Waldo County leader dies at 87 Kenneth Murch, former commissioner, remembered for thrift

UNITY – Dairy farmer and longtime Waldo County Commissioner Kenneth M. Murch has died.Murch, 87, who served as commissioner from 1971 through 1996, died unexpectedly at home on Tuesday.

He lived all his life in Unity and ran a farm in partnership with his brother Charles on the Albion Road.

He was known around town as a hardworking farmer, with a ready grin and cackling laugh. He continued to work around his place until his death.

Murch was involved in various aspects of rural farming, including logging, tree farming, ice cutting, tapping trees for maple syrup, milking, showing cattle at fairs and raising horses.

Stan Knox, who served as Waldo County sheriff throughout Murch’s term as commissioner and who filled his seat when Murch retired in 1996, described Murch as a fair-minded man who was a stickler for business. He recalled that Murch kept a keen eye on the county budget and always respected the county’s employees.

“He was always a personage you could talk with and was always willing to listen,” Knox said. “He was always concerned about the financial condition of the county and acted accordingly.”

Another former sheriff, John Ford, remembered Murch as a person who was not afraid to speak his mind on most issues. He said Murch had a “let the chips fall where they may” attitude about government service and served the county well.

“He was very opinionated, and that was good,” Ford said. “He looked out for the interests of the county. He was tight-fisted but was willing to spend when he had to. I always enjoyed working with him.”

Former state Sen. Mel Shute of Stockton Springs, who was elected county commissioner in 1984 and stepped down the same year as Murch, recalled Murch as an indefatigable man who continued to “hay in the summer and cut wood in the winter” long after his retirement. He said Murch, who served as commissioner chairman for years, took him aside to show him the ropes when Shute first was elected.

“He had the patience of Job and always did what he thought was best for the county,” Shute said.

Shute said Murch was deeply focused and managed his personal life as well as he did the affairs of the county. He recalled that during lunch breaks at county meetings, Murch would get on the phone and talk to his stockbroker. Shute said that no matter what the market was doing, as far as Murch was concerned, it was “either very, very bad or maybe a little bit good.”

“Ken was a great man. The 35 years I knew him I never heard him swear or get angry. If it was humanly possible he would make sure we had a unanimous vote on everything,” Shute said.

Murch was a 1934 graduate of Unity High School. He planned to attend college but because of the illness of his father, he remained at the farm. Over the years, the Murch brothers raised cattle, sheep, potatoes and corn. In addition to his terms as county commissioner, Murch served 13 years on the Unity Board of Selectmen.

Murch was predeceased by Ruth Perkins, his wife of 49 years; an infant daughter, Carol, in 1945; a brother, Carlton, in 1976; and a sister, Olive Ridlon, in 1997. He is survived by a daughter, Linda Wiggin, and her husband, Karl, of Benton; a son, Kenneth E. Murch, and his wife, Marilyn, of Windham; four grandchildren, two great-grandchildren, a sister-in-law and several nieces and nephews.

Services will be held Saturday at the Unity Center for the Performing Arts. Visiting hours will be from noon to 2 p.m.