Ken Vogel obit posted at Pullman’s Kimball funeral home
website.
Kenneth "Ken" B. Vogel
(July 24, 1945 - October 6, 2016)
KENNETH BRADLEY VOGEL
Ken Vogel was born in Puyallup, Washington and after a very short
illness with cancer died on October 6, 2016, in Winlock, Washington at the age
of 71.
Raised in Auburn as the third of six boys, Ken graduated from
Auburn High School in 1963, thereafter enrolling in Central Washington
University to play basketball and, of course, to learn.
Drafted into the United States Army in 1968, he served two years
of his infantry tour of duty in Korea. After completing his military service
and before returning to college at Washington State University, Ken worked
briefly for Klopfenstein's, an exclusive clothing store in Seattle, where his love and
enthusiasm for retail sales were born.
As a WSU student, Ken worked part time in the Men’s Department
of the Empire Department Store, and later full time, becoming manager of the
department in 1974.
He remained with the Empire until it closed in 1982. He knew by
then that his future was in retail sales, so in October, 1982, he opened Ken
Vogel Clothing in the former JC Penny store building in Pullman, first
exclusively with men’s wear and accessories, later expanding to include women’s
clothing as well.
By then, after dating for five years, Ken and Sally McChesney of
Albion had married on August 12, 1978. Together they built their house on
Sunrise Drive the same year.
Ken’s maternal grandfather came to this country from Norway and
went to work for the Northern Pacific Railroad in 1907, working in later years
as a steam engine and diesel engineer, driving his added engine to freight
trains crossing the steep mountain pass—Stampede Pass—and through the Stampede
tunnel.
As a boy, Ken visited his grandfather and grandmother who lived
in Lester until retirement, and Ken on several occasions rode with his
grandfather in the engine across the Pass and back. Thus was born Ken’s
attachment to all things Northern Pacific and the theme he created for his
store.
He went to collect all manner of NP memorabilia and to know and
love many old time NP workers and current NP railroad enthusiasts. He joined
and became very active in the Northern Pacific Railway Historical Association,
serving most recently as an officer for several years. In September, just as the
first signs of his illness appeared, he and Sally attended his last annual
convention of the Association in the old railroad/mining/logging town of
Wallace, Idaho.
Ken and his store were the essence of Pullman, open to all for
good conversation and chocolate. All who entered the store left with at least
one Ken Vogel story and chocolate or M & Ms from a handy ceramic jar. While
teaching young men how to tie ties or measuring them for special event tuxedos,
he would request in return home made chocolate from them—no need for Sally to
fix chocolate desserts for 24 years! And Ken remained touched by how
Pullmanites came out during the river floods of 1996 and 1997 to help place
sandbags to protect the store, and then afterwards, all day long, to remove water
from inside the store.
Ken looked forward to his daily morning coffee klatch with WSU
and Pullman business men and women and the conversations there, whether
serious, not so serious, or just gossipy.
Ken was passionate about getting kids
connected to the magic of books, loaning from his collection those books he had
read as a child—The Hardy Boys, Nancy Drew and Dave Dawson series among others.
He talked to children at NPRHA memorabilia swap meets (when passing out WSU
posters) about the power of reading. And he volunteered in the schools, going
in to read to the young students in their classrooms.
Because of his interest in local history, Ken co-founded the
Palouse Empire Rail Society in 1994, and was a member of the Old Engine and
Tractor Club, the Lewis and Clark Antique Power Club, and the Whitman County
Historical Society, actively recruiting members in the latter with a promise of
chocolate with each new membership.
Ken Vogel Clothing closed December 24, 2006, and Ken and Sally
earnestly began the search for ‘’railroad depot’’ property which they finally
located in Winlock—twenty yards from the Burlington Northern Santa Fe/ Union
Pacific and Amtrak railroad mainline between Seattle and Portland. They sold
their Pullman house in May, 2008. In February, 2009, they moved into the
modified replica NP railroad station they built (Ken’s dream house), furnished,
of course, with Ken’s NP memorabilia. With forty years of Pullman friendships,
Ken invited all to “Come and stay in my depot.” Many did just that, giving Ken
much joy these past too few years.
Ken is survived by his beloved and loving wife Sally. Also by
brother number 1, Bart of Redondo; brother number 4, Greg of Puyallup; brother
number 6, Rod of Pullman; and one nephew, two nieces, and five grand nieces and
nephews. Brother number 2, Mark of Potlach (Hood Canal), formerly of Pullman,
died July 28, 2001, and brother number 5, Kurt of Auburn, died June 15, 2016.
Ken’s parents, Hazel Pearl, a daughter of Norwegian immigrants, and Henry
Ernest, the son of German immigrants, died years ago.
A celebration of Ken’s life will be held at 2:00 p.m., October
22, 2016, in the Gladish View Room in the Gladish Community Center, Pullman.
Please wear Northern Pacific or Cougar attire if you wish.
In lieu of flowers, a gift to the Whitman County Historical
Society would be appreciated. Kimball Funeral Home is caring for the family.
.................
Ken
Vogel obituary in two newspapers
=Moscow Pullman Daily News 10/13/2016
=Lewiston Trib 10/13/2016
http://lmtribune.com/obituaries/kenneth-bradley-vogel/article_ec88f170-da7a-5413-9349-dfdde86a24f1.html
