Kenneth Morgan CHANEY

CHANEY, Kenneth Morgan
A decorated war veteran and accomplished writer and documentary filmmaker, passed away May 20, 2010 at the age of 90. Born December 29, 1919 in Adele, Iowa, Ken joined the U.S. Army Air Corp at age 18 as an aerial photographer flying reconnaissance. Ken cheated death several times over, surviving three plane crashes, including one in which he was shot down by enemy fire over the Gulf of Corinth near Greece. Despite rough seas and a broken leg, Ken forfeited his lifejacket to his pilot friend, a non-swimmer. Following their rescue by a Greek fishing boat, Ken spent a portion of the war behind enemy lines as an operative. Later, when working in Washington, D.C. for the Office of Strategic Services, Ken met and married Olga Teresa Gaudioso, also with the OSS. Ken and Olga moved to the Bay Area of California and raised five children. Ken worked as a photographer, writer and correspondent. The family moved to Sacramento, where Ken worked for the State of California producing educational and documentary films for the Department of Water Resources. Ken enjoyed reading, listening to classical music, boating, fishing, water skiing, playing board games, and camping with his family. Ken's courage, spirit, and sense of humor, which he showed through his entire life to the very end, will be greatly missed, but lives on in his offspring and his memory. Ken Chaney is survived by his wife of 63 years, Olga; his daughters Carol, Alexa, Teresa, and Monica, son Phil; also his grandchildren Shannon, Maitri Dolma, Yeshe, Kevin, Andrew, Kenny and Joe; and great-grandchildren Trystan, Bryar Rose, Kewyn, Arwyn, and Sophia.