In Loving Memory of Kenneth Herbert Brown 1942-2010
Ken leaves behind his mother, Lorene Brown; wife, Roxine Brown; daughter ChauSaun Wainhouse & her husband Randy, step-grandchildren,Tim, & Monica Wainhouse , granddaughter Mary Rogers, son Shane Brown, sister Kathy Gephart & family, & brother Keith Brown & family.
His occupations were roofer for over 35 years, Video Store owner of five stores over 12 years, and Kirkland Homebase Contractor desk for two years. His love of people and sense of humor made him outstanding in any job he chose.
He championed children and women whenever he saw they were hurt or in need. His natural gentleness, kindness, generosity, empathy, and emotional involvement with those in need were his biggest attributes and often his downfall.
He loved adventure and tackled anything he thought he could do or accomplish. From mountain climbing, fishing, hunting (later changing to photography), skating, skiing, bowling, baseball (we wanted 9 children to field a team), golfing (on the Kenai in Alaska with Frison cousins at 11 p.m. in the land of the midnight sun & his last game with our son & my cousin Glen in January in Green Valley, AZ), playing dominoes, or cards and his greatest passion, racing. Whether it be racing his 64 Pontiac GTO at the SIR Race track in the 60’s, his Yamha 175 Enduro motorcycle, his Gambler speed boat, or the Honda odyssey with his son Shane. He enjoyed it all until his medical problems became his greatest obstacle. From being legally blind,(which was corrected by inplanted contact lenses in 1989), color blindness (I wound up with Irish Kelley green kitchen cupboards while absent one weekend), to broken limbs, asthma, kidney stones, blood clots, circulatory problems, skin gra! fts, heart attacks, ICD and stent implants, and his last and final battle of acute myeloid leukemia cancer. And fight he did. Hoping the chemo would give him two to five more years, it only gave him 3 more weeks. He often made the comment that he owned most of Evergreen Hospital and all his doctors were driving Mercedes or going to Europe thanks to him. His sense of humor finally left him on that 2nd week at Evergreen Hospital. Ever the optimist I thought for sure with the prayers family & friends were outpouring for him those 2-5 yrs. would become a reality.
But God has His plans.
It was his humor that we enjoyed about Ken, myself included. But what really drew me to him when I met him 46 years ago was that he was every bit the gentleman that I thought no longer existed in today’s world. Whenever I became angry with him or was the focus of his glare, I’d ask myself, ‘why did I marry this man?’ The answer was always the same. He treated me with love and consideration that no other had ever done before and I love him with all my heart and know there will never be another Kenny Brown. His humor lives on in others that I’ve seen it in. The Brown Humor, as we call it, lives in his sister Kathy, and his brother Keith, (which I’m positive they got from their dad, Herb). It is also very present in his son Shane and granddaughter Mary. We catch glimpses of it in his niece Julie and Ken would chuckle when she would match wits with him or her mother, Kathy.
Ken reminds me of a song by Abba, ‘Take A Chance On Me’. And we did. We took a chance on each other 45 years ago. Often we would look at each other and one of us would say ‘have I told you lately?’ and let the sentence hang from an old Rod Stewart song.
Ken’s love for music made it easy for us to relate to the many songs that fit our lives, ‘Little GTO, The Twelfth of Never, We’ll Sing in the Sunshine, Green Cathedrals, Elvis’ Trilogy & How Great Thou Art, and Allison Kraus’ Down to the River to Pray just to mention a few of his favorites. Ken, like his mother, sister, nieces, and brother, had a beautiful singing voice and he loved Gospel music and especially Elvis Gospel or Country Western Gospel. My sister, Loraline wanted him to sing at her wedding but he never would sing publicly, only among family and friends. He would thump a watermelon placed on his shoulder next to his ear looking for that ‘C’ note for the ripe watermelon. When other store patrons saw what he was doing they’d ask him to pick out one for them too! He had perfect pitch, which he did not pass onto his children but did to his granddaughter, Mary. It did not help that I am tone deaf. He would ask me NOT to sing in church when I stood ne! xt to him.
Ken loved to be doing something constructive and would make soap for our daughter ChauSaun, (Shonny), who is allergic to so many soaps and her father’s soap would always be perfect for her skin. Ken made candles and did pieces of stone & bead jewelry for family & friends.
He often told me one of his greatest adventures with me was our trip to Tennessee to see Graceland and Nashville. We were there for Fan Fare for his 60th birthday and one of the most memorable times of our lives. It was one of many adventures we’d have with just the two of us or with our children, family, or friends. All of which enriched our lives. Family and friends. They were a part of Ken. He often teased me and said he married me for my big family.
We have our camping place at Port Susan in Tulalip, WA which Ken and his children, our families, and friends have made into 36 years of memories and our neighbors there, the Sykes, being very much a part of those memories. It was there that he became very aware of the American Bald Eagle as it would fly over the little lake near camp or fly above our trees at camp so he started collecting things with eagles. And Ken was able to live part of his retirement dream. Nine months in Arizona planting cactus in our yard, working out at the fitness center with his son, and enjoying sunshine every day. He was looking forward to getting a sandrail vehicle and exploring the desert in search of treasure with a metal detector, his pickaxe, and shovel. Then Snowbirding to Port Susan for summer months. Which is why we are here now.
When we heard the doctor’s prognosis in the ER at Evergreen Hospital on June 4th Ken’s first words to me were, “I won’t get to go the 100 year celebration in Alberta for the Ehnes farm.” I had thought of other things, the farm’s 100 yr. celebration never entered my mind.
His beliefs and my beliefs sustain us that we have a far better place to be when God calls us.
We thank Ken’s nurses, doctors, and staff at Evergreen Hospital, the Barton Family Funeral Service for their help, friends, and family who have been there for us throughout the years and those that still send their love and prayers for the family.
We also are grateful to the blood he received and thank those people who donate blood to their Blood Banks for cases such as Ken’s. We thank Pastor Maylan Schurch of the Bellevue Seventh Day Adventist Church for the faith he helped Ken feel. We thank the Kirkland Bible Study group who helped Ken find deeper meaning to his faith. To Kathy his sister who was with us during most of these past weeks, to friends & family who visited Ken and brought gifts and food to the hospital for Ken and for Shane & I to take home with us. To Andre, Kathy, & Harlan who let us stay with them when we needed to be near the hospital on certain days and to our nieces and nephews who have helped us with putting together Ken’s Memorial Service at the Seventh Day Adventist Church; 15 140th Ave NE; Bellevue, WA on July 24, 2010 at 4 p.m.
Ken lives on in our hearts and when we see all the things and people he loved a cherished memory comes to mind. Until the day God calls him and he flies with his beloved eagles and the angels and saints he will be with me always as will all of you, who made his life so very special. Peace be with you.