RIP Ken Montanye -- the Rocket Doctor
 

So I've confirmed that Ken Montanye passed away after a long illness on January 17. Don't have much else to report. His sister Charlene handled the arrangements, and his long-time companion Vicky Peine has a Facebook page, but neither mention Ken's passing in public posts.

(Jeff Jenkins got a different date from speaking with Vicky. I’ve updated it above. )

I bought a few items from Ken over the years and he seemed like a really nice guy. I had the impression he was downsizing due to health concerns.
There is a short video of him talking about the resources of the local library:

https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.no...m/amp/319713002

Sad news. I bought a few things from him years ago - some Kruger kits and parts, an Alpha-1 Ballistic Missile set ( Pic attached ) and a few others. Also met him at NARAM 50, talked with him while prepping my 'Sky of Gold' Scout. For those who don't know, Ken, along with Carl, was behind the Sky of Gold celebration. Seemed like a really nice guy.

Yes, it is sad news and sorry we did not know sooner. I too picked up a few things from Ken some years back — probably about 10 years ago I guess— and my experience was the same. Very nice guy and very helpful.

As I seem to recall about that time, he was doing some research on an old (I think) Rection Motors, Inc. plant in the northeast somewhere. They made the motors for the X-15 rocket plane and Ken was trying to hunt down additional info and maybe even physical research at a former plant site, though I am not certain on that part.

Peace and rest to you Ken; May you be experiencing life and views beyond anything we can imagine or comprehend in this life.

Earl

Yes, very sad news indeed. Ken will be missed. I also had dealings with Ken Montanye. He was a very helpful and knowledgeable individual, who selflessly volunteered much of his time towards the preservation of history, including Rocketry and Model Rocket history. Ken contributed several Estes kit designs, including Baby Bertha, Converter, Deluxe Super Shot, Screaming MiMi, Estes No 2 Skywriter and the 36 D Squared. Ken worked tirelessly every month at the Butler, NJ History Museum. Ken had a vision of a permanent Model Rocketry History Museum exhibit, prior to the establishment of the Seattle Museum of Flight Model Rocketry exhibits and accessions.

Ken also was an expert on the history of Reaction Motors, Inc., the first successful American rocket company, founded December 18, 1941, within just two weeks from the bombing of Pearl Harbor, the event which thrust the United States into WWII. Ken collaborated with author Frank H. Winter, famed curator of the NASM in Washington, D.C., to help provide artifacts and details for the book entitled, "America's First Rocket Company: Reaction Motors, Inc.", published in 2017. The book is still available: https://www.amazon.com/Americas-Fir...n/dp/162410441X

Reaction Motors, Inc. went on to accomplish some of the most significant technological breakthroughs in American Aerospace history, paving the way to manned flights far beyond the speed of sound, the beginnings of manned flight into space, and development of the critically important vernier motors for the Surveyor spacecraft that became the first U.S. soft-landing craft on the surface of the moon. Ken had the only known remaining brick from the original Reaction Motors, Inc. test facility control room blockhouse in Franklin Lakes, NJ.

Ken sent me this Models in Motion video that his 4-H Model Rocket club did back in 1972 for the Hobby Industry Of America. According to Ken, the video was shown on TV four times and received a bronze award in competition featuring Model Rocketry:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EOqleJOZ_Ww
Ken can be seen in the video with blonde hair and wearing a green 4-H shirt launching model rockets. Ken Montanye was NAR #9803 SR.

May Ken Montanye rest in peace.

Kind regards,
Jeff Jenkins
aka: Faithwalker
NAR #46879 SR

Cool video. Thanks for pointing it out!

Yes, thanks for the link to the video. I have seen that at some point in the past, but I have no recollection how I got pointed to it. Maybe Ken sent it to me way back when.

Roy, do you by chance have a pointer to an obit for Ken? I did a search and found one for his mother who passed in June, 2015. But a search in Butler, NJ and NJ at large did not return anything for Ken himself. If you found one, can you post a link here (or anyone else who may have found one)?

Earl

I didn't know Ken all that well other than a few YORF conversations in the past on a few topics of interest. But it's always sad when somebody you interacted with, passes away. Especially an old-timer like Ken that's been in the hobby for over 50 years. My condolences to his family and friends.

His cousin said that his sister did not submit an obit. I have no idea why. She said the sister and the girlfriend (Vicky) were not on good terms; maybe that was a factor. I thought funeral homes at least summited a list to the local paper of services they had handled, but maybe not.

The Cost of Dying
 

It could be as simple as $$$.

In the last three years, I've had to write up and submit obituaries for my older brother and my mom. I don't recall what the out of pocket cost was exactly, but it wasn't cheap. Easily $200-300 each.

Some local funeral homes submit death notices and service time announcements to the newspapers, but around here obituaries cost extra. :eek: :(

Ok, thanks Roy. Obituary postings in newspapers and such have changed over the years and in many cases are very, very expensive to put in many newspapers. Many funeral homes do post 'something' about the services they handle, as you mentioned, but seemingly, not all. It is unfortunate that no obituary information was posted by the family.

Maybe our comments here and experiences with our interactions with him can, in some way, serve as that. If anyone has any additional experiences with Ken or know more about his professional life, please add that here if you are so moved.

Earl

Here's a photo of Ken at NARAM 50 with his 'Bacon Bits' Odd Roc.
I think this is one that he tried to get Estes to produce...

