On December 3, 2009 my friend and 30 plus year long resident of Leucadia left us. Exactly 30 years to the day he meet his lovely wife Linda. Amazing how that worked out.
I got to see Ken two days earlier. He was under hospice care and wasn't unable to speak or move. I talked with him about surfing, I showed him pictures in one of his Surfers Journals and turned on the Eddie for him. When he saw the Eddie on the screen his eyes sparkled. He watched it for 10 hours straight.
The next day the surf here was pumping. Ken and his family watched it from their house as the energy from that swell he watched made it to his home break. There were dolphins playing and it was a magical day. That evening, Linda, her brother and Ken's sister threw him a party. They played the music he loves and stayed up with him until 2am. The next morning they loved him and held him as he left.
I want to say that I stayed strong as I was told this and didn't shed a tear, but I can't. He had a good fight and he went out with love, respect, good music and a swell. What more can you ask for?
I am going to organize a paddle out for Ken. Please contact me if you want to celebrate Ken's life.
Please comment below as you wish.
Ed
Aloha Ken...till we meet again. Linda, our thoughts are with you.
ReplyDeleteASL por vida
love, Paul and Mary
I moved here in the spring of 1994 just when the Grandview stairs were put back in. Ken was the first person I met. There were so many days we shared in the water that were so great! Ken would always make your day if he was in the water...really, anyone who surfed with him would say the same. He was special and I am saddened we lost him. I hope he is sharing a great session with Dugan somewhere!
ReplyDeleteEd, I don't know you directly, but I know you thruogh Ken....I'm his cousin Andrew MacDonald. I moved out to LA with my family in mid '06. We lived in Santa Monica(where we opened a bookstore: Kulturas Books) but were able to visit Ken and Linda often down in Leucadia. His health even then prevented him from surfing, but he was so enthusiastic at our crash and burn learning sessions down at Grandview...I would come out of the water pissed off, broiling with frustration ...and Ken would just laugh and say ...just relax....the best surfer out there is the one thats having the most fun...all his yarns and insights would later and still are sinking in....I miss him daily. We have since had to move back east to Wash DC, where we watched the magnificent fall and winter Pacific swells roll in one after another... on websites. I still check Grandview everyday thinking to call Ken and see if he's out there, I can still smell the kelp , taste the sea, feel that first shock of cold water, see the pelicans line three inches above the wave riding its air, and remember that first good early morning ride, and always back to Ken ...a truly good spirit and an unforgetable smile....I wish I could had been at the paddle out... if there are any photos of that or Ken surfing... or any stories about him I would love to see/ hear them. Thanks you so much for posting your/his pic... and your beautiful eulogy. Cheers and many more smiles in the line up. Andrew. email: Kulturasbooks@aol.com
ReplyDeleteSurfing has a way of bringing people together. The interactions. The smiles and connection felt from making a late drop. The hoots; the hollers.
ReplyDeleteKen and I first met when I was a grom doing rudimentary ding repair under the pine trees in the family backyard. I think then, 1992, Ken would see me running to Beacons and then running home to make it in time for dinner.
Later, Ken would introduce me to longboards, to surfing in its purest forms, and my "career" would take off from there. I would never be the same, as the dated saying goes.
Years later, concepts Ken told me during my formative years began to take shape: love, loss, devotion, happiness, and inspiration. I remain just a student on most of those topics.
Now, 33(20 years since our first meeting), I have a family of my own, living in Alaska, and eventually working as an attorney. The journey wouldn't have made as much sense, and certainly wouldn't have been as bountiful, without Ken's (and Linda's) commentary.
Thank you Ken.
Sincerely,
Christopher Orman [christopherorman@gmail.com]