Joe Klenk, received a Lifetime Achievement Award through Maine Health Care Association’s Remember Me program at the Augusta Civic Center June 1. Klenk, a resident of Enclave of Scarborough, and several others across the state of Maine were given this prestigious honor to recognize them for their service to their country and their communities.

Joe was born on April 4th, 1927 in Meriden, Connecticut. He was one of five children. His mother led a team of Red Cross volunteers during World War II. His father was the music director at the Catholic Church in Meriden. Joe started working at a young age to help his family selling papers and working at the International Silver Company in High School. He loves football and has been a loyal New York Giants fan since his youth and was the quarterback on the Meriden High School team, graduating in May 1944.

He signed up for the Army at the end of high school and was accepted into the US Army Specialized Training Program and assigned to UMaine. He was reassigned to Norwich Military University in January 1945 after his company left to go to the Battle of the Bulge. Joe was actually pulled off the bus in Orono as he was only 17 years old and was discharged in August 1945 at the end of the war. As a civilian, Joe returned to study at the University of Maine. In 1948, the president of the university approached Joe and a few friends to start a new fraternity with no Sigma Phi Epsilon. Joe was offered the presidency of the new frat, but he suggested that his friend Doug take it the first year as he was older, and it would look good on his resume. Joe became the Vice President and was elected President the second year. He met his wife Sydney his senior year when she was a freshman. He said he knew he was going to marry her when he first met her. After Joe’s graduation, Sydney said he needed to get a job before they could marry. He went to Boston to the Salada Tea company. He asked to meet the sales manager and sat waiting for him from 9am until the end of the day. The Sales Manager did not meet him that day, but he got his contact info and called Joe later at home. Joe’s persistence paid off and he was offered a sales territory in northern Massachusetts. With job concerns settled, Joe and Sydney were married on August 19, 1950 until her passing 71 years later. They settled in Cape Elizabeth Maine where they raised their family of seven children. Joe was very involved with the community. As one of the founders of St. Alban’s Episcopal church, he served on the church vestry and became Senior Warden. His career was mostly advertising, and public relations and Joe absolutely loved it and with this, did a lot of volunteering for the Red Cross and public schools. Joe worked in sales and landed a job as Advertising Manager at Hannaford Brothers. One of his proudest accomplishments was the “Brand Names Award”, a national award that honored a year’s worth of work documented in a portfolio.

Joe joined the South Portland Board of Industry and was on the Board when a pig farm in South Portland was purchased to become the site of the Maine Mall.

Joe also became a member of the Portland Ad Club and was president of the Club from 1966-67. He was even honored as a past president by the Ad Club, now rebranded as MADE, (Maine Ad and Design). While at Hannaford he was awarded the national Printer’s Ink Silver Medal Award established by the American Advertising Federation to recognize those who have made outstanding contributions to advertising. He left Hannaford Bros. to become Vice President of Donnelly Outdoor Advertising for Northern New England. He loved meeting people, and this made him very successful in this position. When the Garden Clubs of Maine sponsored successful legislation to outlaw billboards in the late 1970’s, Joe and Sydney looked at purchasing a business of their own. He was offered a management position in another state with the billboard company, but Maine was their home.

In 1979, they decided to purchase The Pines Motel in Boothbay Harbor where Sydney had summered in her youth. This was with zero experience in the motel industry, but they figured out the tourist trade and Joe’s gregarious personality helped to make it a success.

He became involved as a member of the Boothbay Harbor Chamber of Commerce, also serving as President of the Chamber and helped to promote the region as a prime vacation spot. He loved helping guests plan a unique day of fun, adventure and great food. They ran the Pines Motel successfully for 12 years and with their wonderful hospitality, developed long lasting friendships with many returning guests. They sold the motel in 1991 and started a second successful business, purchasing a Victorian-style home which they renovated into a seven-room bed and breakfast, the Hodgdon Island Inn, in the Boothbay area. Former motel guests came enjoy the inn in its smaller more intimate setting.

Upon retirement in 1999, they moved to a Blueberry Cove condo in Yarmouth. Joe became involved in the association (as predicted) and served as a Director on the board. Joe and Sydney loved traveling and have been to all 7 continents and all oceans even stepping foot on Antarctica. Joe would say his tremendous family is one of his proudest accomplishments. He and his wife had 7 children all having attained their master’s degrees, with 7 in-laws, 15 grandchildren and 15 great-children. His children would say his encouraging and positive spirit has helped them through many of life’s challenges. The best thing about Joe is that he befriends just about anyone and makes others feel good, from his family to new strangers. He has a sense of humble pride and leadership has made him a well-respected individual from his extended loving family, two successful businesses, and friendships too numerous to count – certainly describe a life of real achievement to be celebrated. Today, Joe resides at the Enclave of Scarborough. He enjoys his fellow residents and participates in the activities of his choosing. He always has a smile on his face and is an absolute gentleman. His best piece of advice is “Never ever complain. This way you’ll always make the most of anything.”

Copy the Story Link

Comments are not available on this story.