Ken Heimbigner

Kenneth Heimbigner, a long time resident of Moses Lake, died on May 9 at the age of 92. Ken and his wife Allison enjoyed over 70 years of marriage together, having married on Sept. 8, 1946, in Ritzville.

Ken was born on the family homestead a few miles outside of Ritzville and grew up on the wheat farm along with his siblings Hershel, Berry, Barbara and Fritz. He enjoyed life on the farm, especially taking care of the livestock.

A 1943 graduate of Ritzville High School, Ken was a natural leader, serving as Student Body President, as well as a standout athlete in both football and baseball. As a young man, Ken enjoyed working as a roofer, a carpenter, as well as the head herdsman on Rutter’s Black Angus ranch in Ellensburg.

Eventually, he found his way to a long career in the retail furniture business. He served as President of the Pacific Northwest Retailers Association, as well as the recipient of the John Q. Kelly award as the outstanding furniture retailer in the Pacific Northwest region.

Ken’s community service, while residing in Ritzville, Ephrata and Moses Lake, included FFA, Jaycees, Lions Club, Chamber of Commerce, as well as the Kiwanis Club in Moses Lake for over 50 years. Friends of Ken will remember him as a master woodworker, an avid hiker in the Cascade Mountains and a patient fisherman throughout the Columbia Basin.

Ken is survived by his wife Allison, of Moses Lake, and their children, Sandra and Deni Atkinson of Ritzville, Brian and Linda Heimbigner of Cumming, Georgia, and Douglas Heimbigner and Hally Birnbaum of New York.

Other survivors include Ken’s younger sister Barbara Niendam of Spokane, as well as Ken and Allison’s grandchildren Eric and Tana Atkinson of Spokane, Ryan Atkinson and Alison Forsythe of Yakota Air Force Base, Japan, Kristi and Greg Kruepke of Waukesha, Wisconsin, Kali and Tom Andrus of Issaquah, and great-grandchildren Lauren, Tyler, Trevor, Kyle, Cameron, Nathan and Harper.

The Heimbigner family wishes to thank all of the healthcare providers and staff who cared for Ken at Brookdale-Hearthstone, Columbia Crest Care Center and Samaritan Healthcare. Their never-ending warmth, smiles and laughter were greatly appreciated.

Memorial services will be held at 1 p.m., Saturday, May 20, at the United Methodist Church, 746 Ironwood Drive in Moses Lake.

In lieu of flowers, donations to support the FFA at Ritzville can be sent to LRS FFA Alumni, 1739 East Roloff Road in Ritzville. For information on the local chapter, email [email protected].