April 21, 1924 ~ Oct. 19, 2007
Loving father and grandfather, friend, mentor, Presbyterian elder, and community leader, Dick passed away at Providence Mount St. Vincent in West Seattle on Friday, Oct. 19, 2007.
He was a long-time resident of West Seattle, having moved there in 1954, when he and his wife, Arlene, established Howden-Kennedy Funeral Home of West Seattle. Dick was born and raised in Seattle, graduating from Lincoln High School in 1942. He entered the University of Washington that fall and then left college in 1943, to enter the U.S. Navy's aviator training program. Commissioned as an Ensign in the Navy, Dick earned his gold aviator's wings in 1945, flying PBM's and PBY's. As WWII ended, Dick left the Navy to marry his childhood sweetheart, Arlene Howden in December of 1945. Returning to the U of W, he graduated in 1950, with a B.A. in Economics.
Initially employed by Builder's Hardware, Dick changed careers in 1952 after graduating from the California College of Mortuary Science. At that time he and Arlene, along with their two young sons, Kraig and Kristopher, moved to West Seattle where he would live for the rest of his life.
From the beginning of their residency in the community, Dick and Arlene were active in the life of their church, West Side Presbyterian, as well as with a number of civic organizations. He served with the Hi-Yu, the Kiwanis and other community groups for over 50 years and was commended by the West Seattle Chamber of Commerce as their Man of the Year in 1963.
One of the achievements for which Dick will be most remembered is his unrelenting efforts to bring the dream of a new West Seattle Bridge to reality. In recognition of this, he was awarded three "First Citizen" awards from then Seattle Mayor Royer, King County Executive Revelle, and Governor Spellman. While his achievements were many, Dick found his greatest joys in serving the Lord at West Side Presbyterian Church, and spending time with his beloved wife, Arlene, his sons and their families.
Dick was a man well-known for his generosity and integrity and he will be long and lovingly remembered by his surviving family: Kraig and Pam Kennedy of Honolulu, and their children, Joshua, Douglas and Anne, and Kris and Laurie Kennedy of Woodbridge, VA and their daughter, Sara.
A Memorial Service celebrating Dick's life was conducted by Howden-Kennedy Funeral Home of West Seattle at West Side Presbyterian Church on Thursday, Oct. 25, 2007.
