b"From the NBA toFull-time Writer Ken Gagnes memoir chronicles his youth, home and familyBY ELLEN DONKERKen Gagne recently wrote his first book (below), a memoir that explores the stories of his family.K enGagnesfatherhadalotofto grow up in Chicopee, Massachusetts. He uses awhen, after 29 years with the NBA, he was laid off. pithy sayings. They were nuggetsdifferent saying to introduce each chapter. GagneGagne says, My of wisdomversions of his truthssays, After [my parents] both passed away, I startedfirst thought was,that Bob, a rough-around-the- regretting not knowing them better. He wrote, hethank God. Now edges type of guy, freely dispensedsays, to honor his parents; to capture them for hisIcanfinishthis tohischildren.Herepeatedthechildren, Caleb and Lucy; and to compose a love let- book.sayings so often that they stuck,ter of sorts to the people and places who made him. Onthesur-and to this day, Gagne still hears his fathers brusqueA Maplewood resident with his wife, Jackie, forfaceitappears voice offering situational commentary on the every- 20-plus years, Gagne started his memoir in 2015thatGagnes day. Your family is your wealth and Yesterdaysduring a two-month sabbatical that his employer experienceis history. Tomorrows a mystery.the National Basketball Association (NBA)offeredsimilar to that of Youre gonna miss me someday is the phrasehim. This gave him time to return to Chicopee to in- manychildren that Gagne recently chose as a title for his first book,terview various family members and start the book.whogrewupin a poignant memoir that explores the stories of hisWhen he returned to work, he continued writingthesuburbsin familyFrench Canadian on his fathers side andin his spare time but couldnt get enough momen- the '70s. He sur-Scottish on his mothers sideand what it meanttumtofinishit.Hegothischancelastsummerroundedhim-14/ matters magazine / holiday 2021"