Obituary of Kenneth Wambolt

Kenneth Wambolt, aged 89, died peacefully on August 19, 2022 in Reston, Virginia. He was the beloved husband of Mary V. Wambolt, and father to Teresa and Gina. He lived an active life filled with family, friendship, adventure, love and faith, as well as his numerous hobbies, and is deeply missed by all.

Ken was born on March 22, 1933 to Winifred (nee Quivey) and Sidney Wambolt in Aberdeen, Washington, the fourth of 5 children. He was raised in Washington state and graduated from Weatherwax High School in 1951 and received a degree in Business Administration from the University of Washington in 1959.

Ken grew up during the Great Depression in Central Park, Washington. Times were hard, and Ken did his part by holding a variety of summer and after school jobs, where he started to show a knack for unusual and colorful opportunities. He caddied at a private golf course for the local lumber barons, until he was hit in the face by a golf ball, breaking his nose (which was later re-broken during an argument with a female classmate in elementary school when she threw a blackboard eraser at him). After that, his parents wouldn’t let him caddy any longer, so he moved on to delivering newspapers. He also made extra money waiting tables, giving art lessons, stocking shelves, and tending bar. He drove a taxi and moonlighted by bootlegging whiskey. Showing impeccable timing, he quit that job just before the other drivers were arrested! He also demonstrated his artistic talent at an early age by designing his high school’s yearbook cover, as well as painting displays on windows for an ice cream store. Ken’s family also experienced a significant setback when their home burned down. In the uproar, with his father yelling at everyone to get out of the house and grab something of value, Ken made it out wearing a shirt, pants and one shoe, while also ignoring his father’s gold watch, but grabbing the oldest chair in the house. They lost everything except their garage and car, and the old chair.

After graduating from high school, Ken volunteered for the Navy during the Korean conflict, ultimately rising to Petty Officer Second Class. He trained to be a radio operator in San Diego, California and then was shipped to Japan. He first served on the USS Polaris, a refrigeration ship, and then was transferred to the USS Tawakoni. He witnessed “Operation Castle”, an atomic testing project in the Marshall Islands in 1953 and 1954, which involved four atomic bombs and two hydrogen explosions, just prior to receiving his discharge in 1955. Since Ken also had a secret clearance, he traveled by helicopter from the Bikini Atoll to the Kwajalein Atoll carrying dispatches and mail.

Following the war, Ken attended community college in Aberdeen, where he met the love of his life, Mary Marchese. They were both in college together, and Ken kept sitting next to her in the library trying to strike up a conversation. Since conversation was not Ken’s strength even in the best of times, Mary, of course, just kept ignoring him but eventually, through a mutual friend, he convinced her to go on a date with him. What followed were 64 wonderful years of married life that produced two children, four grandchildren and one great-grandchild, as well as world travel, numerous hobbies, and many deep friendships.

Following college graduation, Ken joined Aetna Life and Casualty, where he worked for 32 years, rising to the officer level. He and Mary were soon joined by daughters Teresa and Gina. Ken’s career led to many moves throughout the country, beginning in Seattle, then Connecticut, Michigan, California, returning to Connecticut and finally California again. Following his retirement, he and Mary returned to their roots in Washington state, moving to Port Orchard, WA while also spending a significant amount of time in Ocean Shores, WA and Chandler, AZ. In their early 70s, Ken and Mary moved to Virginia to be with their daughter Gina, her husband Bill and their two children Sophie and Matthew.

One of Ken’s most important friendships was with eight high school friends. While all were successful professionals, they called themselves the Derelicts and for many years would meet twice a year on Lake Quinault or in the Cascade Mountains, for weekends of merriment and reliving old stories.

Ken pursued many hobbies throughout his life, from golf, bowling, yard work, building a Koi fishpond, photography, scuba diving with Terri, and various art endeavors. But most significantly, he became a self-taught, accomplished artisan and developed an advanced skill in casting fine jewelry in gold and silver using the lost wax method, which he later expanded to include metal sculpture in copper and brass. He made many pieces of jewelry for Mary, most prominently a gold dinner ring with ten diamonds. Since he had a kind and generous nature, Ken provided Mary the gold and labor for free but charged her $725 for the diamonds (unfortunately for Ken, despite 64 years of marriage, Mary never paid him back for the diamonds). Ken also designed and made his daughter Gina’s engagement ring of emeralds and diamonds set in white gold.

During their retirement years, Ken and Mary became seasoned world travelers, often with their dear friends Dick and Joann Crow. They visited 29 countries, including five separate trips to Italy, as well as Australia, New Zealand, China, Peru, Egypt, Jordan, Greece, Finland, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Russia, Germany, England, Ireland, Amsterdam, Austria, Mexico, Canada, Japan, Spain, Monte Carlo, the Bahamas, various islands in the Caribbean, and Sicily, to name just a few. In his later retirement years, Ken enjoyed reading fantasy novels and doing jigsaw puzzles with Gina’s family (where he consistently lost puzzle pieces by knocking them on the floor, to be quickly and quietly eaten by Brady the dog, causing Gina no small amount of frustration). He also enjoyed emailing inappropriate and childish jokes with his Derelict cronies and then sharing them with the rest of his family.

Ken will always be remembered for his kindness, strength, humor, fairness and his sense of honor and duty, which he sometimes hid behind a jokingly grumpy exterior. He had a generous and genuine soul, endearing him to all those he met. He was a regular and conscientious member of the Catholic church. And while his accomplishments were varied and remarkable, he was the most fulfilled by the love of his family and the close friendships throughout his life. He and Mary are missed very much.

Ken is survived by his daughter Teresa Vint; his daughter and son in law Gina and Bill Luraschi; his grandchildren Gina Nicole De Puy and great granddaughter Alice Elizabeth; Hunter Vint; Sophie Luraschi and Matthew Luraschi; his nieces Anna Marie Udorvich and Valerie Kane; his great niece Krystle Gochnour; and his sisters-in-law Vincenta Milenkovich and Josephine Webster. He was preceded in death by his beloved wife Mary (earlier in 2022), his son-in law John Vint and his brothers Donald, Robert, Philip, and sister Shirley (Wambolt) Gochnour.

No memorial service is planned. Ken will later be interred at Sunset Memorial Park, Hoquiam, WA.