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Kenneth Hopen Obituary
Kenneth Alvin Hopen, 78, passed away peacefully with his family by his side on Jan 2, 2013 of natural causes. He was born Feb 20, 1934 in Seattle, Washington to Astrid & Ludvig Hopen. He spent his formative years in Seattle, where he graduated from Roosevelt H.S. in 1951. Before finishing high school, he enlisted in the US Coast Guard Reserves. While also in the Reserves, he studied at the University of Washington and was a baseball pitcher for the Huskies. During the summer break, he also pitched for the Seattle Rainiers baseball team. After finishing those two years of reserve duty, he began full time active duty with the Coast Guard where he was stationed in Port Angeles on NAN Patrol vessels. Ken was married in 1959 and soon after continued his life passion and founded Glas-Ply Boats, which became one of the major boat manufacturers in the Northwest. For more than 25 years, Glas-Ply went on to sell over 10,000 boats worldwide. Over Ken's career he received many industry awards and accolades for the design and quality of his boats, and even served on the US Coast Guard Boating Safety Counsel in Washington DC. Ken completed his working career with Boeing in the mid 1990's.
Ken was happy to be a 40 year resident of Edmonds and he thoroughly enjoyed living there with family and friends. Ken is survived by his brother Don Hopen (Karen), niece Susan, nephew John, his Aunt Dolly Hayman and her family. His children Debbie Appleby (Mike), Vicki Storino (Mike), Chris Hopen (Sue). Ken also had 8 grandchildren, Tiffany, Ryan and Whitney Appleby, Josh (Stephanie) and Jared (Natalie) Olin, Mackey, Zane and Delaney Hopen, and great grandson Brayden.
Ken's Celebration of Life service will be held at 2pm on January 11th at: Calvary Fellowship 23302 56th Ave Mountlake Terrace WA.
To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.
Memories and Condolences
for Kenneth Hopen
Port Townsend Rendezvous 2006
Bill VanderSys
January 23, 2013
As a member of the Glasply.net forum and having attended the Port Townsend rendezvous meeting Ken and spending a good deal of time talking with a true gentleman about Glasplys I am saddened by his passing. One of my most endeared memories of Ken is at this rendezvous and him sitting in my port seat on the bridge of my 28, smiling, enjoying a boat all the while cruising at 30+knots in near perfect waters. I had two new Glasply hats that I had acquired at a previous rendezvous and gave one to Ken, thinking it would be fitting for him to wear it. I will forever remember the joy it brought to his face. Thank you Ken.
Our prayers go out to the family in your loss of Ken. He was and still is a wonderful part of the boating community.
Hap Chris Anna Ben Schnase
January 22, 2013
Ken and family have been so special to me over the years, sorry to receive news of his passing.
Janice Gage
January 21, 2013
Sending condolences and thoughts of love and happy memories to all who knew and loved Mr Hopen. To Debbie and Vicki, much love to you always ~ Janice Cleven
Ron and Nadine Miller
January 18, 2013
We met Ken at a Glas-ply rendezous, he was one of the most enjoyable people we have ever met. We loved hearing his stories and showing him the pictures of our "in progress" restoration on our 19' Glas-ply. We have always loved our boat, but by meeting the founder have become determined to keep her in tip top condition and part of our family forever. She is now 40 years old and fast becoming an antique. I think when Ken built these boats he gave each of them a personality. Our's is happiest when we take her out on the lake every weekend. We started a business a couple years ago and have not had much time with her and she has been giving us attitude. We hope this year we will finally have a lot more time for our weekend friend. Anyway, we are both gratefully to Ken for building the best boat out there and thankfully for having an opportunity for meeting the man with a superior vision of what a boat SHOULD be. Our "wake" will always be dedicated to Ken, may he sail smoothly. (we submitted a couple pictures in the photo gallery of a Ken beauty)
This sweet creation of Ken's has been ours since '05 & nothing will ever replace her. We've lovingly & respectively restored the love of our life
Ron and Nadine Miller
January 18, 2013
'73-19' Ken Hopen beauty, creating a blazing spray
Ron and Nadine Miller
January 18, 2013
January 11, 2013
Our thoughts & prayers are
with are with you this day. We have lots of fond memories of Ken. Blessings to all.
Bobby & Claudia Mills
January 11, 2013
Our thoughts & prayers are with you on this day. Blessings to all.
Bobby & Claudia Mills
Shelli Wallace Critchlow
January 9, 2013
I have such fond memories of a man so full of life. We never had a dull moment around him. May he rest in peace and God grant all of your family serenity. I love you all.
Mike Madden
January 8, 2013
Ken was our neighbor and friend for many years. Ken's pride in the achievements of his children and grandchildren was evident every time we spoke. Fair winds and following seas, my friend.
Ken's GlasPly Family - Still Strong after all these years! We'll miss you Ken.
Bryan Haakenson
January 7, 2013
Glen Kobata
January 7, 2013
33 years ago Ken built me a Glasply boat that I still have. They don't build boats anymore like Ken built. I sure am goint to miss you Ken, See you again.
January 6, 2013
May God bless you and your family in this time of sorrow.
Andrea (Hayman) Glassett
January 6, 2013
I don't remember the first time I met my cousin, Ken. It may have been over Christmas eating cakes my mom (Dolly) used to make or at his home where my siblings and I would stay on occasional weekends. He was a jokster. On one occasion when staying at his childhood home, Ken told me about these giants that lived in their cellar. Subsequently he showed me that cellar, locked me in and turned out the lights. It took me a long time to recover from the fear of basements but I didn't blame Ken : )
Ken loved to join our family events. At my dad's 80th birthday, he commandiered a big boat/yacht (I'm not a boat person) to surprise my dad at Blake Island where Ken and many family and extended family rendevoused with dad and the five of us siblings who kayaked to Blake Island across Puget Sound from Alki.
Ken's ideas were both wild and practical and flowed out of him like tap water. What a great gift!
Though we live in Colorado, we had many opportunities to be with Ken. He had a big heart and personality. Having suffered many ailments in his later years, I am grateful that he is a rest.
Our prayers and sympathy go out to the family as they remember his life.
Jeanette Woolman
January 6, 2013
Rest in Peace Ken. You where loved!
Bryan Haakenson
January 6, 2013
Dear Hopen family,
On behalf of the GlasPly boating community, we will sincerely miss Ken and his wonderful smile and big dreams of new adventures in boating. Ken was always eager to attend our GlasPly Rendezvous when he could and I believe it made him extremely happy to see all the various models attending from the dinghys to 17ft-28ft boats. Ken has helped so many of us over the years with tips, restoration and even part sourcing for these wonderful boats he built. Growing up with GlasPly in the family and as a young adult looking to know more about boats, I spent a summer working on Ken's 21 trying to get the boat running again and giving it a complete wax job. Those boats sure do shine with a little bit of elbow grease! Alas, the engine was toast but as Ken usually "had connections and dreams" the thought was to repower through one of the industry connections. I learned a lot from Ken that summer and have never forgotten it.
I digress, and must confess I will truly miss him and his ideas. No one will ever have the fire inside, to prove their hull design like Ken, from having customers take sledge hammers to the hull at the factory and by dropping a 19 cuddy from a helicopter to study stress fracture capabilities. Ken put his heart and soul into those boats and I am proud to have known him.
My prayers go out to Janet and the rest of the family to find peace in your loss.
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