BRUNSWICK – Kenneth Everett Wing, 88 died from a brief illness on July 4, 2025, at Mid Coast Maine Medical Center.

He was born on May 6, 1937, in Warsaw, N.Y. His parents were Lewis E. Wing and Laura Alice Elizabeth Wheaton Wing. He grew up on the family dairy farm at Pike Five Corners, N.Y. He graduated from Bliss High School unit of Letchworth Central School in 1954. Ken attended the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Cornell University graduating in 1958. He was a member of Alpha Zeta, the agricultural honorary fraternity. During his undergraduate program he spent a year in Sweden as an exchange student at the Royal Agricultural College in Uppsala. His studies were completed at Cornell receiving an M.Ed degree in 1960 and a PhD in 1966.

Ken spent 36 years working as a faculty member and administrator at three universities. First, at the University of Maine at Orono for 16 years, he served as a faculty member, Department Chair and Dean of the College of Life Sciences and Agriculture and Director of the Agriculture and Forestry Experiment Station. He was initiated into the Psi Chapter of Alpha Gamma Rho fraternity so he could serve as faculty advisor, a very rewarding experience. While at UMO he was granted a sabbatical leave to spend one year at Colorado State University in an academic administration internship program sponsored by the American Council on Education. He later moved back to Cornell University where he served as Associate Dean of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences for 10 years. His final university service was for 10 years as president of the State University of New York (SUNY) College of Agriculture and Technology at Cobleskill. He retired in 2002 and moved back to Maine, first living in Freeport and then in Brunswick.

He was predeceased by his parents; his wife of 49 years, Sharon; their daughter, Krista; and his older brother, LTC Richard L. Wing, USAF Retired.

He is survived by their son, Tim Trafton and his wife Kim, of Bozeman, Mont., their daughter, Debbie Stafford and her husband Ryan, of North Hampton, N.H.; grandchildren Boone and Eloise Trafton and Isabella and Grace Stafford; brother, Stephen L. Wing of Pike, N.Y., sister, Virginia W. Van Slyke of Pike, N.Y., sister, Beth L. Couch of Tucson, Ariz.; and many nieces and nephews.

Ken was a member of the Board of Directors of Bath-Brunswick respite care for several years. Respite Care provides adult day care programs for those with Alzheimer’s or related conditions and provides support groups for their caregivers. His wife, Sharon, participated in the adult day program five days a week for two years and he participated in the caregiver support group for many years. His service on the Board of Directors was his way of giving back to this important organization.

There will be no calling hours and no funeral service. His cremains will be buried in West Auburn Cemetery in Maine and in Elmwood Cemetery in Pike, N.Y. next to his wife and daughter in both cemeteries.

For those who wish, donations may be made to

Bath-Brunswick Respite Care

P.O. Box 668

Bath, ME 04530-0668