Ken Gaydos

Ken Gaydos, of Edmonds, WA, passed away at Swedish Edmonds Hospital on September 3, 2018, surrounded by his family after fighting a courageous battle with cancer. Ken was born on January 13, 1939 in Chicago, IL to John and Eleanor (Hemings) Gaydos. Ken attended Chicago Public Elementary and Senn High School. He was recruited as a child actor for the KYB club on WMBI in Chicago when he was 8 years old and acted and sang for the next eight years. He went to basic training at Great Lakes Naval Station and then spent the next 2 1/2 years on the Destroyer USS Laws in the Pacific. After being discharged, he returned to Chicago and worked for ChicagoLand Youth for Christ and also became an apprentice undertaker. During this time, he met his future wife, Lois Conradt, at Edgewater Baptist Church, while she was a nursing student at the Swedish Covenant Hospital School of Nursing. They were married on August 10, 1963 at Kasbeer Community Church in Kasbeer, IL with Lois's father officiating. Ken enrolled and attended Bob Jones University in Greenville, SC, majoring in radio and TV communication. He worked as a news reporter for the NBC affiliate WFBC. Their daughter, Kristin, was born during this time in 1965. Ken was then hired to be director of the news department at KBBI, the radio station that Biola owned in LaMirada, CA. During this time, their infant daughter, Karen, was stillborn and Mark followed a year later. In December of 1969, Ken was hired to be director of the news department of the radio station that King's Garden operated, KGDN and KBIQ. Their daughter, Denise was born, followed by their son, Tim. Ken went on to become public relations director at SPU for four years. In 1981, Ken felt God calling him to start a missions organization and named it ICM, International Chaplin Ministry, with a chaplin branch called Support 7. Chaplins are sent out on 911 aide calls as first responders through fire and police departments to minister to victims and families going through a crisis. This program was a first of its kind, similar programs have been replicated throughout the country. Ken is survived by his wife, Lois, of 55 years; children, Kristin, Mark (Amy), Denise (Kreston), and Tim (Brittany) and 17 grandchildren; sister, Ann, many nieces and nephews and brother-in-law, David, sister-in-law and husband, Joyce and Ken. There will be a public viewing at Beck's Funeral Home in Edmonds, WA on Thursday, September 13, 2018 and Friday, September 14, 2018 3-7 p.m. A funeral will be held at Alderwood Community Church in Lynnwood, WA on September 15, 2018 at 2 p.m., with burial following at Edmonds Memorial Cemetary in Edmonds, WA. A reception will be held at the church following burial services. The public is invited. In lieu of flowers, donations may be given to the J. Kenneth Gaydos Irrevocable Trust, Bank of America, 306 Main Street Edmonds, WA 98020.