May 10, 2021
1945-2021 ~ It is with deepest sadness and sorrow that the family of Kenneth Herbert Johnston announce his passing early in the morning on May 10th at Kelowna General Hospital.
Ken was born in Vancouver, B.C. His early life was spent in the rock and roll glory years of the 1960's while attending West Vancouver Secondary School where he graduated.
While in his early 20's, one of Ken's signature traits and passions, his love for cars, was evident when Ken purchased a brand-new red-hot Chevrolet Corvair which was the talk of the town and was a mighty fine cruise!
Ken began his professional career with the District of North Vancouver as a Draftsman and later when he was in his 30's, Ken moved to Penticton to work as a Civil Engineer for the City of Penticton.
Ken was constantly looking for new challenges and even owned a cherry orchard trying his hand at farming before continuing his journey and finally settling and living for the rest of his life in the place he would love the most, Grand Forks.
Many episodes followed, the foremost being Ken's election to the Grand Forks City Council as an Alderman for three consecutive terms which had immediately followed Ken's tenure with the City of Grand Forks as its City Manager.
Following his time spent in the political arena, Ken ventured into several independent construction projects using his unique gift for invention and creativity. He was a jack of all trades and prided himself on the different types of projects he had the opportunity to work on.
Unfortunately, health issues followed, and Ken's working days were greatly inhibited. However, his desire to help others never diminished and when his health enabled him, he assisted at the Grand Forks Whispers of Hope homeless shelter. Ken was a loving and caring man who would give you the shirt off his back.
As well as Ken's love of cars, especially his devotion to salvage the most downtrodden automobiles, Ken also loved sports. His favorites included European and North American football, particularly the CFL. He also enjoyed ice hockey and professional wrestling.
In addition, Ken was a keen supporter of amateur sports, especially baseball where he contributed thirty plus years of his time umpiring. Ken genuinely enjoyed giving back to the community in any way possible.
Ken was very much loved and will be deeply missed. He is survived by his son Michael, his grand-daughter Solara, his sister Vera and his two brothers David and Andrew.
In remembrance of Ken, please donate to the Heart & Stroke Foundation.