Obituary: Kenneth John Edward Cassell (Dec. 26, 1940 – Nov. 3, 2026)

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Kenneth John Edward Cassell, age 85, of Juneau, Alaska, died peacefully on Nov. 3, 2026, surrounded by his family and in the home he built on Thane Road.

Ken was born on Dec. 26, 1940, in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, and adopted by Max Cassell and Ida Barnett after which the family moved to Oklahoma. After graduation from high school in Miami, Oklahoma, Ken joined the Navy, trained as a pattern maker, and served aboard the USS Hector, a fleet repair ship, during the Vietnam War. Before he left the Navy in 1966, he met his future bride in Long Beach, California. Ken and Virginia DeCamp (“DeCee”) Wilson married in January 1968, and she remained the love of his life. They moved to Alaska in 1970 and continued their teaching careers with the Juneau School District.

In May of 1973 they had their first child, Wes, and began plans for building their new home on Thane Road where the family has lived from 1975 to the present day. In 1980 their dream of a larger family became a reality with the adoption of Soraida Virginia (“Zorrie”) and Jonathan Julio, brother and sister, from Bogotá, Colombia.

In addition to teaching, throughout his time in Alaska, Ken continued his military career in the Naval Reserve, attached to the local Coast Guard command as a Warrant Officer IV, and retiring in 1985.

Ken’s primary interests in life were his family, teaching, home building, the stock market, and the Boy Scouts. In Juneau, he served as Cub Scout and Boy Scout Master and was on the Executive Board for the Southeast Alaska Boy Scouts for 20 years; specializing in construction, property and investment management. In 1992, he was honored with the Scout’s prestigious Silver Beaver Award.

Ken and DeCee were married for 44 years, with DeCee preceding him in death in 2013. Ken is survived by his children, Julio, Wes and daughter-in-law Robin Cassell, Zorrie and son-in-law Erdem Dirik, and brother-in-law Wesley (Randy) and wife Felicity (Lisa) Wilson. He also leaves behind his beloved grandchildren: Hannah, Nicolas, Christian, Paige, Tyler, Drew, Lily, and first great grandchild, Finn. His family will carry his memory forward through the lessons, stories, and love he gave so generously. A Celebration of Life will be planned for a future spring 2027 date.