Selden Kenneth (Ken) Griffen 3rd of Kensington, Conn. died Friday, Feb. 23 at the Hospital of Central Connecticut in New Britain. He was 69 and the husband of Donna (Carter) Griffen.

Born in Hartford on June 29, 1948, the son of the late Selden K. Griffen Jr. and Vera Mae (Nystrup) Griffen, he was a former New Britain, Conn. resident, moving to Kensington in 1996. He was a graduate of the Mooreland Hill School, New Britain High School, and the University of Connecticut. After college graduation he joined his dad in the world of finance, at Advest in New Britain. Ken went on to become a senior vice president at both Merrill Lynch and Janney Montgomery Scott, where he was a senior member of the Seaport Wealth Management Financial Advisory Team.

He had a passion for music and was a working musician from his teenage years until his death. His high school band, the Ogres, spent a memorable summer in 1966 on Martha’s Vineyard, thrilling for a bunch of teenagers from New Britain. He started out as a guitarist but found his place as a stellar piano player/keyboardist, harmonica player, and singer. He was a founding member of the legendary Connecticut rock band Fountainhead, which started in 1974 and is still going strong. Ken shared his love of playing in the band with his daughter Virginia, performing together over many decades.

Enchanted by the Vineyard, Ken and his wife, Donna, eventually bought a home there. During his summer stays, he performed at many venues on the Island. Music was elemental in his life; his joy, his freedom, his means of expression. Community was also important to Ken. He was generous and put service to others above himself. He was the current vice president of the New Britain-Meriden YMCA, past president and member of the New Britain-Berlin Rotary Club, and was on the boards of many philanthropic organizations. He was on the vestry of St. Mark’s Episcopal Church, and a longtime member of the Shuttle Meadow Country Club Round Table. He was a board member of the East Chop Beach Club and active in many organizations on Martha’s Vineyard.

Ken’s family know him as the keeper of memories and photographs. He was the family historian and the go-to guy if you were researching anything about the past. He was also the one who brought everyone together. Above all, family was everything to him.

Besides his wife, Donna, he leaves a son, Selden K. Griffen 4th of Kensington, Conn.; three daughters, Virginia Griffen of Rocky Hill, Conn.; Laura Brazeil of New Rochelle, N.Y.; and Rebecca Griffen of Kensington, Conn.; a brother, Thomas Griffen, and his wife, Anna, of Ellijay, Ga.; two grandchildren, Silas Griffen-Sullivan and Zara Griffen-Sullivan; a nephew, Gus Griffen; and many dear cousins.

Funeral services were held Saturday, March 3 at St. Mark’s Episcopal Church in New Britain, Conn. Interment will take place at Fairview Cemetery at the convenience of the family.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Rotary Club Foundation, 14280 Collections Center Drive, Chicago, IL 60693 or to the New Britain - Meriden YMCA, 50 High Street, New Britain, CT 06051. Condolences can be left at carlsonfuneralhome.com.