Ollie Kenneth "Ken" Ainsworth

Ollie Kenneth “Kenny” Ainsworth, long time resident of Grants Pass, passed away on February 15, 2009 in Kennewick, Washington.

A funeral service will be at 11:00 a.m., Friday, February 20, 2009 at Hull & Hull Chapel. Interment will follow at Hillcrest Memorial Park. Hull & Hull Funeral Directors are in charge of arrangements.

Kenny was born on June 1, 1926 in Grants Pass Oregon to Ollie and Donna Ainsworth and they lived in the Murphy area along with his sister Leslie. Ken’s father died when he was a teenager and his mom later married Walt Sandquist.

Ken entered the Navy on July 1, 1944, attending Carroll College in Helena Montana. He was honorably discharged June 17, 1946 as Seaman First Class. He received the “American Area Campaign Medal” and the “World War II Victory Medal”.

Ken married Norma Clark in 1948. They had three daughters, Kathy, Patti, and Susie. They divorced in 1965. Ken never remarried, but was in a long term relationship for many years that ended a few years ago. He loved to hunt, to fish, and to garden. He worked for Bates lumber company for many years until they shut down in the 1970’s. He worked for Spaulding as a night watchman until he retired. After retirement he continued to work part time by transporting and picking up rafters on the Rogue River and he also would work driving water truck and watering roads for different logging operations in and around Southern Oregon. The past year he has been living with his daughter Sue and son-in-law, Chris in Hermiston, Oregon.

Ken was preceded in death by father Ollie K. Ainsworth, mother Donna Sandquist, step-father Walt Sandquist, step-sister Delores Sandquist, and daughter Katherine Staley. Ken was survived by his daughter Patti and son-in-law Rob White of Happy Camp, Ca. and his daughter Sue and son-in-law Chris Washburn of Hermiston Oregon., his sister Leslie and brother-in law Don Shultz of Sun City West, AZ and step brother Philip and sister in law Linda Sandquist of Grants Pass, along with 8 loving grandchildren: Jennifer Titus, Maggie Staley, Josh Staley, Tristan White, Kenny White, Kim Washburn, Kelley Washburn, and Brian Washburn, 5 great grandchildren, and nieces and nephews.

You can shed tears that he is gone,
Or you can smile because he has lived.
You can close your eyes and pray that he'll come back,
Or you can open your eyes and see all he's left.

Your heart can be empty because you can't see him,
Or you can be full of the love he shared.
You can turn your back on tomorrow and live for yesterday,
Or you can be happy for tomorrow because of yesterday.

You can remember him and only that he's gone,
Or you can cherish his memory and let it live on.
You can cry and close your mind,
Be empty and turn your back,

Or you can do what he'd want,
SMILE, OPEN YOUR EYES, LOVE AND GO ON!

Dedicated to his children and grandchildren
by his loving sister, Leslie