Kenneth Ward DeVaney

Kenneth Ward DeVaney, 90, longtime Moses Lake resident and retired

carpenter, passed away Saturday, December 25, 2010 at Summer Wood

Alzheimer’s Special Care Center. Kenneth was born October 8, 1920

in Elm Grove Township, Iowa, son of the late Jesse and Bessie

(Douglas) DeVaney of Waterville.

Ken served in the U.S. Army during World War II. He was assigned to

the 61 st Military Police Company, part of the U.S. 5 th Army, and

served for 26 months in the European Theater of Operations,

receiving the Purple Heart during fighting in Italy.

He

and other members of the 61 st MP Company provided honor guards and

motorcycle escorts for generals and other dignitaries, such as

Secretary of War Henry Stimson, King George, British Prime Minister

Winston Churchill and many U.S. Army Generals, including General

Eisenhower.

The next time an old newsreel of World War II is playing and a

dignitary is being escorted by two motorcycles up front, look close

and see if one of the escorts is Ken.

Ken married Evelyn Ramm on Oct. 8, 1946. They lived in Moses Lake

since 1955 where he worked in construction as a carpenter. Having

completed 50 years of continuous membership, Ken was granted

lifetime membership in the United Brotherhood of Carpenters and

Joiners of America. He was a member of Union Local 1849 in

Kennewick.

Ken was an avid outdoorsman, who enjoyed hunting and fishing

throughout the Columbia Basin. He also raised several hunting dogs

of varying breeds. Evelyn enjoyed cooking the fish and game birds

and animals he brought home.

Ken is survived by Sister-in-law Dorothy DeVaney, niece Helen Mires

(Darrel), nephews Monty (Carolyn) and Stanley (Jacki) DeVaney, all

of Waterville.

Evelyn preceded him in death on March 5, 2010. The couple requested

no service be held. Internment will take place this spring at the

cemetery in Waterville.