June 22, 1931 - November 29, 2022
In loving memory ~
"Duke" to some of his closest friends, "Goldy" to his business associates, and "Dad" or "Papa" to family. Ken was known, respected, and loved by many.
He was born right here in Williams Lake on June 22, 1931, to Claude and Marion Huston. The stories were endless about his youth in a town where everyone knew everyone. Whether it was playing hockey, baseball or track and field, the same familiar names, Hutchison, Blair, Crosina, Norberg, Rife, Pigeon, Margetts, among others, popped up time after time. The nickname "Duke" came from the professional baseball player Duke Snider. Duke Snider was said to be able to run down any fly ball out there so Ken with his notable speed, came by the name honestly. He was a regular on the rink and you'll see him amongst his teammates and friends that grace the Stampeders team pictures.
Ken took over the long-standing family business, Huston Agencies Ltd after his father, Claude retired in 1970. "Goldy" (golden boy) was a nickname jokingly given to him by his beer distributor peers because of the admiration he received from the brewery executives for building a warehouse that stood as an example of how it should be done. Claude started the business in March 1941. Ken would continue managing it until his retirement in 1996. His son, Brad has stepped in to carry on the family tradition.
He exercised some darn good judgment when he married Doreen Campbell. The closest thing to an angel he had ever met, Doreen came to town to work at the hospital as a nurse. They were engaged for about a week in 1961 when Ken and his good friend Jack Abbott crashed their small two-seater airplane on the way to go fishing out west of town. Ken miraculously survived with broken legs, ribs, arms, and skull. Doreen stuck with him during the next nine months of his recovery in the Vancouver General Hospital. In their almost 60 years of marriage together, they raised two sons and a daughter (Dave (1963-2017), Brad and Cindy) and from them sprung six grandkids (Jason, Stephen, Mathew, Benjamin (Brad & Teena), Ryan and Sarah (Cindy & Bruce)). On March 18 of this year (seven months before their 60th wedding anniversary), Doreen passed away
in the hospital she helped set up. Life was not the same for Ken after that. However, he was able to maintain his unwavering optimism and sharp sense of humour after making a move to the Williams Lake Seniors Village where he was reunited with some long-lost friends from the early years.
This is just a snippet of Ken's life.
He will be missed and fondly remembered by his family and friends.