Kenneth A. Chatwin, 83

Kenneth A. Chatwin, 83, passed away at the family home in Ponderay, Idaho, on Sunday, March 4, 2018.

He was born in San Antonio, Texas, on Nov. 7, 1934, the only child of Katherine and Alvin Chatwin and grandson of beloved Kenneth Matthews. Ken graduated from Belton, Texas, high school and then paid for his college education by working in Idaho as a wildland firefighter in the summers. He had great memories of working shoulder to shoulder with other southern farm kids in the mountains of Idaho.

In the summer of 1957, he met Sandpoint native Jean Foster. They married that fall and returned to Texas, where Ken graduated from the University of Texas and began his long career in the industrial insurance business.

In 1971, Ken and Jean returned to Idaho and settled their family in Boise. Subsequent positions with the Home Insurance Company and Coroon and Black found Ken and Jean in Great Falls, Mont., Fairbanks, Alaska, and Enumclaw, Wash. In 1999, Ken retired from his position as risk manager for the city of Kent, Wash., and Ken and Jean returned to Sandpoint. During retirement, Ken enjoyed his travels with Jean and continuing his lifelong affinity for woodworking and the outdoors. An avid woodworker, Ken enjoyed crafting his unique items and selling them … always at a price that working families could afford … at the Sandpoint Farmers Market for many years. He also served as rangemaster at the Sandpoint Shooting Range.

He was very taken with his grandchildren and was so pleased to watch them grow into adults that he enjoyed and admired.

Ken will be lovingly remembered by his wife of 60 years, Jean of Sandpoint; a son, Brian Chatwin of Spokane, Wash.; a daughter, Katherine (Bill) Fransen of Olympia, Wash.; and grandchildren Jennifer Chatwin of Spokane; Kelly Chatwin of Post Falls, Idaho; Emily Fransen of Austin, Texas, and Alec Fransen of Bend, Ore.

At Ken’s request, no public service will be held.

Memorial donations in memory of Ken can be made to: Panhandle Animal Shelter, 870 Kootenai Cutoff Road, Ponderay, ID 83852; 208-265-7297; or pasidaho.org; or American Lung Association, 55 W. Wacker Drive, Suite 1150, Chicago, IL 60601; 1-800-LUNGUSA or 1-800-586-4872; info@lung.org.

Family and griends are invited to sign Kenneth’s online guestbook at coffeltfuneral.com.

Arrangements have been entrusted to Coffelt Funeral Services of Sandpoint, Idaho.