Published in the April 15, 2019 edition.
DEBARY, Florida — Retired Wakefield Daily Item Editor Kendall M. Dolbeare, 95, of Debary, FL, died Friday, April 5.
Kendall was born on Dec. 18, 1923, the son of Cyrus and Pauline Dolbeare. He served as managing editor of the Daily Item for 20 years, taking over for Robert Reed in 1966. In total, Ken spent nearly 50 years at the paper, beginning when he was a high school student, working in many wide-ranging capacities.
His grandfather Harris founded the paper, and Kendall’s father Cyrus was affiliated with the Item for over 60 years and was named editor in 1938 after Harris died.
After graduating from Wakefield High in 1941, Kendall attended New Hampton School in New Hampshire, graduating in 1942. He saw three and half years active Army service in the South Pacific Theater during World War II.
After Kendall graduated from Nichols Junior College in 1947, he began working at the Item full-time in the mechanical department on linotype machines.
Kendall married Rita Mitchell on July 12, 1947.
Kendall, a longtime Lynnfield resident, also served his family’s paper as a writer, reporter, copy editor and assignment editor, learning all facets of the operation. He was later chosen to oversee all news gathering in Lynnfield when the Item open a branch there in 1956.
In addition to his newspaper responsibilities, Kendall also served as a representative of the Wakefield Item Company’s commercial printing division, the Item Press, at the main office on Albion Street.
In 1962, Kendall and his cousin Robert P. Dolbeare were named co-managers of the Wakefield Item Company by the board of directors.
Ken was a longtime active member in a number of community organizations, including the Golden Rule Lodge A.F. & A.M. of Masons and the Wakefield Lions Club. He was also a member o the Board of Investment of the old Wakefield Savings Bank.
When Kendall retired in May 1986 from the Daily Item, over 150 friends, local officials, relatives and Daily Item employees turned out to wish him well.
Following his retirement, Kendall moved to Green Valley, Arizona and eventually to Florida.
In addition to his wife Rita, Kendall is survived by his son Thomas and his wife Linda, two granddaughters, three great grandchildren and two great great grandchildren. Kendall and Rita’s son Scott passed away in 2004.
