Kenneth C. "Ken" Klanicki

Kenneth C. “Ken” Klanicki, 79 of Valdosta, Georgia, passed away unexpectedly on Thursday, August 18, 2022. He was born on June 6, 1943 in Rochester, Pennsylvania to the late Chester J. and Maria Martanik Klanicki. Ken was a 1961 honors graduate of Aliquippa (PA) High school where he played 1st clarinet in the AHS marching band and was 1st chair oboist in the Concert band. He matriculated at the Ohio State University where he earned a B.Sc. degree in Psychology with a minor in Sociology in 1966.
His multiple careers began in 1967 with Brockway (PA) Glass Co. as a computer programmer and continued as a programmer at Univac Bristol (TN) and programmer-analyst with United Inter-Mountain Telephone Co. also in Bristol. Following a year as a substitute teacher at several Beaver County (PA) high schools, he began his journalistic career in 1971 with The News in Beaver County, PA. After winning several regional awards for news photography, he accepted a position as Staff Photographer with the Valdosta Daily Times in 1973. As Mr. Klanicki was fond of saying, the 70’s was a time when “Valdosta was still Valdosta”. At the Daily Times, he worked with chief photographer Robert C. Winter III who was, at the time, the best news photographer in the state of Georgia. Mr. Winter was not only a friend and colleague but was a self-effacing mentor who never failed to set the bar high when it came to which photographs met publication standards. During his tenure with the local paper, Mr. Klanicki learned what elements of news photography were essential to a meaningful career in news photography. While at the Daily Times, he was recognized six times by the Associated Press of Georgia for outstanding photojournalism for spot news, sports action and feature photography. In 1978 he joined the photo staff of The Florida Times-Union, based at the T-U’s Georgia Bureau in Valdosta. His territory extended from Thomasville to the west to Macon and Atlanta in the North to Savannah and Brunswick in the east and all to points in between. He was recognized by UPI of Florida for his spot news photography in 1981. His most noteworthy contribution to photojournalism was being the first credentialled news photographer to gain access with a still camera to a jury trial in a South Georgia courtroom. The venue was Cook County Superior Court in Adel, the year was 1980 and the presiding judge was the late Hon. H.W. Lott, one of the rare jurists in the Alapaha Judicial Circuit who was receptive to cameras in the courtroom.
His work life in photography included a four-year stint as Campus Photographer for the then Valdosta State College (1981-1985) and one year as chief news videographer for the defunct WVGA-TV, an ABC affiliate. After an up-and-down year of freelance photography, he was employed by Alert-Tech Systems in Valdosta as a salesperson and later as Central Station Manager. His gainful employment concluded with 17 years as a Residential Manager for Normal Life of Georgia, a social service agency which provides residential services for mentally challenged adults.
Mr. Klanicki is survived by a sister, Marilyn J. Lawton of Lakeland, FL; a niece, Jennifer Lawton of Lakeland, FL; nephew, Timothy Lawton of Polk County, FL; seven much-loved cousins stretching from Titusville, NJ to the Greater Pittsburgh area to Santa Rosa CA and Seattle as well as many 2nd and 3rd cousins in western Pennsylvania.
Per Mr. Klanicki’s wishes, no formal service arrangements will be made. His mortal remains are to be donated to The Anatomical Board of the State of Florida for research and educational purposes and to the Health Science Center at the University of Florida College of Medicine in Gainesville. Upon completion of the research, his remains will be cremated and scattered in the Gulf of Mexico. Memorial gifts in his name may be made to either Saint John the Evangelist Roman Catholic Church in Valdosta, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis, TN or St. Joseph’s Indian School in Chamberlain, SD.
The professional and caring staff at Music Funeral Services of Valdosta are honored to be in charge of Mr. Klanicki’s final arrangements.