Kenneth E. Livingston
Port Townsend, Wash.
July 1929 – Apr. 13, 2017
Kenneth E. Livingston of Port Townsend, Wash. died on Thursday, April 13, 2017 at the age of 87. Kenneth was born in July 1929 in the Bronx, New York City, the only child of John and Mary Livingston. His parents, who were deaf, provided him with the best care and affection despite the rigors of the Great Depression.
On his 17th birthday, Ken enlisted in the U.S. Navy and served for 23 years, retiring as a Lieutenant Commander. His duty stations included several ships and overseas assignments, including two years in Bremerhaven, Germany from 1947 to 1949, and two years in Naples, Italy from 1954 to 1956.
He and his wife Evelyn were married in 1952 in her parish church, Our Lady of Perpetual Help in Lindenhurst, Long Island, NY. During their marriage, his Navy assignments took them to many places in the US and overseas. Their five children, Mark, Laura (Nancy), John (Gail), Douglas (Holly) and Patricia (Will) were all born in different places throughout the US, where Ken's assignments took him.
After retirement from the Navy in 1969, Ken joined Crocker National Bank in Palo Alto, Calif. as a loan officer. In 1977, Ken and his family moved to Port Townsend when he joined SeaFirst Bank. He retired in 1990.
During his retirement years, Ken and Evelyn visited Italy a dozen times, renting houses in different regions of that country. They also visited many friends in Naples, a carryover from their Naples tour in the 50s.
Despite the dwindling salmon runs, Ken was a fixture at the Point Wilson beach each summer for over 30 years. He was also an avid reader and a strong advocate of the Jefferson County Library.
Survivors include his wife Evelyn, their five children, five grandchildren, many great-grandchildren and several nephews and nieces. He loved to share jokes, movies and TV shows (Seinfeld being just one of his favorites) with his loved ones. We all loved and will miss Ken's great sense of humor. We will always remember his great, infectious laugh and dry sense of humor as well as his big, warm heart.
A funeral Mass, celebrated by Father Peter Adoko-Enchill, will be held on Saturday, May 13at noon at St. Mary Star of the Sea Catholic Church, 1335 Blaine St., Port Townsend. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the St. Vincent De Paul Society.
