Kenneth G. Brooks was born in Canova, SD on October 27, 1921. He attended school in Canova, then served in the Pacific during WWII. Upon returning from the service, he returned to South Dakota and played drums in a dance band.

In Sioux Falls, he met June G. Beyer, and they were married three weeks later, in 1946. After marrying, both attended Sioux Falls College before moving to Kansas City, MO. Five years after moving to Kansas City, they moved to Lead, South Dakota, where Ken worked in the Homestake Gold Mine. A year later, they moved to Rapid City, SD and Ken worked as a salesman. That job led him back to Sioux Falls, where they lived until 1966.

While in Sioux Falls, Ken worked weekends as a drummer in a small combo. He loved his drums and his marimba. Eventually he went to work as a draftsman for an architect and continued that occupation after they moved to Vashon, helping to design the existing Sea-Tac Airport. Ken also drove a cab, worked for the Parks Department, was a church secretary and a court recorder. He worked on the crew that gave the Island real street names and was fascinated with driving every Island road.

In addition to his other jobs, Ken also wrote “On The Rock” and “Loof Lirpa,” articles for The Beachcomber.

Ken¹s favorite hobbies were photography and trains, but he liked nothing better than discovering a barn that he hadn’t already seen and photographed.

Ken died in Snohomish, WA on June 27, 2010, 365 days after June died.

He is survived by his daughter, Michelle Sigler, three grandchildren, Stephen Belfrage, Vashon, Michele Diaz, Lynnwood, WA, and Holly Dunham of Snohomish, WA. He also had four great grandchildren, Jaquelyn Dunham, Jennifer Dunham, Daniel Belfrage and Caden Diaz.