Ken was born on August 17, 1923 in Kamloops, B.C., where he enjoyed most of his life before peacefully passing away, July 5, 2015, in the company of his daughter, Maureen and her family in West Kelowna.
Ken went to Kam High Secondary, where he met his future wife, Irene Skelly. His studies continued as he travelled to UBC, where he earned a degree in Biology/Agriculture. Ken’s career started in managing and implementing farming practices at the Jineva/Skelly Farm. (Orchards Walk). Soon, WW 2 broke out and he was called to duty and became a member of the RCAF. Ken was deployed to Montreal for training. While on leave, he married his high school sweetheart, Irene. Soon after Ken was sent overseas to England and the outskirts of Germany. Returning home from the war, Ken was busy raising a family, working on the farm and also finding time to work as a research scientist with his friend, Len Marchand (MP), at the Canada Department of Agriculture Research Centre in Tranquille. As well, Ken was travelling to UBC to gain his teaching degree. Ken was hired to teach Biology and Math at his old school, Kam High where he remained until his retirement.
Ken was a true “Renaissance” man. He was proficient at playing Bridge, building homes, furniture and doll houses. He could fix anything from stoves to cars and tractors, from irrigation systems to hair dryers. He was an artist, baker and tailor; sewing his own tents, sails, and backpacks.
Throughout his life, Ken also enjoyed recreational activities, which included square dancing, ballroom dancing, cross country skiing, fly fishing and hunting with his beloved Labrador Retrievers. His greatest love, however, would be hiking in the mountains where he felt at home with nature. Lake O’Hara, in the Canadian Rockies was his favourite destination, having visited and hiked there over fifty times.
