nu. His visionary costume creations for the annual Beaux Arts Ball in Miami garnered awards and usually a photo or two in the Miami Herald. His life-long passion for barbershop singing was sparked by attending a performance of the original Broadway production of Meredith Wilson’s The Music Man. He instantly sought out the S.P.E.B.S.Q.S.A. organization, held various positions including President of the Miami chapter, designed sets and costumes for seasonal S.P.E.B.S.Q.S.A. shows, and sang in quartets and choruses for over 60 years. His quartet also provided “Singing Valentines” to the Villages community.

Ken married his high school sweetheart, Josephine, in 1959, and together they raised two children, Christine and Michael. They divorced in 1986.

Ken was predeceased by his three younger brothers, Laurence, Donald and Thomas. He leaves behind family and friends from Miami, Detroit, Key Largo and The Villages. He is survived by his current spouse, Ginny; his son Michael; his daughter Christine and her husband Jason; and his grandchildren Marlon and Mia.

He is remembered for his intelligence, generosity, his infamous shaggy dog stories, and unwavering affection for a good joke. He will be missed.