Kenneth E. Coffin

Kenneth Coffin May 27, 1937 - Nov. 6, 2018 Kenneth Eugene Coffin was born in Leavenworth, WA May 27, 1937. His family moved to Cashmere where he lived until enlisting in the US Navy. Ken was only 17 and needed a signature from his Mom who made him promise that when he completed his service, he would get a college education. Ken became a Navy Corpsman and began a lifetime of doing what he loved: helping others climb mountains they didn't think they could climb, serving as a medic in Camp Pendleton, CA, Seattle, HW and the Philippines, places where the small-town boy became a man who set a determined course. Discharged in 1958 Ken returned to Leavenworth where he met his future wife Kay, a friend of his sister Pat (Mrs. Mike Hatmaker) and his brother Jack. Since that first summer meeting until his death Ken and Kay were both smitten and inseparable. In 1959 Ken and Kay were married in Leavenworth and with their firstborn son Gerry moved to Bellingham for Ken's first year of college. Four years later he graduated from Western WA University in the same class as his younger sister "Aunt Pat". By then Monte, Teresa and Mark were born (one each year!) and Ken began his lifetime devotion to support the Family he loved. US Navy benefits helped fund his college years and buy the families' first home in Bothell. By then he worked for Safeway's division staff as S Brands Division Manager for the company. However, Ken was not a company man, but a natural born leader. The Family moved back to Leavenworth, bought a fast food restaurant and property, worked it as a family and sold the property (where Visconti's is today on US Hwy 2) to buy the Innsbrucker Building and other business ventures. Not only did he provide his children their first jobs, but to this day many adults remember "Ken gave me my first job and taught me how to work". Ken's precepts to his death: work hard, get an education and keep growing and learning and giving until the end. Ken Loved life and fun and laughter and in Bothell coached Gerry, Monte and Mark in little league and taught Teresa to dance. He took his whole family on wilderness trips into the pristine mountains and high lakes of our wilderness gateway. By the 2008-12 great depression Ken and Kay owned Sunset View Resort in Ocean Park, WA, where Gerry and his family lived and worked. Ken decided a business model change was necessary and he and Gerry partnered to accomplish that. Sunset View Resort become Free by the Sea, a drug and alcohol treatment facility. Fierce community opposition provoked a two-year struggle to open, but today Free is a valued employer on the peninsula and the rehab center has grown dramatically. Mark gave us our name (FBTS) and worked for his brother the first couple of years and Teresa and John gave financial help. Looking back, we see God's hand and grace in this. Facing by far the most difficult task of his life and totally dependent on oxygen for life support, Ken took joy by being in the invaluable business of saving lives. This last adventure brought such joy to Ken, expanding his own learning curve, mentoring others and being loved by his employees and clients. Having been redeemed by the Lord Jesus Christ Oct. 4, 1980 (the most significant event of Ken's life or any other) Ken was a living example of a transformed life. Those of us who loved him saw him tempered by struggle, becoming more humble and tender with age and useful to his master to the end: still helping others to "climb mountains they didn't think they could climb". Ken died in his home Nov. 6, 2018 with his beloved wife by his side and with all of his "affairs in order"----in order to Flee his "decaying outer man" (2 Cor. 4:16) and be "set Free" in Glory, Face to Face with his creator who loved him and called Ken to his eternal home. Kenneth was preceded in death by his Parents, Margaret Derifield Coffin, Eugene Coffin, a child, Monte E. Coffin and a sister Patricia Hatmaker. He is survived by: his wife, Kay B. Coffin, his children, Gerald E. Coffin and Sabrina, Teresa Wynn and John and Mark E. Coffin. His grandchildren: Tyler Rossow, Ceaira Coffin, Kayla Fernandez, Jasmine Coffin, Jason Coffin, Ericka Tolentino, Monte Coffin Jr., Jacob Johnson, Chrissy D'Amato, Ethan Rife, Kenny Coffin, Timothy Coffin, Jessica Coffin, his great grandchildren: Alison, Aubrie and Andrew D'Amato, Jeshurun Johnson, Savannah, Kadalyna and Kamryn Tolentino, his sister-in-law Jan Fender and James, his brother-in-law Michael Wyant and Carol, his brother Jack and step-sister Pamela Kiehn and his brother-in-law Mike Hatmaker. Memorial contributions in Ken's name may be made to: Upper Valley Christian School, 111 Ski Hill Drive, Leavenworth, WA 98826. A memorial celebration will be held at Leavenworth Church of the Nazarene; 111 Ski Hill Drive, Leavenworth, WA 98826 on Thursday, November 15, 2018 at 11 a.m. Arrangements assisted by Chapel of the Valley, Wenatchee.

Kenneth E. Coffin

May 27, 1937 - November 6, 2018