That may have been the basis for the Estes 'Pigasus' kit that was briefly listed on the Tower Hobbies/Great Planes website over a decade ago.

In one of Ken's posts he said he designed the Estes converter, which marketing released initially in a starter set, but the rocket in the set was named "Screw Machine" which Ken objected too, and was eventually dropped and the Converter kit was introduced using the same plastic screw couplers. I found that funny. It took years of searching, but based on his story I eventually found and got a "Screw Machine" rocket. RIP Ken.

Yes, that's the one.

As Roy noted, I was able to speak directly with Ken's long-time companion friend, Vicki Peine, today. Vicki confirmed that Ken Montanye died on Sunday, January 17, 2021. Vicki said that Ken had developed several health issues beginning in August 2020 and he continued to get worse. She said that Ken was moved to a care facility, but he continued to lose weight and he suffered from a number of things, including kidney and heart problems. Ken's final wishes were to be cremated. There was no funeral or memorial service. The family has been very quiet about his passing. Even the Butler Museum where Ken worked for such a long time did not know of his passing until much later afterwards. It is sad to see someone go like this.

Vicki did express her appreciation for all the kind words and sentiments expressed on here from the Model Rocket community in remembrance of Ken Montanye. If I find out more, I will attempt to provide an update.

Ken Montanye was 68 years old. His birthday was August 12, 1952.

Kind regards,
Jeff Jenkins
aka: Faithwalker
NAR #46879 SR

Thanks for that update. He was three days shy of being exactly a decade older than me.

Yes, sorry the family has been so quiet about his passing, but I guess they are allowed 'their ways' when it comes to something like this. But sad still.

Earl

I am so very sorry to hear Ken has passed.

My daughter, Emma, and I met Ken under the shuttle Enterprise at the Smithsonian's Udvar Hazy museum.

Emma and I took a day off from NARAM 50 and went to the Smithsonian. We were looking at the model rocket collection which was just adjacent to the port wing of the Enterprise. I happened to look over under the shuttle and noticed Vern and Gleda on a tour with Ken. Emma and I walked over, introduced ourselves, and then went to look at the (totally pathetic) model rocket display. It was frankly embarassing to be there with Vern and Gleda and see virtually no Estes items on display.

After that visit Ken started a movement to get Air and Space to display a better representation of their considerable collection of model rocketry artifacts. We communicated frequently about various approaches. The bottom line is that we were both totally appalled when they let us know they would be willing to display more items if we would purchase new display case(s) for which they charge $50,000 apiece. We were both just totally disgusted.

I honestly believe the creation of the National Model Rocketry Museum at a non-Smithsonian facility resulted from that very unfortunate attitude Ken and I experienced.

After that we communicated intermittently over the years to discuss some serious health issues. I was so very impressed with his ability to overcome very difficult changes. We also talked about a few models he did for Estes. The Skywriter pencil rocket was his design as was the 36 D Squared.

In 2015, when his mom passed, Ken lost the main storage area for most of his collection, so he sold off most of it.

Ken was a good friend.

I will miss him.

Cool. Wish I had known that, I might have taken better care of my Converter, which also rests in peace. I'll have to keep my eyes out for another one.

The post about the Srew Machine Kit is here:
https://www.oldrocketforum.com/show...610&postcount=1 and that links to his original post about it.

Today, I received a call from Ken Montanye's sister, Charlene. She provided an update similar to what has been shared already, but she explained that things had been difficult with Covid-19 and with Ken's long-term care needs. Charlene explained that she lives in NY and Ken lived in NJ, and the care facility where Ken was moved had limited visitation. She explained that Ken's last wishes were to keep things simple and low key, so she wanted to respect his wishes.

Charlene did send me a nice photo, along with her permission to share, of her brother, Ken Montanye's memorial urn, which she has. She is considering sharing a portion of Ken's ashes with some model rocket friends to launch into the sky with their model rockets as a fitting memorial to her brother. Charlene was very gracious to allow me the honor and privilege of praying with her to ask the Lord's comfort for her and for her family.

Kind regards,
Jeff Jenkins
aka: Faithwalker
NAR #46879 SR

I'm sorry to hear this, but enjoyed reading his content here over the years. COVID has caused difficulties for many who never even had the disease.

May he rest in peace.

Sandy.

Ken Montanye's sister, Charlene, sent me this photo today of her brother. She expressed her gratitude and thanks for everyone's kind thoughts and prayers for their family. She is also thankful for all the friends that Ken had on this forum. Rocketry and Model Rocketry were two of Ken's passions for which his family were glad that he was involved. Ken had developed diabetes when he was just 13 years old, so his parents were glad to see him excited and involved in Model Rocketry to take his mind off of the diabetes illness that he had. Ken was able to make several contributions to the Model Rocketry hobby over the years, which helped to provide enjoyment for many.

Kind regards,
Jeff Jenkins
aka: Faithwalker
NAR #46879 SR

Ken Montanye's LinkedIn page lists him, among other things, as an Independent Historian/Researcher for 51 years, from Jan. 1970 to Jan. 2021, of Reaction Motors Inc., "America's First Liquid Fueled Rocket Engine Company". They were the designers, developers and testers of the XLR ( Bell X-1 and the XLR-99, X-15 ) engines among others. Reaction Motors was the first to develop the regeneratively cooled rocket engine in Pompton Lakes, NJ.

Kind regards,
Jeff Jenkins
aka: Faithwalker
NAR #46879 SR