Ken-E Oswalt

Capt. Ken-E Oswalt, 59, died July 1, 2009, in Homer. A memorial service was July 9 with family and friends in La Jolla, Calif. The service was officiated by longtime family friend Stephen Walker, who brought remembrances of love, laughter, and of course the practical joker that Ken-E was. It was a beautiful, sunny afternoon on the beach with birds in the air, surfers enjoying the offshore breeze, and friends gathered - a fitting day he would have loved so much. He was born Feb. 11, 1950, in El Centro, Calif. Over the years Ken-E worked as a long-haul trucker in the United States and he was also very successful in the family produce business, which he took internationally to New Zealand, building cold room facilities for specialty produce products. During his 27 years in New Zealand, his diverse skills led him to opening one of the first Mexican restaurants, "La Hacienda," in Whangamata, which is still open today. He also became a Master PADI Scuba Dive Instructor. His passion for the ocean led him many places around the world, including the island of Kauai, Hawaii, where he delivered a 62-foot yacht from San Francisco for the the Transpac Races. He stayed in Kauai for a few years, where he loved the island lifestyle of being in a small town where family and friends reside in a tight-knit beach community, and of course, the surfing. Eventually he began furthering his skills working on commercial and sport-fishing vessels. During his time in Homer, he captained for Silver Fox Charters and Rainbow Tours. The last four years of his life were spent between his home in New Zealand and the U.S., where he worked for SEACOR Marine out of New Orleans. He was captain of 200/500 vessels running crew and supplies to the oil rigs in the Gulf of Mexico and delivering vessels between Mexico, Venezuela, and Brazil. He had recently completed his Masters Course while in San Diego, Calif., in order to advance to the next level of captain for even larger vessels. Ken-E also served in the Vietnam War and was honorably discharged after two years of service. He was awarded the National Defense Service Medal, the Vietnam Service ICE Medal with two stars, and the Vietnam Campaign Medal with 60 Device. He will be remembered forever by his family: brothers, Roger and Randy; sister, Kristy; and his loving parents, Gene and Vera Oswalt. He is survived by two daughters, Kena and Regina; and son, Jeffrey Oswalt. "The life he shared with us was full of adventure and he lived it to the fullest," his family recalled. "Thank you to all of the people who have had Ken and his family in their thoughts and prayers at this sad time. A Web site has been set up for anyone wishing to share their adventures with Ken with all of us who loved him at: captain-ken.memory-of.com."