Ken Elias  kelias@prodigy.net

Bio

Born May 15, 1946 in Los Angeles, California.

 

Showed some musical talent at age five, but little discipline for study. None was imposed.  Uneventful childhood until age eleven, when I contracted ulcerative colitis, which  lasted for three years until ileostomy surgery.

 

Attended U.S.C. School of Music from 1964-1966. Dropped out to pursue the hippie life.

 

Moved into Synanon community in 1967. Married Phyllis Shacter in 1969.  Daughter Erica  born in 1971.  Many adventures in twenty-five years of living in community.  Sarah Shena and I became life partners in 1985.  Synanon folded in 1992,  and Sarah and I moved to Three Rivers.

 

Learned many interesting and useful skills in world of work: Plumbing, electrical, refrigeration, carpentry, computer programming,  PC hardware and software installation and support.

 

After Synanon, I ran my own business for three years making no money.  Then worked for Pacific Bell/SBC/AT&T/IBM for twelve years as a desktop services technician for employees’ computers before retiring in 2007.

 

Since then I’ve become very involved in the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Visalia, CA.  I’m a member, and the volunteer choir director and musician.

 

Currently serve on the board of the Arts Alliance of Three Rivers as treasurer.

 

With friends Bill and Anne Haxton Sarah and I host an annual event called the Three Rivers Concert on the Grass.