Mar 30, 1933 - May 21, 2018
The family of Ken Steinley is sad to announce his passing in Kelowna at the age of 85 after a long and courageous struggle with diabetes and its complications.
Preceded in death by his wife, Shirley, and his youngest son, Grant, Ken is survived by his sons Sandy (Dianne) and Dean, grandchildren Katelyn (David), Samantha, Alex and David, and great-grandchildren Brian and Owen.
Ken was born in Empress, Alberta, and later lived in Calgary. In 1966, he moved with his wife and young family to start a new life in Vernon, BC. Over the next few years, Ken and Shirley worked hard to save enough money to buy a lot and build a house on Okanagan Lake. It was a wonderful place for their boys to grow up and Ken continued to live there until the last 18 months of his life.
Ken worked for the City of Vernon in various capacities until he decided to go into business for himself. He loved building and fixing anything mechanical, and thus Kenkraft Sales Ltd. became reality, incorporating in 1971 and standing the test of time to become the oldest RV dealership in the province under the original owner. He would introduce himself as "Ken for Kenkraft" and, love him or not, he left an impression on everyone he met.
Ken enjoyed boating, the lake, fishing, and was particularly fond of quietly watching the sprinklers irrigate his lawn as he sipped on a rum and water. His love for the outdoors, particularly fishing, spilled over to his kids and resulted in Kenkraft also becoming a major fishing retailer.
The family would like to express gratitude and appreciation to the many health care professionals who helped Ken along the way, in particular Jennifer and her staff at Vernon Community Dialysis Unit for their kindness and compassion.
Ken requested cremation and that his ashes be interred with those of his wife and son in the Pleasant Valley cemetery in Vernon. There will be no funeral service but a celebration of Ken's life will be held from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. on Sunday, June 24, 2018, at the Eagles Hall, 5101 25th Avenue in Vernon. No flowers please.
If you wish to make a donation in memory of Ken, please do so to the Kelowna General Hospital Foundation (specify allocation to Vernon Community Dialysis Unit) or to the Canadian Diabetes Association.