DUNLAP, Kenneth Archie (Age 95)

Kenneth Archie Dunlap passed away peacefully on May 9 in Spokane, WA. Ken was born June 27, 1930, in Kellogg, ID. After his father died in 1935, he and his three siblings were placed at the Hutton Settlement, which remained near and dear to his heart. After graduating from Lewis & Clark High School in 1948, Ken joined the U.S. Marine Corps and served in Korea. After service, Ken took a position as a delivery driver at Skaggs Automotive/OEM Parts. It was through his willingness to learn and hard work that he ultimately rose to become President of the company, retiring in 1994.

Ken met Joann McNabb through mutual bowling friends and the two couples became a lifelong foursome. Joann worked at the Washington Water Power and the two were married at St. Augustine’s Catholic Church in 1957. Their first son, Steven was born in 1960, followed by their second, Michael in 1962.

A devoted member of St. Augustine’s Catholic Church since 1955, Ken was ordained as a Deacon in 1986 and served the Catholic Church for over 25 years. He brought the Sacraments to hundreds of people, whether it was celebrating marriages, baptisms, and funerals. Ken delighted in the many relationships he forged over the years while serving as a deacon and maintained many of these relationships until his last days.

Ken was a survivor in every sense of the word, overcoming both colon and liver cancer in the late 1990s. These illnesses never slowed his love for Gonzaga Basketball, the Hutton Settlement Board “Ladies,” or his gift of making connections: what began as a chance meeting became a lasting friendship. Ken was preceded in death by his wife of 59 years, Joann (McNabb); their son, Steven Dunlap; his sisters, Beryl and Jessie; and his brothers, Billy and Jimmy. He is survived by his son, Michael, of Spokane; his daughter-in-law, Amy; and granddaughters, Sydney Jo Dunlap and Cassidy (Cook) Fields.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to St. Augustine's Parish in Ken’s memory.