Kenneth Rafoss Obituary, Death – After high school, Ken enlisted in the US Army and served with the 82nd Airborne Division for four years until his honorable discharge in November, 1983 as a Sergeant. Ken returned home to East Hartland and was accepted at the University of Hartford, College of Arts and Sciences where he studied biochemistry and chemistry. Ken was a gifted student, a voracious reader, and a lifelong learner. He loved helping other students and taught laboratory courses while at the University of Hartford.
While in high school, Ken met Kristen Carlson from Granby, CT and the young couple stayed in touch and continued dating while Ken was in the Army. After his time in the service, they got engaged and then married on October 13, 1984 at the Bethany Lutheran Brethren Church in East Hartland. Soon after, they started a family and were blessed with four children, Sigrid, Trygve, Toralf, and Tove.
While attending the University of Hartford, Ken started working with Classic Construction and later worked with his uncle Alfred Andersen and his cousin Steve Skaret.
He enjoyed installing and refinishing hardwood floors and as his family grew, he decided to continue working as a flooring contractor. Ken was very well-known throughout the Greater Hartford area for his meticulous attention to detail and his hard work. He had many loyal customers and at the time of his passing he had been in the flooring business for over 35 years. In his spare time, Ken enjoyed reading and was a real history buff. He especially enjoyed learning about World War II battles and events and was a lover of military history in general.
Ken had a great memory and was very well versed on a variety of topics and could hold a conversation with anyone. He loved taking an afternoon ride on his Victory or his Indian Motorcycles or spending time working on his home with his wife which they built together over the years. Every part of Ken’s house reflected his work and will be lasting legacy of his craftsmanship.
