Kenneth A. Woodham, 57

Ken Woodham, 57, of Tacoma, Wash., formerly of Whitefish, passed away on April 27, 2009. He was born and raised in Garden City, Mich., the son of Francis and Helen Woodham.

Ken graduated from Garden City West High School in 1969 and enlisted in the U.S. Air Force in April 1971. His first permanent assignment was at the U.S. Air Force Hospital in Wiesbaden, Germany, where he was stationed until 1975.

From 1975 to 1979 he attended Florida State University, where he obtained his degree in nursing. He then became an officer in the U.S. Air Force Nurse Corps, where he remained until he retired in 1992.

Ken was very proud of his military service to his country. His Air Force career took him overseas, as well as many parts of the U.S. (including his beloved Alaska). By this time his family had grown by three beautiful children with his wife Debbie, and it was time to establish some permanent roots. Whitefish then became the family home.

Ken worked at North Valley Hospital as the infection control and quality assurance coordinator until 1999, when he moved to the Seattle/Tacoma area of Washington. While in Washington, he was one of the most sought-after rotating trauma nurses at several hospitals in the Tacoma area, where he met his current wife, Denise.

Ken will be missed greatly by many and remembered by all who had the chance to get to know this remarkable man.

Ken was preceded in death by his parents, Francis and Helen Woodham.

He is survived by his wife, Denise Woodham, of Tacoma; three children, Seth Woodham of Bozeman, Tyler Woodham of Kalispell, and Katelin Woodham of Kalispell; brothers, Dale and Wendy Woodham of Kenly, N.C., and Jim and Debbie Woodham of Oneonta, N.Y.; and sister, Diane, and Lou Mendoza of Dearborn, Mich.; along with numerous other relatives and friends.

A celebration of life will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday, May 16, at the Whitefish City Beach pavilion, with Pastor Huston Green officiating with full military honors. Please bring a memory or story to share.