Kenneth Alvin Chatwin

Kenneth A. Chatwin, 83, passed away at the family home in Ponderay on Sunday, March 4th 2018.  He was born in San Antonio, Texas on November 7th 1934, the only child of Katherine and Alvin Chatwin and grandson of beloved Kenneth Matthews. Ken graduated from Belton, TX high school and then paid for his college education by working in Idaho as a wildland fire fighter in the summers.  He had great memories of working shoulder to shoulder with other southern farm kids in the mountains of Idaho.  In the summer of 1957, he met Sandpoint native Jean Foster. They married that fall and returned to Texas where Ken graduated from the University of Texas and began his long career in the industrial insurance business.  In 1971, Ken and Jean returned to Idaho and settled their family in Boise.  Subsequent positions with the Home Insurance Company and Coroon & Black found Ken and Jean in Great Falls MT, Fairbanks AK and Enumclaw WA.  In 1999, Ken retired from his position as Risk Manager for the city of Kent, WA and Ken and Jean returned to Sandpoint.  During retirement, Ken enjoyed his travels with Jean and continuing his lifelong affinity for woodworking and the outdoors.  An avid woodworker, Ken enjoyed crafting his unique items and selling them…..always at a price that working families could afford…at the Sandpoint Farmers Market for many years. He also served as Rangemaster at the Sandpoint Shooting Range.  He was very taken with his grandchildren and was so pleased to watch them grow into adults that he enjoyed and admired.     Ken will be lovingly remembered by his wife of 60 years, Jean of Sandpoint, ID;  son Brian Chatwin of Spokane, WA; daughter Katherine (Bill) Fransen of Olympia, WA; grandchildren Jennifer Chatwin of Spokane, WA;  Kelly Chatwin of Post Falls, ID; Emily Fransen of Austin, TX and Alec Fransen of Bend, OR.   At Ken’s request, no pubic service will be held.    Memorial donations in memory of Ken can be made to:    Panhandle Animal Shelter 870 Kootenai Cutoff RoadPonderay, ID 83852 208-265-7297 pasidaho.org             or   American Lung Association55 W. Wacker Drive, Suite 1150, Chicago, IL 606011-800-LUNGUSA or 1-800-586-4872info@lung.org