Master Sergeant Joseph Kenneth Desrosier, Usaf

MSgt. (Ret.) Joseph Kenneth DesRosier passed away on Fri, Oct 9, 2015, at home in Bradenton FL.

He was born Nov 15, 1924, in Tampa, FL. He is survived by his loving wife of 62 yrs, Lorraine Beville DesRosier. He is also survived by his sons and daughters-in-law, Kenneth and Pamela DesRosier, Joseph A. DesRosier and Dianne Charlton, and daughter Leslie DesRosier, brothers Roman, Charles, and Robert DesRosier, sister Patty Batchelor, 12 grandchildren, and 5 great-grandchildren.

Ken believed in hard work, but he knew how to play. As a high school sophomore, he enlisted in the Navy in 1942 and served in the South Pacific as a Navy Corpsman attached to the 1st Battalion, 10th Marines and the 2nd Marine Division. His ship was involved in battles at Saipan and Okinawa, and he was assigned to occupation duty at war's end, at Nagasaki, Japan.
In 1951, he enlisted in the Air Force and during the Korean conflict was assigned to the 98th Bomb Wing. During the Vietnam War he was assigned to a commando wing in Thailand along the Mekong River and near the Ho Chi Min Trail. He acquired over 25 medals, including the Bronze Star, in the three wars he participated in his career. He retired on Jan 1, 1968. During that time, he learned how to play a mean game of golf, and coached little league baseball.

To begin his second career, he attended the University of South Florida to finish a degree in Social Studies. A chance meeting with Wheeler Leeth led to him being hired to teach at Manatee High School. He taught there from 1969 to 1986, specializing in Sociology and Psychology, which gave him an excuse to play pranks on his students! He also coached the golf team for a time. A master of 'Spades' and Yahtzee, a scratch golfer, a prankster, Ken's family will always remember him for the twinkle in his eyes.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to Tidewell Hospice or The Lung Cancer Research Foundation.