Kenneth (Ken) Leland Wright

Kenneth (Ken) Leland Wright, 66, passed away unexpectedly at home in Kent, Washington Wednesday morning, November 9, 2011, from a heart attack.A devoted family man, loyal friend and committed follower of Christ, Ken touched the lives of many and is remembered as a man who put others first. Ken was born in Miles City, Montana, but with his father, Sam, in the Air Force, the family lived in many places around the world. When Ken graduated from high school in Del Rio, Texas, he moved back to Montana to attend Montana State University in Bozeman, MT. Upon graduation from MSU in 1967, Ken followed his father into the United States Air Force and was assigned to Shaw Air Force Base in Sumter, South Carolina. Ken’s service career spanned nearly 25 years as both an active-duty officer and reservist; he retired as a Lieutenant Colonel.In 1969, Ken married Ellen Traub of Broadus, Montana. Ken and Ellen had a son, Jeffry (Sumter, SC), and a daughter, Stephanie (Landstuhl, Germany). After retiring from active duty in 1979, Ken moved the family to Seattle, Washington where he began a 25-year career at The Boeing Company. Ken worked in Business Management on a variety of military projects and contracts. Upon his retirement in August of 2004, Ken pursued a number of his passions full time. He and Ellen spent considerable time with their grandchildren; they traveled to places like Italy, Greece, China, Hawaii and the Bahamas; and were very active parishioners at St. Anthony’s Church in Renton, Washington. Ken was also the Treasurer of the Rhododendron Species Foundation; was a volunteer tax aide with AARP; and attended countless Mariners games with friends and family.Ken is survived by many, but most indelibly by his wife of 42 years, Ellen, their son Jeffry, and daughter Stephanie (Jeffrey) Richards; two grandchildren, Ethan and Riley Wright and their mother Heather Wright.Services were held at St. Anthony’s Catholic Church in Renton, WA on Wednesday, November 16th, 2011 at 2:00 p.m. Interment was Thursday, November 17th, 2011 at 11:15 a.m. at Tahoma National Cemetery in Kent, WA.Memorials may be made to the Rhododendron Species Foundation (www.rhodygarden.org or PO Box 3789, Federal Way, WA 98063)