Kenneth
Kenneth Alden Stika
d. July 9, 2012
1948 ~ 2012
Ken joined the Navy shortly after his 17th birthday and served in Vietnam. He was a crewmember aboard both the U.S.S. Caliente and the U.S. S. Munsee. After his service, he worked as an auto mechanic, raced sports cars in southern California, and dredged for gold in northern California. He attended the Glen Fishback School of Photography in Sacramento and became an architectural photographer. He moved to Gresham, Oregon in 1978, where he met his wife Pat on a mountain top. Together they went to Alaska to fish for king crab out of Dutch Harbor. They moved to Utah in 1979 and Ken started building folk instruments such as mountain dulcimers, hammered dulcimers, bowed psalteries, hummels, and citterns. As interest in his instruments grew, he founded the Great Salt Lake Guitar Company in Provo and settled into guitar building. As a luthier, Ken's instruments had a reputation for their superb sound, fine craftsmanship, and aesthetic appeal. As a businessman, Ken was known for his fairness, compassion, and enthusiasm. He loved Mondays, and was passionate about his work. In 1988, he moved his business to its current location on Center Street in the old Bee Hardware Building. His son, Reo Stika, also a luthier, owns the business now. As a family man, Ken was a wonderful father and husband, and really came into his own once the grandchildren came along. He enjoyed hiking in southern Utah and knew the back roads and canyons of the San Rafael Swell very well. He and Pat survived a flash flood in Ding and Dang canyon in the summer of 2010. He was thrilled when he became a senior and got his lifetime National Parks pass. He loved observing the stars at night, watching meteor showers, and knew enough facts about the universe and cosmos to keep everyone mesmerized. He enjoyed cats and his kitty, Miss Muffet, misses him dearly. He was a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.
Ken was diagnosed with esophageal cancer in August of 2011 and lived well beyond his prognosis. His strong will and overwhelming sense of peace concerning the illness were a blessing to all around him. He made his goal of being here for the birth of his latest grandson just two weeks ago.
He is survived by his dad, Larry Stika; sons Lawrence and Benjamin Gibson from a previous marriage to Judy Ann Mayne; his wife, Pat; sons Josh (Laura) of Draper; Reo (Liz) of Provo; Casey (Kiara) of Orem; daughter Kelly Rose (David)of Springville; grandchildren Lucas, Mason, Jack, Noah, Jill, Clara, Rowan, Kai, Jesse, Benjamin, and Elliot. He was preceded in death by his mother, Donna Terrell; his father, Kenneth Miller and wife Lila Miller; his brothers Michael Stika and Darren Miller, and sister Lila Jo Miller.
Funeral services will be held Monday, July 16 at 10:30 am at the Center Street Chapel in Springville, 355 East Center Street. Friends and family may visit at 9 am prior to the service. Burial will be in the Springville Evergreen Cemetery with military rites. There will be a musical gathering and celebration of life that evening from 5-8pm at The Great Salt Lake Guitar Co., 362 West Center St., Provo.
Kenneth Alden Stika, founder of The Great Salt Lake Guitar Company, passed away Monday, July 9, 2012 in Springville. He was born in Manti, Utah, to Kenneth E. Miller and Donna Adelia Perkins on December 21, 1948 and was later adopted by Laurance Jay Stika. He married Patricia Lee Scholder on November 7, 1978 in Dutch Harbor, Alaska.
Ken joined the Navy shortly after his 17th birthday and served in Vietnam. He was a crewmember aboard both the U.S.S. Caliente and the U.S. S. Munsee. After his service, he worked as an auto mechanic, raced sports cars in southern California, and dredged for gold in northern California. He attended the Glen Fishback School of Photography in Sacramento and became an architectural photographer. He moved to Gresham, Oregon in 1978, where he met his wife Pat on a mountain top. Together they went to Alaska to fish for king crab out of Dutch Harbor. They moved to Utah in 1979 and Ken started building folk instruments such as mountain dulcimers, hammered dulcimers, bowed psalteries, hummels, and citterns. As interest in his instruments grew, he founded the Great Salt Lake Guitar Company in Provo and settled into guitar building. As a luthier, Ken's instruments had a reputation for their superb sound, fine craftsmanship, and aesthetic appeal. As a businessman, Ken was known for his fairness, compassion, and enthusiasm. He loved Mondays, and was passionate about his work. In 1988, he moved his business to its current location on Center Street in the old Bee Hardware Building. His son, Reo Stika, also a luthier, owns the business now. As a family man, Ken was a wonderful father and husband, and really came into his own once the grandchildren came along. He enjoyed hiking in southern Utah and knew the back roads and canyons of the San Rafael Swell very well. He and Pat survived a flash flood in Ding and Dang canyon in the summer of 2010. He was thrilled when he became a senior and got his lifetime National Parks pass. He loved observing the stars at night, watching meteor showers, and knew enough facts about the universe and cosmos to keep everyone mesmerized. He enjoyed cats and his kitty, Miss Muffet, misses him dearly. He was a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.
Ken was diagnosed with esophageal cancer in August of 2011 and lived well beyond his prognosis. His strong will and overwhelming sense of peace concerning the illness were a blessing to all around him. He made his goal of being here for the birth of his latest grandson just two weeks ago.
He is survived by his dad, Larry Stika; sons Lawrence and Benjamin Gibson from a previous marriage to Judy Ann Mayne; his wife, Pat; sons Josh (Laura) of Draper; Reo (Liz) of Provo; Casey (Kiara) of Orem; daughter Kelly Rose (David)of Springville; grandchildren Lucas, Mason, Jack, Noah, Jill, Clara, Rowan, Kai, Jesse, Benjamin, and Elliot. He was preceded in death by his mother, Donna Terrell; his father, Kenneth Miller and wife Lila Miller; his brothers Michael Stika and Darren Miller, and sister Lila Jo Miller.
Funeral services will be held Monday, July 16 at 10:30 am at the Center Street Chapel in Springville, 355 East Center Street. Friends and family may visit at 9 am prior to the service. Burial will be in the Springville Evergreen Cemetery with military rites. There will be a musical gathering and celebration of life that evening from 5-8pm at The Great Salt Lake Guitar Co., 362 West Center St., Provo.
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