- Date Of Birth: December 5, 1937
- Date Of Death: November 20, 2020
- State: Idaho
Kenneth L. Brattin was born December 5, 1937 in Carthage, Missouri, the fourth and youngest child of Olon and Wanda (Ledenham) Brattin. Kenneth grew up on the family’s farm on Greenhurst Road in Kuna, and attended Kuna schools. In 1955, at age 17, he and a buddy hopped a freight train and traveled to Texas to enlist in the US Navy. Ken’s Aunt and Uncle (Katy and Curtis) lived in McAllen, TX, and owned a restaurant. When Ken and his friend arrived unannounced in McAllen late one night tired and hungry, they found the restaurant cook and asked her to call Aunt Katy, whose response was “feed those boys!” Following his honorable discharge, Ken wasn’t back home long when he met our Mom, Carol Coble. They married on March 16, 1958 in Nampa and welcomed three children; Julie in 1959, Janet in 1960 and Clint in 1964. Ken joined McGregor Triangle Company in 1965 and worked on a number of large powerline projects. He was involved in the Hells Canyon project constructing the large steel towers used to carry powerlines up from Oxbow Dam. It was dangerous work and required the use of helicopters to place each large section. He also worked with McGregor Triangle on several other projects in Oregon and Idaho. In 1969, we returned to Nampa and Ken started fulltime at Amalgamated Sugar Company, having worked campaigns several times in the past. He retired in 1995 from his position as Assistant Superintendent of the Nampa Plant and during his tenure the Nampa Plant won the company’s pennant seven times for its’ efficiency and production. After retirement, Ken and Carol couldn’t get out of valley fast enough and spent their next 10 years snow birding in the Parker, AZ, area, and hosting the SISCRA campground in Donnelly in the summer. In 2009 they returned back home to Nampa to be closer to family. Ken and Carol loved our family and worked hard for us. They cheered us on in all our sports and school activities. Our family had so many great times riding three-wheelers in the Owyhees, Bruneau sand dunes, and Florence, OR. Ken and Carol loved to take grandchildren on trips to Disneyland and the Oregon coast. They also loved trips to Jackpot and Lincoln City. He was proud of all of us and he will be dearly missed. Ken was preceded in death by his beloved wife, Carol, who passed away suddenly in August 2018. He is survived by Julie and John Jansen van Beek, Janet and Lorell Skogsberg, and Clint and Sheri Brattin; grandchildren Levi Skogsberg, Dani Walker, Aaron Skogsberg, Lindsay Stuart, Katie Clow, Jared Jansen van Beek, Hayden Brattin, 10 great grandchildren, and many special nieces and nephews.
Kenneth was truly one of a kind.
