Ken was born June 14, 1950 to Betty and Herbert Bargteil in Baltimore. He distinguished himself academically as a young man by earning entry into the city’s advanced course program followed by a scholarship to Duke University. An enterprising spirit, Ken sold sandwiches and beer out of his dorm room to earn airfare to visit his parents during weekends.
Known for his prodigious accomplishments as a customs broker, Ken began his career as a messenger for a small customs brokerage and freight forwarder in Baltimore before joining Kuehne+Nagel as an import manager. He advanced to the position of corporate vice president, which he held for 34 years until his retirement in 2015.
Ken was also a former chairman of the customs committee of the National Customs Brokers & Forwarders Association of America, serving for an unprecedented term of 10 years. During his tenure, Ken prioritized giving everyone an opportunity to voice their ideas, offering to make time to speak after meetings if members had concerns outside the meeting agenda. He worked to protect the small family broker while representing one of the largest freight forwarders, and he was dedicated to expanding the customs brokerage industry through his mentorship and leadership as chairman of the NCBFAA Educational Institute. In 2013 he was awarded the NCBFAA’s highest honor, the Centurion award. His friend and former president of the NCBFAA, Kiko Zuniga, remembers him as a “very dedicated and kind person” who was admired for his professionalism and focus, and counts appointing Ken as chairman as “one of the best decisions [he] made” as president.
Besides his many professional accomplishments, Ken was an avid home chef and story-teller, and often shared his love by cooking large family meals and reading books or making up long serial stories for his children. He deeply loved his family and worked hard to provide his family with all the opportunities they could wish for. He loved art, music, and travel, and in 2017 fulfilled a long-held dream of traveling the Mediterranean. In his retirement he dedicated many hours to studying mathematics and physics to develop his lifelong fascination with the nature of the universe, while also tending his garden and developing an interest in birdwatching at home. He was a deeply curious man who fostered appreciation for beauty and a critical eye for art and argument in those fortunate to know him.
Ken is preceded in death by his parents and his brother Jeffrey and ex-wife Astrid. Ken is survived by his four children, Adam (wife, Laura), Sara (husband Adam Valuckas), Tara (Estes), and Dylan (wife, Colleen), and his ex-wife, Mary, who worked tirelessly to secure his health and care at the end of his life. He is also survived by four grandchildren: Emilia, Nolan, Betty Lou, and Lily.
The family will hold shiva in the family home at 405 Red Birch Road, Millersville, MD 21108 on Thursday and Friday (March 17 and March 18) from 3:00 – 8:00 PM. Friends and family are welcome to visit. A celebration of Ken’s life will be held at a later date.
Donations in remembrance of Ken can be given to the Maryland Food Bank, Attn: Donor Services 2200 Halethorpe Farms Road, Baltimore, MD 21227 or the National Kidney Foundation of Maryland, 1301 York Road Suite 404, Lutherville, MD 21093.
Published by Baltimore Sun from Mar. 16 to Mar. 17, 2022.
